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HISTORY -- 1980

The Marching Knights were formed after the start of the football program in 1979. To begin implementation of the marching program, Mr. Jerry Gardner was hired as the first Director on July 1, 1980. With just under three months until the first game, seemingly endless amounts of work had to be done in order to establish the Marching Knights. Student Government helped by allocating $30,000 to fund the band. With this amount, instruments and other related equipment were purchased. In order to raise publicity, Mr. Gardner contacted the Orlando Sentinel to inform them of the new marching program. In response to this information, the Sentinel wrote a series of articles introducing the Knights to the community as well as informing readers of the upcoming marching events. While these projects were going well, the most important project remained -- recruiting members. Since no previous marching roster existed, Mr. Gardner went through the file of every UCF student to see if they had any previous band/marching experience. All of those students who did have experience were contacted and asked to join the inaugural year of the Marching Knights.

 

It was during this time that a young man named Troy Driggers came to Mr. Gardner and asked to be the Drum Major of the Marching Knights. Mr. Gardner held auditions, and Troy and Ken DeBord, became the first Drum Majors of the Marching Knights. This team of officers, along with a few friends, worked the entire summer to ensure that the Knights would be successful in the fall. Troy then assisted Mr. Gardner in going through the student files. When August and band camp arrived, the hard work of recruiting all summer had paid off. The Marching Knights consisted of 125 members -- including a flag, rifle, majorette, and dance line. The first regular rehearsal of the Knights followed on September 22, 1980 at 8:00 AM. At this time, UCF was on the quarter system, and the Knights rehearsed from 8:00 to 10:00 AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Often sections would hold sectionals beginning at 7:00 AM.

 

After a week of practice, the Knights went to their first football game on September 27, 1980. Due to the lack of any uniforms (they did not have enough money), the band and auxiliary wore blue jeans and T-shirts for their pregame show and in the stands. Following this game, the Knights set out to learn their first half-time show and also to get "real" uniforms. Both events came together on November 8, 1980 -- UCF's Homecoming. "HIS" stores for men donated over $5,000 worth of black pants and gold shirts to the band, and the first half-time show was put on the field. The show featured the songs: "Triumph of the Titans", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Crown Imperial", "You are the Sunshine of My Life", and "Love Will Keep us Together" -- thus the Marching Knights tradition was born.

The next two years saw the creation of many new traditions and characteristics of the Marching Knights such as: Toes, pregame, and Yoder Sweats. In addition, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma were established at UCF.