Creston graduates reflect on 2021 marching band season

ORLANDO, Fla. – While Creston Class of 2018 Trevor Downing played center for Iowa State football at Camping World Stadium on Wednesday, two Creston Class of 2020 graduates also entertained attendees of the Cheez-It Bowl.

Mackenzie Bodell and Brittany Linch are both members of the Iowa State Cyclone Football ‘Varsity’ Marching Band. Bodell is a member of the color guard and Linch plays trumpet for the ISUCF’V’MB.

Due to COVID abruptly ending their senior year at Creston, and with efforts to prevent COVID lead to empty stadiums and spread out a marching band in Jack Trice Stadium, this fall was akin to a redshirt year.

“The best part about going from a year of COVID to this season was getting to perform on the Jack Trice for the very first time,” Linch said. “I will never forget that experience I had stepping into the field at the first game. I was in awe of all the fans and other students who picked the stands. It was scary, but in the best kind of way.”

Bodell, a sophomore in journalism and mass communication, feels similar to Linch.

“Coming in as a sophomore, I thought I would be more prepared for a normal season but I definitely still felt like a freshman,” Bodell said. “It was challenging and mentally straining to get used to a normal band year and a normal academic year at the same time. While it was hard, I cannot express how worth it is was. I have made some of the best friends I’ve ever had and I am genuinely sad to see this season come to an end. I really enjoyed getting to spend time with my friends perform for all of Cyclone Nation,” she added.

In October, the ISUCF’V’MB participated in two exhibitions, one in Ankeny and one at the Marching Metro Classic that was held in Marion this year. The ISUCF’V’MB last appeared in the Marching Metro Classic in 2017.

“Getting to perform in the Marching Metro Classic was a super cool experience because all of the other bands were high school bands and we were the “cool college band”,” Linch said. “It is always fun to watch other bands, but it was a blast getting to just have a great time with high school students who look up to us kids in college.”

Creston’s musical programs helped prepare Linch and Bodell in performing anywhere.

Whether it be the Kentucky bluegrass at Jack Trice Stadium, the FieldTurf found at many high schools for exhibitions, the grass practice field west of the Communications Building on the campus of Iowa State University or the AstroTurf RootZone 3D3 at Camping World Stadium, the two Cyclones are ready.

“With my guard experience at Creston being cut short due to COVID my senior year really left my craving more time in the performing arts,” Bodell said. “The Creston programs are incredible and really promote lifelong musical involvement. All of the lessons I learned throughout high school really helped me be the best member I could be for the ISUCF’V’MB.”

For Linch, it was more of a mulling process.

“It’s weird when I look at high school band versus college band,” Linch said. “In high school I spent all of my time doing all-state, honor bands, solo contests and such, so by the time I was a senior, I thought I wanted to be done with band all together since I had a “good run”. After months of consideration, I decided to audition for the band at ISU.”

With the exception of the 2021 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl having no fans or ISUCF’V’MB due to COVID attendance restrictions, this is the fourth bowl in five years the Pride of Iowa State has attended.

The bowl trip involved eight charter buses going down and back. On the way back, the buses encountered breakdowns, iced windshields, frozen shut cargo bays and through all this, camaraderie.

“I have been looking forward to the bowl game all year,” Linch said. “It was a little sad we didn’t win the game, but the game was still so much fun. It was the last chance to perform with some of the seniors and that is something I will miss next year. The bus ride was still a good time because I was surrounded by my favorite people. The people who made the trip fun were my best friends who were other trumpets in my section. We just spent the entire trip being goofy, wild and happy.”

Bodell, in a similar note, had a blast with her three hotel roommates.

“My highlights included my hotel room, the four of us, Emma Brady, Emmalynn Rossmiller and Ava Roach were constantly laughing and I remember being the happiest I’ve been all school year,” Bodell said. “Lowlights include this bus ride for sure, over 60 hours on a bus tends to hurt my body a little.”

The 2022 ISUCF’V’MB’s first halftime show will be on Sept. 3 when the Cyclone football team takes on Southeast Missouri, but, be sure to check out the Step Show before the game to both get a preview and to see Bodell and Linch in action.

“Auditioning for the ISUCF’V’MB was the best decision I have made in my time at college,” Linch said. “The memories I have made and people I have met do not compare to anything else I have been a part of. I cannot express how much I love being a part of the ensemble and family that the band brings.”