Mississippi State Famous Maroon Band Benefits from New Practice Field

The Famous Maroon Band at Mississippi State was in desperate need of a new  practice field, and now they have just that to better prepare for their  shows.

If you don’t follow the Famous Maroon Band from Mississippi State on Twitter or Facebook, then you might not have seen a pretty significant piece of news. After years of practicing on a field that was showing serious signs of wear and tear, the band now has one of the best practice fields in the country.

Here’s a video that gives a really nice view of the entire field.

And just to give you an idea of how badly needed this was for the Famous Maroon Band, here are some pictures of the previous field compared to the new one.

Craig Aarhus, one of the Associate Directors of Band and Music at Mississippi State, was kind enough to answer some of our questions regarding the new practice field.

MWN: What shape was the old practice field for the band in, and how badly was this new field needed?

"The old grass field became unusable after heavy rains during band camp last year.  At a certain point, we had to get out on it and march, and as a result, the grass was virtually destroyed. The MSU landscaping folks were great to help us restore the field, but that process took nearly half of the season.  Although last year was by far the worst, we have struggled with this issue for several years now."

MWN: How much did the new practice field cost and how were the funds raised to pay for it?

"The new field cost approximately $600,000 to construct and was funded by private donations, including a major gift by one donor."

MWN: Where is the new field located in relation to the old practice field?

"The new field is located just behind the Band/Choral Rehearsal Hall."

MWN: Is there any significant difference in the new practice field and the actual playing surface at Davis Wade Stadium?

"There is a difference between the natural grass field at the stadium and our turf, but the markings are identical.  This gives us a practice experience that is very close to what we experience on the field on game days."

MWN: Are there any security measures in place to make sure impromptu games of football don’t break out on the new field?

"The field is surrounded by a fence."

MWN: Is there anything else you would like to add about the new field we haven’t covered?

"With this addition, we have one of the finest indoor and outdoor practice fields in the SEC, joining several other schools in the conference that have dedicated turf fields for their band programs.The band is once again this year, the largest in history with over 400 students from 20 different states.  We are proud of the growth in both the quality and quantity, as we continue to attract outstanding student musicians from Mississippi and throughout the country.  We are very excited about this upcoming season!"

A bug thank you to Craig Aarhus for making himself available for this piece. Be sure to check out the band during the pre-game and halftime to see how much the Famous Maroon Band is benefiting from their new practice field.