Members of the Amsterdam High School Marching Rams rehearse on Thursday.
AMSTERDAM — In a town where football rules, the annual homecoming game is king.
Students, alumni, community members and dignitaries are all expected to don purple and gold tonight to cheer on the Amsterdam Rams in their game against Gloversville.
Even though the game is the culmination of a full week of homecoming activities, school spirit is the focus and nothing says school spirit at the high school like the Amsterdam Marching Rams.
“They are very important,” said Adam Mihalek, 17, a senior football player. “About half of the people who come to our games come to watch the band.”
The Marching Rams has nearly 100 members, counting the majorettes and color guard.
Band members say homecoming is special to them because “everyone comes back,” as senior majorette captain Kelsey Heck, 17, put it. But this year’s homecoming is going to be extra special because nearly 150 alumni are expected to participate. Every five years, band director Stephanie Boice invites alumni to participate in the homecoming parade before the game and then perform during the halftime show.
“Homecoming is awesome because everyone comes back, and to see how many lives are changed by this program, it’s breathtaking,” junior drum major Vincenzo “Enzo” Belli said.
Alumni of all ages perform the same song during the halftime routine: “Lullaby of Birdland,” a song the Marching Rams have performed during the halftime show since 1948.
“We performed this song when I was in high school in the band,” Boice said during rehearsal Thursday. “It’s so funny when you think about it like that.”
Brittany McNamara and Christina Greco, both former Marching Rams, were in charge of inviting and coordinating alumni.
“I think it’s really important for the alumni to come back and support the program and for the current students to see that it’s not just about their four years here, but it continues on into the future,” Greco said.
Alumni will all be wearing the same gray T-shirts with purple writing and a purple ram designed by McNamara.
For Silje Bergoedal, 17, a senior foreign exchange student from Norway, homecoming is a new experience. Bergoedal, a member of the color guard, said she is enjoying all the festivities associated with homecoming and looking forward to performing tonight.
“We don’t have anything like this in Norway, so this is all new to me.”
Color guard captain Casey Faustel, 17, a senior, said she thinks the performance during homecoming is bigger than the performances during the various band competitions the Marching Rams attend each year.
“This is probably the biggest performance of the year,” she said. “There will be like 2,000 people there.”
Homecoming activities today include a pep rally during school at 1 p.m. The annual homecoming parade will proceed down Lindbergh Avenue to the Wilbur H. Lynch field at 6 p.m. The halftime show during the football game will take place around 8 p.m.
