Most Spartans watched the Rose Bowl win from a television or the stands in Pasadena. MSU Feature Twirler Kristen Scali had a view of her own from the infamous California field. The strenuous hours of training and painful body aches were all worth the experience. Her Campus MSU had the chance to talk with Scali about her childhood dreams coming true as she twirled with the Spartan Marching Band at the Rose Bowl.
HC: How did you prepare for the trip to Pasadena? Did you have longer practices? Etc.
KS: Normally we would only have one or two rehearsals during finals week to prepare for a bowl game. But because of the Big Ten Championship game, we had an extra full week of rehearsals than we normally would have to prepare our halftime and pregame shows. We used a halftime show from a game earlier in the season for both the B1G game and the Rose Bowl, and spent that week reviewing and perfecting the show. After the B1G game, we didn’t rehearse anymore as a group until we got to California. I spent my winter break going to the gym to work out and practice every day to get myself in shape for the parade and game. When we got to California, we rehearsed as a full band everyday for 2-3 hours up until the day of the game. These rehearsals were extremely intense as we worked to again review and perfect our shows or practice marching and turns for the parade, as well as get used to the new warm climate.
HC: How physically exhausting was the parade and game compared to twirling at home games?
KS: It was one of the longest, most exhausting days of my life. We woke up at 4am and were on the buses by 5:30. We left to go immediately to the parade, where we began to line up around 7:30. The parade began at 8:00 and we stepped off a little while after that. Five and a half miles of continuous marching was probably one of the most physically difficult things I have ever done. The worst part was when we all thought we had to be close to the end, but then I heard one of the directors behind me say “we’re almost halfway there!” By the time we were done, my arms and legs felt like they were going to fall off. But during the parade, I was so amazed by the thousands of people that lined the entire length of the parade route as well as the beautiful Pasadena scenery around us that it was easy to ignore how tired and sore I was.
When we got back on the buses, all I wanted to do was sleep but there was no time. We went straight to the stadium where fans were waiting for us to perform at the MSU alumni tailgate. After that, we went straight to the stadium. Before I knew it, we were on the field for pregame, and not long after that, halftime.
Although home games can be really long days as well, it was nothing like this. We are used to having down time during the day for tailgating and things like that, but there was nothing like that at the Rose Bowl. Once we were up in the morning, we were moving nonstop for the rest of the day. Although it was one of the most physically (and mentally) demanding days I’ve ever experienced, I wouldn’t trade one second of it for anything!
HC: What were some of your thoughts as you twirled on the field at the Rose Bowl?
KS: Honestly, I was so in awe of everything that it was hard to get my thoughts in order. For as long as I remember, it had been my dream to get the opportunity to twirl at the Rose Bowl. It didn’t seem real, even when we were in the stadium, and it didn’t really hit me until after the trip was over.
The one moment I’ll never forget happened at the end of the halftime show. We ended the show with the fight song and my spot was right on the 50 yard line. When we got to the chorus of the song where the band stops playing and sings, I looked up and saw the Rose Bowl logo on the press box right in front of me and that’s when all of the emotions really sunk in. The disbelief that I was actually there and that my long-time dream had come true. The excitement and adrenaline rush that I feel after a great performance. And the heartbreaking sadness that this was the last time I’d ever perform with the Spartan Marching Band. As I looked around at the thousands of Spartan fans on their feet, clapping and singing along, I couldn’t help but tear up as the overwhelming feelings of love and pride that I have for MSU really hit me.
HC: Describe what it was like to be there after we secured the win. Did you go out to celebrate?
KS: It was completely surreal. I don’t even know how to put the feelings into words. Everyone was screaming, taking pictures, and basically going crazy. Watching Mark Dantonio hold up the Rose Bowl trophy, hearing him talk about the season, and especially watching Kyler Elsworth receive his MVP trophy was amazing.
After we got back to the hotel, we had the rest of the night to do whatever we wanted. A small group of friends and I walked around downtown LA for a little bit looking for somewhere to go. We ended up finding a small pub nearby and decided to go there. We walked in to find other band members already there, and within an hour, probably close to 50 people from the band all ended up at this same place unintentionally. It was so much fun to be able to celebrate an amazing day (and trip) with all of them, and catching a replay of the game on TV there later that night and feeling all of those same emotions again was something I’ll never forget!
HC: With this being your last season, how does this experience affect your emotions towards graduation?
KS: It is still hard to believe that I’m graduating this spring. These four years have flown by and it’s hard to believe that my time with the SMB has come to an end. I can’t imagine a more perfect way to close out my time with the band though. And for me, it goes even farther than that because this was the last performance of my twirling career that started when I was two years old. I’ve won several national and world championships throughout those years, but no experience or title could have ended my career on a more perfect note.
A few months ago, a trip to the Rose Bowl was only a dream that we all shared. For the seniors, it was our last chance to be a part of something that hasn’t been done in over 25 years. To have this opportunity was amazing and as cliche as it sounds, it was just the icing on the cake of an incredible four seasons with the SMB. It makes knowing that I’m going to be leaving this place I have come to love in a few months even harder.
HC: How has being a feature twirler made you grow during your time at MSU? How has it enhanced your college experience?
KS: I honestly can’t imagine being at MSU and not being a member of the SMB. The band is what drew me to this university and I am so thankful for all of the opportunities it has given me. I have met so many amazing people and many have become friends that I know I’ll have for the rest of my life. From the time I was 8 years old, it was my dream to be a feature twirler for a B1G university and my experience with the SMB surpassed every expectation I ever had. It is so hard to say goodbye to an organization that I love and has taught me so much. The SMB focuses so much on tradition and I love meeting alumni and hearing about their experiences from their time in the band. Having the opportunity to follow in their footsteps is truly an honor. I hope that I have left an impact on this program in some way during my four years, and I can’t wait to come back to see future Spartans having the same experience that had made these past four years the best of my life.