Arkansas Columnist "Enjoyed the Ride" with Tiger Pep Band

March 1, 2009

March 1, 2009, Greencastle, Ind. — "As I was trying to hang with the Tiger Pep Band of DePauw on Saturday, I noticed one of the musicians was catching up on some homework during breaks. The book was An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics," writes David McCollum in today's Log Cabin Democrat of Conway, Arkansas, where the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference basketball tournament is being played this weekend. "I wasn't up to speed on either physics or ancient astrophysics. But we all made some beautiful music together. Well, they did. I enjoyed the ride." (at left: Tiger Pep Band performing at November 2008's 115th Monon Bell Classic)

McCollum joined the DePauw students as they entertained crowds at all of the tournament games. The columnist played trumpet.

"They bus from Greencastle, Ind., on limited funds and spend the weekend living on sandwiches, hot dogs, snacks and candy," he writes of the Tiger Pep Band's members. "They perform for every session, getting some study time in during the games. These kids and a few alumni give up a weekend to add a bigtime feel to the tournament. They play more than anybody else." McCollum asserts, "Trust me, they take their role as representative of all teams seriously."

During the Trinity-Southwestern men's game, the columnist reports, "something magical happened. Maybe something that can only happen when with college students and music. The two-woman DePauw dance team (don't try to keep up with them) began a routine down the sideline. On the front row were members of the Trinity women's team, who were rooting their men's counterparts on. The band struck up, the Trinity women got to their feet and suddenly, the DePauw dancing gals, who can do amazing things with hoops and flags, began to teach them some of their shuffling dance moves, similar to what you see football defensive backs go through in warmups. The Trinity women, a big awkward at first, began dancing with the DePauw dancers. Then, a couple of musicians came over and began to play on the bleacher steps. And we had wild dancin', peppy music and smiles. The crowd became captivated by the show of this very good basketball team trying to keep of with some very good dancers."

He concludes, "We saw the foundation of what sport should be. We saw a delicious element of education and experience beyond the classroom. We saw a microcosm of what much of life can be. Yeah, high notes."

Access the complete text at the newspaper's Web site.

DePauw's women's team advanced to the semifinals of the weekend's SCAC tournament in Conway, Arkansas, where they fell to Trinity. The men came up short in their first round game.

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