COLUMBUS, Ohio — A home Ohio State game just isn’t the same without Skull Session, a pre-game tradition for the band, team, and fans.
For one family they’re glad to have their Saturday tradition back after a year off.
What You Need To Know
- Skull Session is back after a year off due to the pandemic
- The pre-game tradition includes music by the band and a final good luck to the team and coaches
- For 6-year-old Liam Miller and his family Skull session is a weekly tradition, no matter if they are going to the game or now
- Liam loves the band- even dresses up as the drum major for Halloween, so he and his family are glad to have the tradition back
The anticipation is real for 6-year-old Liam Miller as he waits for the Ohio State Marching band. This is actually the Millers' home game tradition.
“We make our way into Skull Session," Leslie Miller, Liam's mom said. "We like to stand and watch the band walk in. And as soon as the band walks in, we sprint up the stairs so we can make it into St. John Arena to watch them do their pre-game.”
And for Liam, it’s all about the drum major.
“We’ve been making drum major costumes. We were drum major for Halloween but then it started to go all year long," Leslie said. "We literally march through the house. We’ve got batons, we throw them in the air. And then we’ve moved on to whole drum kits and band uniforms. So this has been our life for about three years now.”
That’s why they come.
He loves the band more than most kids and he missed seeing them all last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was really rough," Leslie said. "I think every Saturday he knows when Saturday’s in the fall hit. And so every Saturday he was asking to get on the bus and come down. So it was a really rough time. So this year we literally have every Saturday home game free.”
But now the tradition continues.
As the Miller’s find their seats, they take it all in.
“We’ve been waiting for so long for this!” Leslie said.
Leslie said sharing the tradition of Ohio State football is something she cherishes.
“Buckeye football is just something amazing and it’s something we’ve all grown up with," she said. "It’s really great to be able to share it with the kiddos and for them to have the same love for the university and for this tradition as we do.”
They’re so glad to be back.
“They’ve missed this so much," Leslie said. "It’s been a really rough year so this is exactly what we needed right now."