AGAWAM – On New Year’s Day, Elyse Cote of Agawam proudly marched alongside the University of Massachusetts Amherst Minuteman Marching Band in one of the most highly anticipated parades of the year – the Rose Parade.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the streets of Pasadena, CA, as Cote and her companions performed “Firework” by Katy Perry, the UMass fight song and Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” down Colorado Boulevard. The 400-member band debuted their new uniforms during the 129th annual Rose Parade, just hours before the Georgia Bulldogs football team battled the Oklahoma Sooners for a spot to play in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship.

Although Cote has been marching since her freshman year at Agawam High, she said nothing has ever compared to this moment.

“It was like really exciting once we actually started,” she said. “The bleachers were packed with people. There was a sea of red because both of the teams’ colors were red – and then all of a sudden there were lights and cameras, and we were like, ‘Wow, we’re actually doing this.’”

The Minuteman Band was just one of 22 marching bands selected to participate in the parade. However, they were among the three collegiate bands tasked with completing the grueling five and half mile route, which is famous for its 110-degree turn around.

Cote, who plays the clarinet and is a field staff member, said the year-long preparation for their performance was intense. Due to the extensive number of cameras televising the event, she said the group focused on perfecting basic marching techniques, nailing the turn, and physical endurance.

“You need to be running and getting into shape because you need to be able to march nonstop for five and a half miles,” she said. “Marching isn’t just walking, it’s really taxing on your body. You need to get your body ready and your mind ready.”

The UMass senior said the west coast-parade was the farthest she’s ever traveled for a band performance.

Born and raised in Agawam, Cote said the fame of the UMass marching band – which is ranked sixth nationally – played a role in her decision to attend the university. She hopes to graduate in May with a major in environmental science and a minor in sustainable food and farming.

Cote said she plans to continue to play the clarinet and will remember her experience at the Rose Parade for the rest of her life.

“One thing I’m really thankful for about this trip is it gave us a spotlight I didn’t feel like we really had,” she said. “Because we’re at such a huge university, we hadn’t really been recognized by the rest of our school – but before we left, UMass made YouTube post that was wishing us good luck at the rose bowl parade from all the different sectors. It was awesome.”