There are many things that go into a high school sports game besides the actual playing of the game. Student sections, cheerleaders and a big part of the atmosphere, the pep band. 

This year, Manhattan’s pep band is absent from winter sports due to COVID-19.

“I am fairly disappointed,” senior Payton Mills said, who has been in the pep band since his Freshman year.  “I was looking forward to the opportunity to play at basketball games and anything else we were invited to. However, I understand why we can’t.”
Winter sports are allowed two family members per participant due to the pandemic. That means there are no students or band allowed, which takes the majority of the noise out of the gym.

“Without the band, the games are missing that extra hype that the players feed off of,” senior Dil Ranaweera said. “Although the cheerleaders provide a significant amount of hype and spirit in a crowd, the sounds of instruments coming together is irreplaceable.”

The order for two family members per participant is in effect until Jan. 28, but it remains to be seen if the Kansas High School Activities Association will change.

There is hope amongst the pep band that they will be allowed to attend and play at the sports games, considering the limitations have been changing and allowing people to attend the games.

“Having the band play at the games, basketball or football, is just another essential component of a high school game,” Ranaweera said. “The games have increasingly become more normal, as in like the first game, there weren’t allowing spectators. Now, a limited number of family members can come to the games. The next step is to incorporate the band. This progression of adding more people to the game is reinstalling our culture.”