Athens High School Class of 2007 graduate Paul Young and Sayre High School Class of 2008 graduate Luke Skerpon will have prime seats for every Penn State football game this year.
That’s because the two Valley residents, who are currently attending Penn State University, have been selected as members of Penn State’s 310-member Blue Band.
Skerpon, who is majoring in broadcast journalism, is one of only 11 members of the band’s piccolo section. Young, who is majoring in engineering, is one of only 16 members of the band’s baritone horn section.
“Basically all rookies show up on Tuesday of band camp week, and we have an instrument audition the night before where we are with one of the staff members. It is a one-on-one music audition of a piece that you’ve selected, plus a sight-reading piece, and they grade you by rubric. Then the next day, all day, the rookies have a marching fundamental section out on the Blue Band field, and (it is on) the combination of those two things that they make these selections,” Skerpon said of the process that both he and Young had to go through to be selected as band members.
Both Valley graduates are “very excited” about being members of this year’s Blue Band.
“It is a lot of work,” said Skerpon. “Just for band camp alone it is almost 40 hours total, and that was in five days. Now we’re four nights a week, two hours each throughout the whole season.”
Young said his family is very excited about his being selected as a member of the Blue Band.
“Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to be in the Blue Band,” said Skerpon. “So when I called to tell my parents (about being selected), I think my mom about had a heart attack.”
These two Valley graduates have been longtime musicians, especially through their high school years. Skerpon was a highly visible component of the Sayre High School band and the Marching Redskins, as well as a six-time county band selectee. Young was a multiple-time selectee from Athens to county and district band in addition to being selected to participate in the PEMA Region IV band festival.
During his freshman year at Penn State Young played in the fall pep band for the number one ranked girls volleyball team and the Pride of the Lions basketball band.
In fact, both individuals come from a long tradition of Penn State alumni. Young’s father John, mother Marina and sister Mariel are all Penn State graduates, while Skerpon’s father Don and several cousins are also members of the Nittany Lion fraternity.
This past Sunday night the members of the Blue Band performed at a pep rally for the school’s incoming freshman class. The band’s first home football game is this Saturday in Happy Valley against Coastal Carolina.
“For the pregame we do all the fight songs, but we have a new halftime show for every game,” said Young. “This week’s show includes Running on Empty, Walking on Sunshine (and Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.)”
“We learn a new (song) for every home game,” Skerpon added.
Both men are excited about their first home football game as members of the Blue Band.
“They say it is like a rush coming out of the tunnel into Beaver Stadium in front of 107,000 people,” said Skerpon. “So I am more excited than anything.”
“I’m excited, too, because just practicing the pregame I was getting chills up my spine, but I know I still have a lot of work to do,” said Young.
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Warren Howeler can be reached at whoweler@morning-times.com.