Sous-players play dress up

      
By Kristi Ponozzo
   Argonaut Senior Staff

      

      
The
      University of Idaho sousaphone players have been drawing a little
      attention to themselves lately - exactly what they go for. In
      case you haven't been to a football game yet this year, you may
      have missed the act.

      


      A sousaphone is a form of bass tuba.

      


      The UI marching band sousaphone players are out acting crazy
      and entertaining the crowd as always. The attention they have
      been drawing isn't just from the crowd. Broadcast news crews
      at the game have been giving them a few minutes of fame on the
      air. Maybe it's those sexy skirts. Why the skirts, even for the
      male sousaphone players?

      


      "It has become part of the uniform, if you can't wear them,
      you don't play," said Casey McNett, section leader of the
      sous-players, who doesn't shave his legs for the skirts. McNett
      said the skirts were found buried in the music school basement
      some time last year, probably old flag girls uniforms. They started
      out as just a fun thing to wear one night. 

      


      Now the skirts are standard costume, not only because they are
      comfortable, but also because they draw even more attention to
      the squad of 15. McNett's squad dresses up in togas, harasses
      the crowd and can be seen running around campus.

      


      "We want all the attention on us at all times by any means,
      positive or negative," said Allison Sword, second-year member
      of the squad. 

      


      Last year the sous-players played quite the stunt in Rosauers.
      Running through the aisles screaming and yelling, they acted
      like the world was coming to an end and told the people in the
      canned food aisle they were going to die.

      


      They also tried to steal golf carts once, but found it was a
      little more difficult than expected.  

      And what does band instructor Torry Lawrence say about their
      antics? He doesn't say much according to McNett.

      


      "The rule is if we get arrested he isn't bailing us out."
      So the sous-section attempts to keep the outrageous activity
      down to a minimum. The sous-players aren't making history here;
      they are just carrying on a tradition of sous-players at UI.
      A tradition that McNett said is carried on all over the country.
      "Most sousaphone squads are out there entertaining the crowds,
      it is a kind of unspoken rule."

      


      But the sous-players take their job seriously; they have to learn
      their music and their marching first, before they are allowed
      to cut loose.

      


      So what is up next for the sous-players? Sousaphone trading cards
      are in the works. The cards will feature the individual sousaphone
      players with their stats, like how many beers they can drink
      in an hour and other useful information.

      


      The sous-players' favorite time of year is quickly approaching
      - the homecoming parade.

      "We try our best to offend the crowd ... we've been known
      to flash people. McNett said.

      


      Check out the sous-players at Homecoming, although they may be
      hard to miss, but they are just doing their job to scrub away
      the band-geek stereotype; the sousaphone squad will party on.

      
 

      
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