As the final seconds of the third quarter tick down during every home football game, thousands of hands fly into the air for a timeless Sanford Stadium tradition.

Fans give the Bulldogs their four-finger salutes, and a familiar sound ushers all into the fourth quarter.

“A lot of people say the band should be entertaining, but we’re so much more than that,” said Redcoats Interim Director Tom Keck. “We keep the fans involved in game. When we play ‘Krypton’ at the start of the fourth quarter and 93,000 pairs of hands fly into the air, we’re responsible for that. We pump up the crowd and the students. We’re part of what makes Sanford Stadium a home field advantage.”

The Redcoat Band, comprised of more than 400 members, is the driving sound for the spirit of every Georgia football game.

Band members often rehearse for more than 10 hours a week. But are they missing out on the football experience of the typical University student?

“Not at all,” said Tasha Daniel, a freshman tenor saxophone player from Winder. “I think I get more of a gameday experience than any regular fan ever could. I get to be in the middle of the Dawg Walk, in the stands for every game and on the field in front of thousands of people when most of the other fans never will get the thrill of stepping on the grass at Sanford Stadium.”

Band members said there are many perks to being a Redcoat, including guaranteed seats for every football game, free food, interacting with the football team and being recognized by head coach Mark Richt after every game.

Redcoats also are paid to go to the Georgia-Florida game and postseason bowl games.

“We get the student experience and more,” said Anne Marie Stoddard, a senior from Cairo. “Our experience is better because we’re so such a big part of what’s going on as opposed to being just spectators. We get more access than a normal fan would, and we definitely contribute to the excitement.”

For many University students, the typical gameday consists of tailgating, relaxing and enjoying other pre-game activites. However, for their peers in the Redcoat Band, Saturday means a carefully planned schedule that will last well into the evening.

“We start early and end late,” said fifth-year senior music education major Josh Luke. “But it’s definitely worth it.”

Keck said the Redcoats put just as much energy into their gameday preparation as the football team.

“In a lot of aspects, Saturdays for the band are a lot like Saturdays for the football team,” Keck said. “We both have to prepare for game day because 93,000 people have high expectations for us. The band is a really important part of the game.”

Overall, the band members said they recognize what an important role they play on a Saturday gameday in Athens.

In reflecting on her Redcoat experiences, junior piccolo player Michelle Lawler said she feels band members play an important role in representing the University by acting as model fans and portraying an excellent image of the school.

“By being in the band we’re serving UGA, and when people come up to us after games to thank us and say what a good job we’ve done, that’s a good feeling. We’re giving the school a good reputation and it’s very fulfilling,” Lawler said.

For the band, every Saturday morning begins with a catered breakfast from Chick-Fil-A followed by an early rehearsal. The band diligently practices for hours to put the finishing touches on that week’s halftime performance, pre-game show, and rehearse a famous fan favorite – the “Spell Georgia” cheer. While these rehearsals mean waking up early for what promises to be a long day, band members said the morning practice is essential to a successful gameday.

After a few short hours of free time, which most Redcoats use to take a quick nap, the true pre-game festivities begin.

For some band members, their free time is cut short. A small group of Redcoats, known as “derbies,” play together in a smaller pep band throughout the day, often performing at various locations around campus to entertain fans, alumni and visiting dignitaries.

The entire band reunites about two hours before kick-off for the “Dawg Walk,” where fans gather to hear the band and cheer on the football team as they enter Sanford Stadium. After the band performs “crowd control” for the players and coaches, they follow the team into the stadium to prepare for the pre-game show.

Throughout the game, the band keeps the fans engaged by playing fight songs and leading the crowd in cheers before performing a full halftime show, which changes every two weeks. When the final whistle blows and most fans head toward the exits, the band begins their final performance of the day – a special post-game selection of songs.

“The Redcoat experience is something that I will never forget, and I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Daniel said.