Marching Mavericks wonder what’s next

By

March 15th, 2011

Listen Now
[audio:https://kvnonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Marching-Band-Wrap.mp3]

Omaha, NE – A proposal to cut the men’s football and wrestling program in order to enter the Summit League Division I conference has sent waves throughout the University. It’s sparking an outcry from both athletes and their supporters. But the impact does not stop at the athletic department. As the changes start to become clearer, other departments are starting to see the potential impact on their programs.

UNO's Marching Mavericks are wondering what's next for their program if planned cuts to football go through (Photo credit Marching Mavericks)

“We’d have to kind of revamp a few things about our curriculum,” said the director of the Maverick marching band, Courtney Snyder. She’s feeling the pressure of what cuts to the football program could mean for her department.

The Maverick marching band is separately funded, but almost half of its program, which is required for all music education majors, relies heavily on football game performances. Snyder said the music department has not been contacted by Chancellor John Christensen or Athletic Director Trev Alberts, but she fears that without the football program, the Marching Mavericks might eventually be on the chopping block.

“The biggest thing for me is that there’s value with the marching band apart from just the football games.” Football games have been the band’s primary focus, she said, providing team spirit and cheer for the crowd. “But certainly we have other roles we can play in the community and the university.”

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents has yet to vote on the proposal, and the Marching Mavericks will have to wait and see what their future holds. For now, Snyder said she is trying to solve a problem without knowing what the answer might be.

Comments are closed.

©2023 KVNO News