Courtside Players

Course Number: MUEN 1010/5050

The Baylor University Courtside Players provides musical entertainment to thousands of basketball and volleyball fans across the nation. The band performs for all home men’s and women’s basketball games. An integral part of game atmosphere, the Courtside Players brings Baylor spirit and enthusiasm to the Ferrell Center and when traveling with the teams during tournament season.

Performing at approximately 35 games during the regular season, this ensemble is a critical component of the athletic environment in the Ferrell Center. This ensemble offers amazing performance opportunities at home and across the country.

Eligibility

The Courtside Players is an offshoot of the Golden Wave Marching Band and performs much of the same music. To be eligible for participation, each member must currently participate in the Golden Wave Band or have two years of previous Golden Wave Band experience. The drum set and electric bass players are exempt from this policy due to the nature of the instrument.

All members of the Courtside Players must be enrolled in the appropriate spring semester course in order to participate. Undergraduate students should enroll in MUEN 1010 - Spring Athletic Bands, graduate students should enroll in MUEN 5050 - Ensemble, and MCC students should enroll in the appropriate course as determined by the MCC Director of Bands.

Auditions

Auditions usually take place in mid-September and consist of performance of the chromatic scale, a couple of prepared tunes, and a brief sight-reading excerpt. Results are published by late September.

Drumset and bass guitar callbacks will be auditioned at our first rehearsal in Jones Hall (usually in late October). During the rehearsal, all prospective drummers and bassists will be rotated in to perform music of various styles. By the end of the rehearsal a determination will be made as to which drummers will be offered a spot.

Fees

There is no fee for participation in Courtside Players. Students playing a school-owned instrument may be asked to provide an instrument maintenance fee.

Game Assignment & Master Roster

Students will be assigned to a “Gold” or “Green” roster based on their audition and preferred commitment level. Students assigned to Gold commitment play at about 2/3 of the games and students assigned to Green commitment play at about 1/3 of the games.

Game assignments for the fall semester and Holiday Games will be made available after auditions so each member will know in advance which games they have been assigned to and can plan accordingly. Game assignments for the spring semester are usually made available in late December.

If you cannot attend a game for which you are assigned you may get a substitute by emailing the director at least 3 days in advance. Students may contact the director within 72 hours if you will be absent due to illness or emergency situation.

Holiday Games

When Baylor is not in an active academic session, students are paid an hourly rate for their performance. Assignments are based on audition results and availability. Students must be eligible to work through Baylor Student Employment and submit hours for their position through Ignite.

Tournament Travel

Being available for tournament travel is required of all members of the Courtside Players unless otherwise noted during auditions (students who cannot travel are assigned to Green Commitment).

The tournaments we are currently scheduled to travel to include:

Men’s and Women’s Big XII Tournaments in Kansas City, MO
NIT Final Four (New York City)
NCAA Tournaments (Men’s and Women’s)

Recent travel opportunities have included Kansas City, Fort Worth, Tampa, Denver, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Atlanta, and many others!

Traveling with the Courtside Players is an amazing opportunity to visit sites all across the country. Each trip is typically a 4 or 5 day event where we have a rehearsal and 2 basketball games. The rest of the time is usually open for activities, free time, or for students to stay current with academics.

For more information about joining please Stuart Ivey, DA.