Taking pride in Pride of Arizona
I want to take a moment to congratulate one fantastic piece of Wildcat tradition: The Pride of Arizona marching band. Through the years, the Pride of Arizona has rocked Arizona Stadium during every single home game. Every week, no matter what the weather may be (i.e., against Washington State in 2004), the Pride is out there giving it their all and playing with an energy that most other college bands don’t come close to matching.
Every song they play has a way of making the entire audience turn and pay attention. From “”Bear Down”” to “”Carmina Burana,”” the student section enjoys hearing the band play. Every Wildcat fan knows that halftime is when the show really gets started. As the band rushes on to the field and gets fixed in its opening set, it becomes obvious that they practice for hours every week. They hit the down note and put on a show that grabs the audience and doesn’t let go until the famed “”Tuba Dance”” is over. Not only does the band do a fantastic job in regards to musicianship on and off the field, they are the loudest bunch of cheerleaders I have ever heard. It doesn’t matter if the football team is doing well or poorly, the band is cheering them on until the final whistle.
I look forward to coming to Arizona Stadium for every home game because I know that my band truly is “”The Best in the West.”” You are the Pride of Arizona. NOW GO!
-Matt Chilese
pre-pharmacy junior
Campus Rec’s not the only place to scuba
The Student Recreation Center isn’t the only place providing scuba education opportunities, and what they do provide is limited. While the Rec Center certainly provides a full-immersion experience for certifying divers, they leave new divers high and dry, offering nothing for divers after the trip concerning continuing education, different dive opportunities or extended safety training. The Catfish Scuba Club was formed to fill this need.
A club new to UA this year, it offers opportunities to certified or new divers to expand their experiences. Catfish seeks beautiful locations to take members on a spring dive trip. We coordinate classes for night diving, underwater photography, fish identification, deep diving and, most importantly, Stress and Rescue Diver certification. We offer opportunities for socializing with your dive buddy, the person on whom your life will depend underwater. Catfish also gives back to the community through service learning initiatives to educate the UA and Tucson communities, sharing our experiences.
Catfish offers certification experiences in San Carlos, Mexico, where we spend three days and two nights at a beach resort. Our price for the trip is $225 for certified divers and $285 for people seeking certification, $110 less than the Rec Center’s price.
-Emily Greyard Mitchell
teaching education graduate student
