GENESEO, Ill. — High schools around the area will be back on the field as football season gets underway on Friday nights.
This includes the bands striking up again to some sort of normalcy after a year of ups and downs surrounding the pandemic.
Geneseo High School band is excited to take the field once again after hosting virtual concerts and limited in-person performances.
Band director John Versluis said members have taken precautions during COVID, but a return to the fields with crowds is one of the best times of the school year.
"People have been saying, 'Is the band going to be at the football games' and me being able to say 'yes', it's a relief," Versluis said.
Band members had to adapt to the ongoing changes since the 2020-21 school year.
"I think they're enjoying every minute that we have because we know that at any minute things could change," Versluis said.
Students switched from being in-person to remote learning last year, but now they're hoping for year with some normalcy.
"It feels lively, it feels nice to have people with you," senior Zander Ulam said.
The band also made adjustments in the past school year to try to continue bringing music to an audience by streaming online.
"It's been rough hard having to stay at home," Versluis said.
Versluis said summer 2021 was a better time for the marching band who was able to participate in parades. He said now the entire band is looking forward to a full experience this fall 2021 as football season kicks off.
"We're just trying to make the best of it," Versluis said. "Give the kids as much normalcy as possible."
"There's just not that life that it has on the field," Ulam said.
Geneseo faces Chicago Noble on Friday, August 27, at 7 p.m.