Rider Pep Band celebrating 25th anniversary
In the last 25 years, the Saskatchewan Roughrider Pep Band has played hundreds of shows across the country — bringing countless smiles to the faces of football fans.
“Over the years, membership has gone up and down, but the love of being ambassadors for the Roughriders, the city and the province is still there,” says Rhonda Kerr-White, the group’s band director.
“We are very proud to be a part of this community and to add to the game-day excitement and the excitement year-round.”
Kerr-White, who has been with the band since its formation, remembers playing with many gifted musicians while entertaining prime ministers, Olympic athletes, and Roughriders legends.
The band has also played in all sorts of events and celebrations throughout Canada, including 25 Grey Cup festivals. Kerr-White recalls being especially busy when the Roughriders were playing in the CFL championship games, saying they play up to 70 separate shows throughout the entirety of those festivities.
“(The Grey Cup in) 1995 was good, 2003 was good, but 2013 was amazing,” she says, highlighting the Roughriders’ home-field win in the 2013 Grey Cup.
Passion is something that fuels the members, all of whom are volunteers. Many of them travel from out of town to play in the band.
Tuba player Grant Hoffman and his wife and band photographer Janet travel two hours from Springside for every game. With family and friends in Regina, Hoffman — a seven-year veteran of the band — says they often take advantage of their hospitality.
“It takes a commitment and it’s certainly a passion,” he says. “With the number of games and other events, we have to make some adjustments in our schedules, certainly.”
Witnessing the Roughriders winning the Grey Cup at home is one of his favourite memories with the pep band, but he also mentions a game several years ago when the power went out and the band started up while the fans waited for the game to resume. He also enjoys the curiosity of the kids who he sometimes will let play his tuba.
Recruitment is an important part of the band, but Kerr-White says attracting newer and younger members hasn’t been difficult.
Jasmine Brooks, who at 20 is one of the younger members of the band, was eager to join and play alongside her aunt, Naomi Woods-Henry.
“It’s a really good experience knowing that as one of the younger members, I can be able to do this for so long,” says Brooks, a trombone player.
For the 25th anniversary of the band, a celebration is being held on July 7. The band will also honoured at halftime of the Roughriders’ July 8 home game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Aside from the celebration, the band will be playing in a new venue — the $278-million Mosaic Stadium — and that is a source of excitement for the musicians.
“Being in the new stadium and being our 25th year is just really over the top, so we’re looking to be part of starting some new traditions in the stadium,” Hoffman says, “and we’re really looking forward to just seeing how it’s going to go.”
“Moving into the new stadium is exciting,” Kerr-White adds. “There are some changes happening and we will see how they pan out, but we are really looking forward to the new digs and will still continue to cheer on the Roughriders like we have for the last 24 years.”