Chargers Musicians experience a H.O.T. Day

On September 9, three Shorecrest Chargers musicians - Ethan Bekurs ‘24, Remy deParis ‘24, and Tanner Johnson ‘26 - attended USF’s annual H.O.T. day, in which 1500 students from across 42 schools were invited to join a marching band ensemble and accompany the Herd of Thunder Athletic Bands to a halftime show at one of the USF football games.

When asked why they wanted to participate, Johnson expressed that he felt it would be a “very good opportunity to learn.” Additionally, he wanted to hang out with his classmates. deParis stated, “It gave me the opportunity to do something I hadn’t been able to do so far, but I had always wanted to.” Bekurs echoed these sentiments.

The day started at noon, when the musicians attended a sectional rehearsal for the set of the show. Each student was able to learn techniques for marching with their respective instrument and rehearsed with a collegiate level marching band. Ethan Updike, Shorecrest Director of Bands, encouraged the students to attend the event for that very reason. “I hoped it would give the students experience with a marching band and playing with a larger ensemble, which is very valuable. I thought it would be a good chance to bring back something tangible to look forward to in college.”

Next the musicians made their way to Raymond James Stadium, where they watched a pre-game show by the Herd of Thunder and watched the football game. Eventually they gathered their instruments and marched down to the field to play with the band. The set included hits like “Proud Mary” and “Don’t Stop Believing,” and once they were done they were allowed to return home or continue to support USF.

Updike thought the day was successful and voiced his support for a potential larger group attending the next H.O.T. While Bekurs is unable to attend next year because he is graduating in May, both of the younger participants said they would not hesitate to attend next year.

Bekurs enthusiastically reflected on hearing the USF band rehearse. “It was a phenomenal wall of sound. It was breathtaking how easily they made such mundane things sound so good.”

Johnson enjoyed being so close to the players both in the game and the band, commenting on how it made him feel like he was part of a great ensemble. deParis agreed, saying the experience made him feel like part of a larger community.

You can watch a portion of the performance, and find the Chargers straight up the 20-yard line, in this video:

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