BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Editor

Gone are the days of the Clarkston High School Marching Band rehearsing in the dark in the school’s parking lot.
These days, the students are enjoying a brand-new field on campus they first began using last week. The school’s soccer and lacrosse teams practice on the field during the day and the band gets it at night.
“Sometimes they are allowed to use the stadium but usually the football team is there,” said Clarkston Schools of Instrumental Music President Dave Murphy. “They practice almost in the dark, with light poles and potholes in the middle of where they are to march and twirl flags, and no lines to see where to go. It is also hard on the legs and injuries can occur.
“Many years ago, the music boosters rallied together to help pass the school bond which would get the band and other sports teams, like soccer, their own field. After the bond being passed with the boosters’ help and waiting all these years, the band finally got to practice on the field for the first time last week. The field is beautiful.”
A ceremonial ribbon cutting on September 17 kicked off that night’s rehearsal with senior drum major Tess Felter doing the honors along side fellow senior drum major Nick Adkins and junior drum major Gwendolyn Kohl.

Clarkston High School senior drum major Tess Felter cuts the ceremonial ribbon to open the new field the marching band will share with the school’s athletic teams. Junior drum major Gwendolyn Kohl (at left) and senior drum major Nick Adkins look on, Sept. 17. Photos by Matt MackinderClarkston Band Director Mike Lewis said the band having its own field is a wonderful asset, in addition to being a lot safer than what had previously been used.
“The anticipation and excitement level of the students has been tremendous,” Lewis said. “They have been hoping to have an actual practice field for years and the anticipation has been building for years since the bond was passed by the community. Working with the kids, you can see how excited they have been to have marching band back this fall and are enjoying spending time with their friends doing what they love.”
And even as football returned to the field last week, that doesn’t necessarily mean the band will be performing at halftime.
“This season will have a very different look for the kids,” Lewis said. “The students are used to performing at 4-5 football games and attending five marching band competitions each fall. The season typically ends with a performance at marching band state finals held at Ford Field the first weekend in November. This fall, the students are working hard to prepare a show that we will be performing for their parents and community later in October.
“It has definitely been a change performing temperature checks and COVID questionnaires before each practice, but the students have been handling these well and have done a great job of following the new rules that have been instituted to help keep them safe.”