2008 Woodie Awards
Tuition costs end basketball tradition
Heidi Schallberg
Issue date: 2/27/06 Section: Sports
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The UMKC Kangaroos can now count a college basketball tradition, the pep band, as another victim of higher tuition costs.
This year, the Department of Athletics' available scholarship money was not enough to meet the department's needs. Division I teams are required to provide scholarships to their athletes. Therefore, department scholarships offered in previous years to students who played in the pep band vanished.
"We tried to put the word out on a volunteer basis, but the response just wasn't there to put a pep band together," said Jana Ross, director of marketing and promotions for athletics. "This is the first season we haven't had a pep band."
The band was not part of the Conservatory of Music, but in the past most of its members were Conservatory students. Ross noted since Conservatory students are great musicians, they have an easier time finding opportunities to be paid for performing. Without the scholarships, it was harder to form a pep band.
Will Meek, a fifth-year student in the doctoral counseling psychology program, attends almost every men's basketball home game. He went to a small Division III school for his undergraduate degree.
"It was exciting for me to come here and have a legitimate Division I basketball team," said Meek.
He missed the pep band at this season's first game.
"It felt like there was a lot more energy [with the pep band]," said Meek. "There always seemed to be a little more life to the place."
Meek is not alone. Ross said some alumni, season ticket holders and students have asked about the missing pep band this season.
"If we had the ability to do it, we would," Ross said. "In the absence of having a pep band, we've tried to have an entertaining atmosphere."
Recorded music still plays during time-outs, and sometimes high school bands volunteer to perform.
In the past, the UMKC pep band included about 30 students selected from auditions. This way, 15 to 20 students were available to play at each of the 30 men's and women's basketball home games. The band rehearsed a few times at the beginning of the season, and the musicians had to arrive an hour before games started. Scholarship amounts varied depending on how many games a student played.
This year, the Department of Athletics' available scholarship money was not enough to meet the department's needs. Division I teams are required to provide scholarships to their athletes. Therefore, department scholarships offered in previous years to students who played in the pep band vanished.
"We tried to put the word out on a volunteer basis, but the response just wasn't there to put a pep band together," said Jana Ross, director of marketing and promotions for athletics. "This is the first season we haven't had a pep band."
The band was not part of the Conservatory of Music, but in the past most of its members were Conservatory students. Ross noted since Conservatory students are great musicians, they have an easier time finding opportunities to be paid for performing. Without the scholarships, it was harder to form a pep band.
Will Meek, a fifth-year student in the doctoral counseling psychology program, attends almost every men's basketball home game. He went to a small Division III school for his undergraduate degree.
"It was exciting for me to come here and have a legitimate Division I basketball team," said Meek.
He missed the pep band at this season's first game.
"It felt like there was a lot more energy [with the pep band]," said Meek. "There always seemed to be a little more life to the place."
Meek is not alone. Ross said some alumni, season ticket holders and students have asked about the missing pep band this season.
"If we had the ability to do it, we would," Ross said. "In the absence of having a pep band, we've tried to have an entertaining atmosphere."
Recorded music still plays during time-outs, and sometimes high school bands volunteer to perform.
In the past, the UMKC pep band included about 30 students selected from auditions. This way, 15 to 20 students were available to play at each of the 30 men's and women's basketball home games. The band rehearsed a few times at the beginning of the season, and the musicians had to arrive an hour before games started. Scholarship amounts varied depending on how many games a student played.
