For many years, members of the Youngsville marching band have attended each varsity football game the school took part in. They would not only perform at half-time, but also provided the entertainment factor that was intended to support the team — up until the 2017-18 school year when the Youngsville football program merged with Warren.

The Youngsville-Warren co-op meant, “no more Friday night football games or halftime performances for the marching band…or stand tunes to play and get the crowd pumped with the cheerleaders dancing along,” said Natalie Lucks, the band’s treasurer.

Numerous adjustments had to take place in order to continue school traditions, according to Lucks. There was “no more homecoming; so our crowning now takes place at our Community Pie Festival that is held and the fall athletes are announced,” she said. “The senior recognition for marching band is held at our half-time review which is at the end of band season.”

“The first year the teams were co-oped we attended two of the home football games at Warren. But three bands cannot perform at half-time because now you have Warren band, the opposing team’s band, and the Youngsville band,” Lucks said. “So we had to perform after the game. Most people were ready to go and left so there was not much of a crowd to perform to.”

Photo submitted to the Times Observer Members of the Youngsville Marching Eagles perform during the 2018/19 school year.

The Warren and Youngsville bands took turns performing in the stands since the two groups didn’t practice together, according to Lucks.

“This year we attended one home game and again performed after the game and had a much better audience including the ‘Flannel Panel’,” Lucks said. “Words cannot say how much that meant to our band students and parents.”

One member of the Youngsville Marching Eagles tried to put it into words. Lucas Miller, a senior who has spent eight years performing in the ensemble, said the support from the ‘Flannel Panel’ was “great.”

The ‘Flannel Panel’ is a group of Warren high school students who stand next to the band and cheer on the Warren team at football games, according to Miller.

Miller said that as the band played “Sister Christian” following the football game, not only did the “Flannel Panel” stay to listen, but they lit up their cell phones and waved them in the air.

“They didn’t have to do that. They’re from Warren,” Miller said. “That really meant a lot.”

Miller said the band, which is made up of approximately 30 students, has been taking part in more competitions since ceasing weekly football game performances.

He misses the fun of performing at football games. “There was less stress playing at the games,” he said. “But competitions mean more to me.”

In addition to competitions, the band plays a significant role in their own community, according to the band’s director Cindy Scheid.

“The band is very much involved in the community,” Scheid said. “They always march in the Youngsville Memorial Day parade. They just played at the Veteran’s Celebration in Warren.”

While some marching bands may be done for the season, Youngsville’s show still goes on.

“We will be part of the Old Fashion Christmas and Walk in Youngsville on Dec 1,” Scheid said. “Our orchestra will be playing in the Museum house by the courthouse for the Warren Christmas Walk on Friday Dec 7 .”