It's halftime. The football team slowly jogs off the field, and you begin to make your way over to the long lines at the concession stand. You stop mid-stride and turn as the sound of percussion invades the air, followed by the quick step of more than 100 LHS musicians as they position themselves on the empty field. It's halftime, and the Marching Wildcats are ready to go. At every home game of the season, the Marching Wildcats, directed by Adam Gohr and John Clemons, can be seen (and heard) cheering the team on. It’s not just the players on the field that carry the Wildcat winning spirit with them. At LHS, the music department has upheld the winning tradition for 14 years, having won first place in ten out of fifteen of the last IHSA State Music Championships. The national recognized Libertyville High School Wind Ensemble has been named the class AAA state champion of the University of Illinois Superstate Band Contest 15 of the last 16 years. In 1998 & 2004, the Wind Ensemble was also featured at the prestigious Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. This winning drive is carried onto the football field with the 125-member Marching Wildcats. Composed of volunteer members from the freshman band,symphonic band,symphonic winds and wind ensemble, the Marching Wildcats can be seen marching for victory at pre-game and halftime. Along with their commitment to excellence on the stage and field, the band has an enthusiastic commitment to otherschoolspirit organizations. During games, they lead crowd cheers with the cheerleaders, and at halftime, they play live music forthe Pom squad. On top of this, the band entertains throughout the game with their innovative drum cadences, cheers, and spirit lifting songs. The pregame show is a time-honored tradition that features a unique quickstep, military-style of marching which dates back to the earliest days of LHS. At halftime, the band shows off their coordination with complex marching routines as they play challenging music. No matter where you are during game night, the Marching Wildcats are there too, instilling in you school pride and team spirit, drawing you into the fervor of the entire experience, and compelling you to cheer “Go Cats!”
