Cougar Marching Band hypes up fans before kickoff

BYU football players put on a show for fans each week, but there's another team on campus working hard to make sure games are exciting for the whole crowd.

Liah Meredith has been a member of the Cougar Marching Band for five years. She said the marching band is an important part of game day for the crowd.

I might be biased, because I am a band member, but I really do think it is very important. Ive been to some sporting events where they dont have a band there, and it feels kind of weird, she said.

Football fans agree. The Cougar Marching Band is awesome! one event crew member said as he walked into the LaVell Edwards Stadium.

His wife, another event crew member, added, We love the band!

This is Kallie Ericksons second year on marching band, and she dedicates hours each week to practicing so shes ready for the game.

We have three rehearsals for two hours each, and then when theres games on Saturdays, it takes up a lot more time, Erickson said. We tend to get there three and a half hours before the game to warm up and go through our music and everything, and we stay the whole game, and we do a little concert afterward. So, it can be eight or more hours.

All that hard work pays off for Erickson when she sees the atmosphere of the stadium while the band plays.

When we can play after interceptions and things like that, I think it really hypes up the crowd.

Fans can watch the BYU marching band before, during and after BYU football home games, and at select away games.

The Cougar Marching Band posts information about public practices and performances on its Instagram and website.