The Pride of the Sunshine
Encyclopedia
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. They play at every Florida Gators
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
home football game in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field is the football stadium for the University of Florida and the home field of the university's Florida Gators football team. It is located on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The stadium was originally built in 1930, and has been regularly...
and also performs at various other events such as pep rallies, parades, and the annual Orange and Blue Spring Scrimmage game. A full band usually travels to one away game a year while at other games a small/medium sized pep band will attend. Members of the Gator Band, as well as other University of Florida students, are encouraged to join other ensembles such as concert band, jazz band, basketball band, and volleyball band. The majorettes (twirlers) for the marching band are called the Gatorettes
Gatorettes
The Gatorettes are the Florida Gators' twirling dancers, and they are affiliated with The Pride of the Sunshine. Representing the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL.-Background information:The Gatorettes are the University of Florida's baton twirlers...
.http://insideuf.ufl.edu/2008/08/01/gatorettes-titles/
History
The first band at the University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
was founded by "Pug" Hamilton in 1914. It had 16 members and was called "The Cadet Band". The first band office was in Anderson Hall
Anderson Hall (Gainesville, Florida)
Anderson Hall is a historic building in Gainesville, Florida, in the northeastern section of the University of Florida campus. On June 27, 1979, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places...
and the first band room was in the Women's Gymnasium
Women's Gymnasium (Gainesville, Florida)
Kathryn Chicone Ustler Hall is an historic building on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. It was designed by William Augustus Edwards in the Collegiate Gothic style. On June 27, 1979, it was added to the U.S...
. The first woman in Gator Band was Sophy Mae Mitchell of Sebring, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 1948. After marching with the banner in her first year in the band, Mitchell was invited back to play the Belle Lyre for the remainder of her college career. She frequently returns to the Alumni Band games as well as over one hundred other Gator Band alumni. In 1972 Gator Band was featured at the opening of Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. In 1997 Gator Band participated in the Walt Disney World 25th Anniversary Celebration.
The Steinbrenner Band Hall
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
was made possible by a generous gift from George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
and his wife Joan in 2002. The facility was completed in 2008 and houses the Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
Band Rehearsal Room in addition to offices, instrument storage, the band library and an instrument issue room.
Director of Bands
- 1st Director: "Pug" Hamilton
- 1st Paid: R. Dewitt Brown (1920–1948)
- 2nd Paid: Col. Harold B. Bachman (1948–1958)
- 3rd Paid: Reid Poole (1958–1961)
- 4th Paid: Richard Bowles (1961–1973)
- 5th Paid: Frank Wickes (1973–1980)
- Assistant Director: Gary Langford
- 6th Paid: David Gregory (1980–1982)
- 7th Paid: Gerald Poe (1982–1985)
- 8th Paid: Gary Langford (1985–1987)
- 9th Paid: Dr. David A. Waybright (1987–Present)
- Associate Director of Bands: Gary Langford (1987–1995)
- Assistant Director of Bands: Mark Spede (1990-1996)
- Associate Director of Bands: Rene Rosas (1995–1998) http://www.napervilleband.org/staff.html
- Associate Director of Bands: Matthew Sexton (1998–2006)
- Associate Director of Bands: John M. Watkins, Jr. (2006–Present)
- Assistant Director of Bands: Archie Birkner, IV (2006–Present)
Course Description
MUN1110 and MUN 3110 is a performance course designed to improve individual marching and playing skills, todevelop sight-reading skills, to improve the individual’s grasp of the essential elements of music and to assist the
student in the personal and professional growth and development necessary for successful post-baccalaureate life.
Additionally, this course will provide weekly live performance opportunities for the entire ensemble. It is the focus of this course to make these performances represent the highest level of artistic and aesthetic experience. Further, it is the goal of the Gator Band to provide entertaining halftime shows, and to provide energy and spirit at all events at which the Gator Band performs. Due to the highly visible nature of these performances, participation in all rehearsals and performances is pivotal to the success of the ensemble. Class meets Monday (6:15pm–8:10pm), Tuesday (4:05pm–6:00pm), Thursday (4:05pm–6:00pm), and Friday (4:05pm–6:00pm, for home games only) every week. Though it does not cost anything to join the band, you must have the appropriate uniform. Uniforms rental is free. The band also rehearses on the morning of a home game.
Pregame
As soon as the field is clear the band marches into the Swamp from the entrance tunnel in a pregame block. They take the field opening to the Gator Chomp, while the Voice of the Gator Band, Gerre Reynolds, announces their entrance.Gator Band Entrance
From the Fanfare Block the band plays the Fanfare and takes Orange and Blue down the field, then forms the block "F." Starting "Men of Florida," they move into their ceremonial set, and in 2006 formed a 100 commemorating 100 years of Gator Football. From 2007 to present, the ceremonial set has been a state of Florida. From there they play the Star Spangled Banner and the University of Florida's Alma Mater.
UF Pregame to this point
Finishing the Star Spangled Banner, the band plays We Are the Boys March to enter into the Gator Spellout preset. Next they play Gimmie a 'G while they spell out 'Gators.' Then they play Orange and Blue and Suwannee to take 'Gators' down the field into the UF tunnel from which the team enters.
Second half of UF Pregame
In the Stands
Third Quarter
Perhaps the most well known tradition of the Gator Band is the playing of We are the BoysWe are the Boys
"We Are the Boys from Old Florida" is a song commonly sung as a unity and pep song during University of Florida sporting events, most notably at the end of the third quarter at football games.-History:There are several claims to authorship of this song...
at the conclusion of every third quarter. Beginning with a short intro, the band sets the whole crowd into a swaying motion starting with the first words.
End of the Game
One of the newest traditions was started by Florida head coach Urban MeyerUrban Meyer
Urban Frank Meyer, III is an American football coach and former player. He is head football coach at Ohio State University, having been hired for the position in November 2011...
in 2005. After every game where the Gators win he walks over with the team and the team, band, and fans sing the Alma Mater and the fight song together and Urban Meyer shakes the director's hand.
Alma Mater and Orange and Blue
Alumni Band
Kappa Kappa Psi
The Alpha Eta chapter of Kappa Kappa PsiKappa Kappa Psi
Kappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A...
has been providing service to the University of Florida band programs since 1931. The Alpha Eta brothers have issued, cleaned and organized the uniforms and are currently responsible for providing water during rehearsals, setting orange cones for practice, cleaning the field, and distributing Gatorade on Gamedays. Since its installation, the Alpha Eta chapter has crossed over 1,000 members into the organization, including women in recent years.
Tau Beta Sigma
The Beta Xi chapter of Tau Beta SigmaTau Beta Sigma
Tau Beta Sigma is a co-educational national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and university bands. The Sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,500 active members in 145 active chapters, and over 40,000 alumni...
provides service to the Gator Bands, including the Pride of the Sunshine. The Beta Xi sisters currently help the UF marching band by preparing the practice field and selling garment bags to help protect the marching band uniform. Hundreds of dedicated bandswomen have become sisters of the Beta Xi chapter since the chapter was installed April 12, 1958. In the Spring of 2004, the first male sisters were initiated into the chapter. The sisters of Beta Xi have also extended an honorary invitation to dozens of outstanding individuals of the Gator Band, including previous directors and graduate students. In 1999, the chapter initiated Sophy Mae Mitchell, one of the first group of women to join the Pride of the Sunshine and a founding member of the club which later became the Beta Xi chapter.