George Ferguson Column: From all of sports nuts, thank you HHS Marching Band

When you picture a high school football game on a Friday night or in a warm gym filled with high school basketball fans on a bitter-cold night in January, one thing that should come to mind is a band playing during those games.

Whether it’s a marching band on the football field or a rowdy pep band in the stands at a basketball game, music and, in particular, a high school band is absolutely part of the culture.

Of course, I don’t need to necessarily remind Blue Pony fans of that. After all, we are lucky to have one of the best band programs in all of Montana high school athletics.

Yes, I might be biased, but to me it doesn’t get much better than the Blue Pony Band.

So it was with great pride that I, like many of you, watched as the Blue Pony Marching Band played in the National Independence Day Parade Monday in Washington, D.C. What a spectacular experience for all of the band members, their families, and for all of us who love the Blue Ponies.

For me personally, there are many reasons why the HHS band resonates with me. Sports of course, is a big one.

For nearly my entire life, I have watched football games on Friday nights and basketball games in the winter and spring. For much of those years, I have watched and covered Blue Pony athletics, so, the HHS band has been a fixture for me. So many years have gone by, I honestly know all the songs by heart, and, it’s to the point for me now, the Blue Pony band is just something that’s completely ingrained in me, and I’m sure I’m not alone with that.

I’ll also say this, Havre High athletics wouldn’t be what they are without our band. They are not only musically gifted, bright, talented individuals, they are also the heartbeat of Blue Pony games. Year-after-year, the band doesn’t just entertain us at football and basketball games, they also show tremendous enthusiasm for their classmates on the field and court. They cheer, they chant, they have great traditions, and they make Blue Pony home games extremely special.

I have also been fortunate enough to coach many members of band in tennis over the years. Those individuals bring their same enthusiasm and passion for music to the tennis courts and it has also translated very well. So of course, with several Pony tennis players marching in Monday’s parade, I felt very proud, but more so, very happy for them that they got to experience something so unique.

Finally, the pride I felt Monday watching the videos of our band play on the Fourth of July was much like many of you felt, I’m sure. On Independence Day, in our nation’s capital, there were the Blue Ponies, and by extension, there was Havre, and there was Montana. Watching the Blue Pony band gave me goose bumps and gave me chills, because I know those kids were so proud to representing Havre High, all Blue Ponies, Havre and Montana. Knowing them, I know how much pride they must have felt in that parade.

So, I want to take this time to just tell every member of the HHS band who made the trip to D.C., including the great Mr. David Johnke, and those of you who didn’t make the trip, and those of you who will march in the Blue Pony band in the future, we, as a community are so proud of all of you. Here in the sports world, we thank you for everything you do, and congrats on an amazing experience.