During the 2023-24 school year, four talented students at Riverside Brookfield High School participate in both a performance sport and band, which consecutively perform during football game halftimes. Although this can create a frenzied schedule, it allows these students to enjoy the best of both worlds.
Sophomore Kayla Janusz, junior Anna Pinnick, and seniors Olive Sahlas and Jaden Cadungog all share a love of both music and athletics. Some have been involved in these activities for many years, furthering their desire to commit to both. Pinnick plays the french horn in wind ensemble, the mellophone in marching band, and is on the varsity Poms team.
“I danced outside of school, and I really enjoy dance, and I also enjoy music,” Pinnick said. “I knew some of the seniors last year who did both, so I was like, ‘Maybe I can try [to do both].’”
Janusz, who is on the junior varsity cheer team and plays the clarinet in symphonic marching band, enjoys being in both as well.
“It’s fun to do both because not only do I get to tumble and cheer and all that, [but] I get to play music, which is really fun,” Janusz said. “Making memories with all my friends, and getting to hang out with two different groups of people [is great].”
While being both a musician and an athlete can be quite enjoyable, it also presents unique intricacies. A varsity cheerleader and an alto saxophone player in the wind ensemble and marching band, Cadungog has done her best to work through these difficulties.
“The most difficult part [of participating in both band and cheer] is when cheer practice and band rehearsal overlap, so I have to miss one or the other,” Cadungog said. “[Also], during the football games, after halftime, cheer performs first and then right after is band, so I have to rush over to my spot. I feel like I’ve been doing a good job with that though.”
These students also face other obstacles, including time sacrifices and additional coordinations. Well aware of these sacrifices is Sahlas, who is on the varsity Poms team and plays the flute in wind ensemble and marching band.
“The juggling [is difficult] because on my Poms off days—we practice Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, plus game days—Tuesdays usually are when we have marching band practice, so it’s like there are no off days,” Sahlas said. “[It can also be difficult] getting people to cover things for me if I’m not able to make it or even in marching band having to be like, ‘Okay, can you hold my flute for me while I go perform with Poms?’”
Although performing multiple times during football games was expected of these students, other conflicts were not as obvious.
“I knew that football games were going to be kind of hard, but one thing that I was not prepared for was having to juggle Fourth of July because both perform,” Sahlas said. “I performed with marching band my sophomore and junior years, and then I did my last Fourth of July with Poms, just to make it a little bit more even since I do sidelines with Poms and I was like, ‘I should do more parades with marching band.’ I also march in other parades such as the Von Steuben Parade, and we’re going to be doing the Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago this year.”
Given the added difficulties when performing in both, having teachers and coaches that help make it possible is greatly appreciated by these students.
“I appreciate the flexibility that they [teachers and coaches] provide,” Pinnick said. “I like both things pretty much equally, and it gives me the opportunity to do two things I love and not having to pick one over the other.”
In the end, however, it is a great experience for these students that allows them to do the things they love. Hard-working students like these are a testament to the capabilities of enthusiastic and passionate people. If you truly want to do something, you will find a way to do it no matter what.
“Overall, I feel like just being able to perform with both [has been amazing],” Sahlas said. “I love marching band. I love being able to do the field show with them, and I love doing sidelines and dance routines with Poms. The love of both helped me push through even when I had to sprint across the field.”
