Matt Paterno is beginning his 32nd season as a high school band director, with the last 31 of those seasons at Wayne Hills High.
Paterno, like so many other coaches, realizes the 2020-2021 school year will present new challenges, but also wants his team to see the glass as half full.
“It won’t be the usual season, as far as band competitions and other things that we usually do, but there’s still plenty to look forward to,” said Paterno. “I’ve told the kids, that there may not be trophies, which we’ve been fortunate enough to win in past years, but there’s no reason why they can’t achieve for themselves.
“Achievement means something. It means a lot.”
Paterno, himself a big sports fan, believes that competition will help a youngster get stronger, both mentally and physically.
“It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, you should strive to get better,” said Paterno. “That goes for playing a sport, or playing an instrument. You’re competing against someone else, but also against yourself, to get better.
“We’ve got a great bunch of kids here. They’re talented musicians. They’re also respectful and a pleasure to work with.”
The band will take part in Hills football games, as usual.
“(Wayne Hills head football coach) Wayne (Demikoff) and I have had a good friendship over the years,” said Paterno. “His players have come to band competitions to support our kids and we’ve tried to be there for the football players.”
For the last five seasons, Wayne Hills has opened its season with an out-of-state football game. As the team departed on buses, for either a long trip or a quicker ride to the airport, the Hills band would be at the school, playing some nice songs to support the team.
Demikoff also noted the friendships between the two programs.
“You don’t get them any better than Matt,” said Demikoff. “The band does a great job at our games. And I know our kids enjoy supporting them in their competitions.”
Paterno often says that band is a sport, in many ways.
“Our kids work hard in practice,” he said. “We want their performances at football games to tell a story. I like them to become artists, actors and athletes.”
The team has a little over 80 members this season.
“We have a good mix of students, from grades 9-12,” said Paterno. “We also have talented musicians in the various disciplines.”
The team usually attends Band Camp in the summers, but this year, they weren’t able to go away.
“We had the camp at our school, instead,” said Paterno. It gave us a chance to spend time together, with proper social distancing.
“We’re excited and hope it’s a good season ahead for the team.”
Here’s a list of the band directors officers and support staff
BAND DIRECTOR MATTHEW PATERNO
ASSISANT BAND DIRECTOR BO PARK
BAND MANAGER BEVERLY COLEMAN
PERCUSSION INSTRUCTOR DAN TRAGLIA
ASSISTANT PERCUSSION INSTRUCTORS CHLOE NORELL and JAMES NELSON
GUARD INSTRUCTOR PAT DARNSTEADT
ASSISTANT GUARD INSTRUCTORS TOM DARNSTEAD and BRIDGET PUGLIA
MUSIC AND MARCHING TECHS XAVIOR BONILLA, LOUIS COSTANZA COSTANZA, ANTHONY PATERNO, JUSTIN ROTHSTEIN, STEVE SULLIVAN, JOSIE VAN PUTTEN VINK and JASON WHITAKER
MOVEMENT INSTRUCTOR KATE DAVISSON
DRILL DESIGN ADAM FREEMAN
MUSIC ARRANGER ERIC MAZURKIEWICZ
BAND OFFICERS
DRUM MAJORS JULIANNA D’AMICO and DARYNA YUSHCHENKO
DRUM CAPTAIN PAUL GARAFANO
DRUM LIEUTENANT RYAN DOMICO
GUARD CAPTAIN SONIA REYES
PRESIDENT ETHAN THOMPSON
VICE PRESIDENT AIDAN LA RUSSO
SECRETARY MELISSA HERING
LIBRARIANS BERNADETTE ENRIQUEZ, LAUREN GELBER, AMY HECHT, SAKSHI LENDE and CHLOE PELLINGTON
PUBLICITY OFFICER PAUL GARAFANO
RECRUITING OFFICER MIRIAM GOZ
EQUIPMENT MANAGERS SAL ANZALDI, TY BROERS, JOHN ENRIQUEZ and MICHAEL TARDY
UNIFORM MANAGER AMY PIRELA
Mike Lamberti, From Margate To Cleveland, And Back ! 