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The student news site of McKinney High School

Manestream News

The student news site of McKinney High School

Manestream News

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Junior juggles varsity football and band

Matthew Roberts lives a double life.

As the kicker for the varsity football team and a member of the Royal Pride Band, the junior balances between two different organizations.

“I’m constantly running back and forth between the two,” Matt said.

In 6th grade, Matt took up percussion.

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“Everyone in my family before me had done band, and I always wanted to play drums,” Matt said. “So I tried out for percussion, and I made it.”

In addition to playing drums, Matt wanted to be a kicker.

“I didn’t always know that I wanted to play football, but I wanted to try it out,” Matt said. “I started playing in 7th grade. To be honest, I just wanted to kick.”

When he got to high school, Matt stuck with both of his interests. He made snare on drum line his freshman year.

“I’ve been on the snare line my entire high school career,” Matt said. “I didn’t think I was going to make it my freshman year. I always knew drum line would be hard because you have to be good and consistent. I didn’t think I was good enough, but I made snare and I’ve been on ever since.”

As kicker, Matt made freshman A team. He played on junior varsity for three games his sophomore year before he was moved up to varsity.

“When one of the coaches told me I was going to play on varsity, the first thing I thought was that it was awesome. I was so happy because not many sophomores make varsity,” Matt said. “The second thing I thought was ‘how am I going to do both band and football at the same time?’”

After school, Matt splits the amount of time he spends in football and band. The practices are at the same time, so Matt usually attends strictly football, band, or an hour of each.

“When I get out of football practice I have to hurry to band so that I don’t miss too much,” Matt said. “Missing band is the hardest part of the whole thing because sometimes there are things added in the show while I’m gone, and I won’t know about them until the day before a performance. I don’t really miss anything in football because I just kick the football, there’s nothing to miss.”

Matt’s duality is tested at football games. At halftime, Matt takes off his pads and warms-up on snare during the drill team performance. He then performs with the band in his football uniform.

“Games are almost frantic right before halftime,” Matt said. “If we’re on offense I have to keep my pads on until the very last second in case I have to kick an extra point, but if we’re on defense it’s a little easier because I can take my pads off sooner. After halftime, I have to run to find my mom with my pads, put them on, and get back into the game.”

The band directors and football coaches support Matt’s involvement in both activities.

“They make things pretty easy, and they do the best they can,” Matt said. “This is my third year doing both, so they understand when I have to miss practice. It was a little bit more difficult my freshman year, but it got easier as my high school career went on.”

Matt does not regret his decision to pursue both percussion and football.

“Going into it, I knew it was going to be hard having to run back and forth between the two, but I also knew that people had done it before. My sister balanced between band and volleyball,” Matt said. ”
I figured if she could do it, I could too.”

Written by Kayla Crowley and Sam Burke

Photo by Daniel Oleson

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