GUNG-HO BAND DAD
By JILL KEECH Daily Press Correspondent
NEWPORT NEWS — Every hurrah has its unsung heroes, and the Denbigh High School Patriot Band's no different.
Ever wonder how the drum set gets to its place off the marching field, for the drummer to play at halftime?
"Nobody does," says Bill Collins.
That's where he and eight or nine cohorts come in.
They're the members of the Denbigh High School Band Boosters Association pit crew. That's pit as in orchestra pit, not race car pit stop.
The 100-plus youngsters in the Denbigh band include 16 flag-carriers and eight pit musicians.
And whenever they're needed, the pit crew knows how to pick up the pace.
"We rush these instruments onto the field," says Bill, who is the crew's co-chairman.
During competitions, he says, "if you take up too much time, there are penalties."
Bill and his buddies don't miss a beat.
Eddie Goff's the association president. He also maintains the Denbigh band Web site. You can find it at www.dhspatriots.com.
"If you had 10 more people like Bill," he says, "you wouldn't need anybody else. He's Johnny on the spot."
When the band road-trips to a parade or competition, Bill arranges the rental truck to move the marimba, which is sort of like a xylophone, the kettle drum and more.
The base drum alone weighs about 40 pounds.
Bill, who's a contract podiatrist at Fort Eustis' McDonald Army Community Hospital, says he's never dropped an instrument or had trouble carrying one.
He's in shape, though.
"It's a strenuous job," he says.
But it rings his chimes.
More than helping with the association's fund-raising activities.
More than playing chaperone, because "you don't get a lot of sleep," he says.
"You have to be with the kids a lot of time. With the pit crew, it's more of a guy thing."
When Jimmy, the middle of their three sons, made band four years ago, a neighbor told Bill he would do pit crew.
"In those words," says Bill.
He doesn't regret for a moment that some of the time he's playing heavy duty gopher.
"We really love what we do," Bill says. "It doesn't seem like work to us. It's wonderful recreation for the adults, and we love supporting the kids."
Wife Anne's the association's secretary.
Like any groupie, Bill has all the accouterments, including a jacket in the school colors.
"I don't see myself as the red satin jacket type," he'd told Anne four years ago, only to change his mind by spring.
The jacket reads "PIT CREW DENBIGH" and "Bill," along with "Denbigh High School Band Boosters."
About the same time the garment came along, so did a new family vehicle, a Dodge Grand Caravan.
Red, of course.
And loaded with the proper signage.
A professional, a friend of another booster member, made computer-generated designs lettered with "DHS Band Boosters PIT CREW." They're on self- adhesive sheets.
The Caravan sports one on its back window.
The license plate below says BOYSX3 and the plate holder reads "Denbigh High School" and Go "Patriots."
"We obviously need a lot of parents involved," Bill says. "The more we can put ourselves out there, the more volunteers we can attract."
Son Jimmy graduates from Denbigh in a few months.
Bill's staying on.
"I'm going to do it again next year even though I won't have a kid in the band," he says. "If that's OK with you, honey."
He looks at Anne.
That's fine, she says.
As long as no one asks him to haul a piano.
WILLIAM J. "BILL" COLLINS III * AGE: 51
* HOME: Denbigh
* FAMILY: Wife, Anne; sons, Bill IV, 21, Jimmy, 17, and Kevin, 14.
* OCCUPATION: Contract podiatrist at Fort Eustis' McDonald Army Community Hospital
* EDUCATION: Graduate of Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., and the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine, now the Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine
* VOLUNTEER ROLE: Serves as the pit crew co-chairman for the Denbigh High School Band Boosters Association
BAND BOOSTERS
* For information about the Denbigh High School Band Boosters Association, visit www.dhspatriots.com.