In this week's episode of This Hits Different, Shelby Cassesse tells the story of a group of Aliquippa alumni who are uniting to bring music back to the sidelines of a proud football program.
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This Hits Different Episode 5: Alumni bringing the music back to Aliquippa
It’s a sound as synonymous as the crack of the pads, the national anthem led by the school marching band on Friday night's in Western Pennsylvania.
But this year, football season at Aliquippa was nearly a little too quiet, with low interest leading to there not being a marching band for the powerhouse football program..
And, because of that, toward the end of the summer, messages started pouring in to Kevin Newton, an Aliquippa alumnus whose marching band roots run deep.
The community wanted to hear the Aliquippa marching band, and they felt newton was the man to get the job done.
“I guess we didn't have enough people to field a full group,” Newton said. “I started carrying the banner for the band in 4th grade and then I transitioned into playing trombone in the band and marching with the band in high school.
“I couldn't stand back and let the program completely die. My thought is always ‘if not me, who else is going to do it?’”
So Newton issued a call to action to other Aliquippa alumni: Dust off your instruments and come back to high school.
“You don't forget how to play your instrument,’” he said. “I was surprised at first at the amount of responses I got. Just the amount of people willing to come out and help.”
So far this season, around two dozen people showed up to play for each Aliquippa home game. Friday is homecoming, fitting for a group of adults doing just that this fall.
“We're expecting between 30-40 total,” Newton said. “Homecoming has always been a huge thing at Aliquippa. It's the go-to event of the school year.”
The community's generosity and school spirit isn't lost on head football coach Mike Warfield, who was at one time a member of the band himself.
“It's sad in a sense that we don't have enough students to form a band,” he said. “But it's so fulfilling to see the community come together as usual to fill in the gaps where we lack for our students.”
Warfield is someone who knows the tradition of Aliquippa football includes a little music.
“If you talk to any ex-Aliquippa football player, the one thing a lot of football players look forward to, or even work to be able to do is to run out with the band pre-game,” he added. “That's a tradition we've always had.”
Football season is just the start for Newton. He's now working with the district to give the band back to its rightful owners, the students.
“This is not just something that's high school,” he said. “Not something you're going to quit after high school. It's something you can use your entire life.”