Dozens of Live Oak High School band alumni returned for Friday’s senior night football game to give retiring band director Brian Feigles a send-off at his final home game. The celebration honored his 24 years of teaching at Live Oak and the impact he had on his students.
The alumni wanted to pay tribute to Feigles and have some fun along the way. They lined both sides of the path to the football field and cheered as Feigles and the band walked past at the start of the game.
The alumni held signs reading “Cheers to 33 years of Friday night lights!” and “Happy retirement Mr. Feigles, we love you!” They waved cutout fans shaped like the band director’s head and wore stickers featuring some of his favorite sayings.
Many alumni wore blue and gold to honor the school, and others once again donned their letterman jackets, proudly displaying their instrument patches on the sleeves. After the band walked through, alumni were encouraged to stick around for halftime, when Feigles would go out onto the field one last time.
As the alumni waited in the stands, they listened to the current band play and shared some of their favorite memories of being in band with Feigles.
“He’s been a really good inspiration and a good mentor,” former band member Delanna Elsenrath said.
“He was one of my favorite teachers,” former band member Hannah Kloepfer added. “I hated a lot of the academic parts of school, but he was one of the teachers that I looked forward to his class every single time. I genuinely feel like high school would have been miserable if I didn’t have his class.”
“My high school career would not have been nearly as fun without him,” said former band member Adrian Estay.
As the night went on, some alumni watched the current marching band and fondly recalled their own time marching and playing.
“I feel like I should be marching with the band almost,” Elsenrath said.
At halftime, Feigles stood with his family as a special announcement from the press box honored his 24 years of service at Live Oak High.
“While we are fortunate to have the remainder of the school year with him,” the announcement said, “we know that Friday nights at Live Oak will never be the same without him.”
“Your legacy will live on in the students you taught, the traditions you’ve built, and the music that will continue to fill the stands at Live Oak High.”
As alumni chanted his name, Feigles was presented with two footballs covered in their signatures. Former band members gathered around him, eager to congratulate him and thank him for everything he had done for them.
“I always wrote music. He helped me write it, and now I’m in college for music, and I owe that to him … he’s the one that made me think, ‘I can do it,’” former band member Laylah Ervin said. “He helped me fix my portfolio to get into LSU.”
After the game, the band room filled once more with alumni eager to keep talking with Feigles and reconnect with band friends who had come back for the game. Two cakes were served for the occasion, and 3D-printed “marble” busts of Feigles were handed out as keepsakes.
“It’s definitely time,” Feigles said when asked about his retirement. “I don’t have a clue yet [on what to do after retirement] … but I’m sure I’ll be involved in some kind of music somewhere.”
When asked what he would say to the alumni who came out to support him, Feigles replied, “Thank you very much. That was unexpected, totally unexpected … but it was fantastic.”
The turnout included alumni from as far back as the graduating class of 2008. Their return, along with the thoughtful gestures from the school and community, showed how much of an impact Feigles had and how much he will be missed.
