Since the opening of the new Ice Arena addition, the thumping beat of over 275 students creeps underneath doors and spills into the hallways as they come together for marching band practice.
Further down, Darin Olson, director of athletic bands and associate director of bands, sits in a modern office and asks, “When you leave the band, what do you think the legacy is?”
When Olson joined Kent State in 2020, at the height of COVID-19, he didn’t know how big of a recurring theme legacy would become.
COVID-19 had shut down most college life, but the marching band continued, since practices are primarily outside and could follow university safety measures. Olson knew this would be the time for change, so the band could “hit the ground running” in the coming years.
In 2024, a new legacy was built. For the first time since their creation in 1919, the KSU Marching Golden Flashes have had an exclusive space all to themselves.
“It is incredible,” Olson said. “It is a state-of-the-art facility that meets the needs of everything that we do.”
The $13.2 million addition includes three practice rooms, offices and two large storage rooms. In the past, many students had trouble putting away or moving their instruments, but the large storage areas save students from having to awkwardly twist and turn to fit through, especially big brass instruments.
The practice rooms have padded walls to protect students’ hearing and help gauge the performance of the band without an echo. There is one main rehearsal room that fits the entire band, with another having a full mirror wall for the color guard and twirlers, and the last room being dedicated to the drum line.
This is the marching band’s first fall semester in the building, and the most notable improvement has been fitting the entire marching band into one space.
“Even things such as last week, there was a big storm that rolled through,” Olson said. “It came through right at 3:10, when we rehearse at 3:20. In previous years, I was having to scramble over at the Center of the Performing Arts to find what classrooms were available, because we didn’t have a dedicated classroom that could fit everybody.”
It’s become especially hard, as the band has seen a 155% member increase since 2020, a big jump for the Marching Golden Flashes, who only had 100 members in 2019.
“You get somebody, an administrator, who’s enthusiastic about what they do, and I’m very passionate and enthusiastic about what I’m doing, and then that goes down to the students,” Olson said. “It’s a direct line.”
One student leader seems to think so, too. Brittany Brackett, a senior music education major and drum major, attributes Olson as one of the main factors of the growth.
“He has been one of the most supportive and caring teachers, who truly pushes me to be the best version of myself,” she said.
Olson pushes students to take accountability with their attendance and learning, Brackett said, and looks at problems in a positive light. He also admits when he’s incorrect about something, instead of brushing it off. Brackett says it reminds her that professors are humans too.
One of her favorite quotes from Olson is, “It’s a beautiful day for marching band,” no matter the type of weather or conditions.
It’s important to create that positive environment, as each section in the band forms their own community, while staying connected by the common goal of creating a great performance.
“We have a yearly Buffalo Wild Wings trip with the drum majors,” Brackett said. “We’re trying to get used to doing stuff in the stands, … we watched a football game together, which was really fun. Just spending time with them, outside of ensemble, is a lot of fun.”
Marching band has meant everything to Brackett. It’s where she’s found her friends and her partner. She’ll be graduating in the spring, but plans on coming back.
Even after graduation, it’s common for alumni to attend football games and show support, often watching from the stands.
“I don’t know they’re there, but then after halftime, they come down and want to connect and talk about how great the performance was,” Olson said.
It was those alumni who decided to stay through COVID-19, and keep the band alive, he said. Their legacy is one of perseverance.
Passion seems to be the lifeblood of the Marching Golden Flashes, with motivation as their beating heart.
“We want to make sure that we’re constantly making progress toward the end goal, which is delivering an unforgettable performance to the audience and feeling good about that,” Olson said. “It’s not that we’re going to show up and say, ‘We have to do that,’ it’s that we show up and we get to do this together.”
As Olson says, it’s always a beautiful day for marching band.
Aryn Kauble is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
