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Rick Brewer: Central Michigan's football team is preparing for the GameAbove Sports Bowl against Northwestern this Friday at Ford Field in Detroit, their first bowl game since 2021. This will also be the first opportunity for members of the Marching Chips to travel for a bowl game. WCMU contributor Nathan Arbaugh brings us this profile of one member of the Chippewa Marching Band.
Nathan Arbaugh: The Central Michigan Marching Band has become a staple of every CMU football game since they were first founded back in 1923. During that time, they only had 16 members, who all played a wide variety of instruments and supplied school spirit in every game. Now in their 103rd season, the marching chips are composed of over 260 members that all provide energy and excitement. One of those members, Trevon Williamson, is in his second season as a member of the percussion section. He plays the cymbals and marches with them held high and at attention. Expertly nodding along with the rhythm of the music, and never missing a stepper beat. Williamson says his interest in marching band started many years ago in his hometown of Belding, Michigan, on the west side of the state.
Trevon Williamson: When I was a little kid, I watched the band march down Main Street in my hometown. I see the big old bass drums and I'm like, “I want to do that someday.” And then when I auditioned my freshman year, I made it on the drum line. And then I'm just like, this is like a dream come true for me.
NA: Since that childhood moment, Williamson continued to pursue his passion for playing music. He worked hard through various programs for 10 plus years, getting involved in his high school marching bands, taking drum line spots with professional groups, and even earned an opportunity to watch the Marching Chips in action.
TW: My senior year of high school, I was touring campuses, and Dr. Batcheller, who's the director of the Marching Chips, he invited me to a football game. I got to see all the behind the scenes of how the band practiced, rehearsed, and all that stuff.
NA: That was a recording of the Marching Chips from way back in 2001. From that moment on, Williamson fell in love with Central Michigan and the Marching Chips, and has truly enjoyed his first year and a half as a member of the band, performing various songs and chants, including the hoo-wah chant.
CMU Crowd: Hoo, hoo-wah, chip hoo-wah, fight, fight, fight!
TW: My favorite part about being on the Marching Chips would be on a game day when you're in the tunnel before running out in Kelly Shorts Stadium. You have the big jumbotron playing the hype video and you're getting ready to run out onto the end zone and march pregame. It's like a big adrenaline rush.
Announcer: One of the truly exciting bands in the land, the Marching Chips!
NA: Performing music isn't the only piece of work that Williamson is involved in. Over the past two summers, he has served as the percussion teacher at both Wyoming and Spring Lake High School in southwest Michigan near his hometown of Belding.
TW: It's a really cool experience working with the high school students. I did it last summer too, but this summer has been a lot more fun group of kids. They're great to work with, they're really hard working. They kind of remind me of me when I was in high school, which is great.
NA: Whether it's been teaching, practicing, or playing in the CMU marching band, music has had a huge impact on his life and has allowed him to escape from the everyday chaos of school as he pursues a degree in media and cinematic arts to become a sports broadcaster.
TW: Anytime anyone asks me, how do you get tired of this? I'm like, I just don't. I don't get sick of it because I just want to keep doing it because it's one way to clear my head. It can be stressful at times, but it's a good way to be a stress reliever because it takes your mind off of what's going on in my personal life. So really, it's a great way for me just to escape from reality and just enjoy myself.
NA: Williamson says he hopes to continue to work his way up the ranks of the percussion section and by next year, play the bass drum for the Marching Chips. However, no matter what he ends up playing next season, he will still be at every game in his maroon and gold uniform, bringing that same energy and excitement to every football game. For WCMU News, I'm Nathan Arbaugh.
RB: CMU football team takes on Northwestern this Friday in the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN. And we do note that WCMU's broadcast license is held by Central Michigan University. WCMU's newsroom is editorially independent from CMU, and the university is not involved in writing, editing, or reviewing our reports.
