Travis Hill is Friday Night’s Busiest Guy: From Football to Band and Back Again
There’s nobody busier during a Friday night football game for La Grange than Travis Hill.
The Leopard senior plays tight end for the surging La Grange football team.
But there’s no halftime break for Hill, who takes off his jersey and straps on a snare drum to march in the award winning (and two-time-statequalifying) Leopard marching band.
“It’s pretty exhausting,” Hill said. “But it’s fun.”
With his efforts, Hill is writing an exciting new chapter in the Lowes family band legacy at La Grange. The marching contest this Saturday in La Grange is called “The Battle at the Bluff: The Ed Lowes Legacy Marching Invitational.”
It’s named after his late grandfather, who was the longest serving band director in school history. His grandmother Ann was also a longtime band director here, and still helps out here and around the area as a band clinician and judge.
For everything Hill is doing, we’re proud to honor him as this week’s Fayette County Athlete of the Week.
“Travis is an amazing kid. He has a high level of integrity and character,” said La Grange Band Director Christopher Cooper. “He’s obviously a hard worker and also really humble. He’s successful at what he does, and he never puts anyone down. He does his best to lift other people up – an outstanding young man.”
We caught up with Travis Monday afternoon between the end of the school day band class, and that night’s band practice.
He actually said he had reservations initially about doing both football and band this season.
“ I was sceptical about this year. It’s rough, starting the days at 6 a.m. in the morning (for football practicw) and ending them at 8 p.m. at night (with band). It’s rough but it works out. It puts a toll on your body.”
But the two activities actually compliment each other.
“Working out in football helps me carry the (50-pound) drum,” Hill said. “The steps in band make is easier in football, the rhythm and timing goes both ways.”
How’d he get into doing percussion?
“I like hitting the drums,” said Hill, spoken like a true football player. “It’s my favorite thing to do.”
Hill’s grandfather passed so long ago that he has no memories of him, but loves that the marching contest is named for Lowes.
“I heard he was very musical. Really loved playing a grand piano, my mom says,” Hill said. “I heard they ran the band very military-style back in the day. It was rough. It would have been really cool to see. I’m ready for the show this weekend to help out and work.”
In addition to hosting 23 bands for Saturday’s all-day competition, the La Grange band will perform at 5:30 p.m..
“When we had the idea to host the contest, I thought it would be a great idea to honor Mr. Lowes,” Cooper said. “We have a lot of band parents who were in his band ... For not only Travis and Liam (Lowes, a freshman band member) but for a lot of the band parents it’s a full circle moment for the program.”