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Spirit of San Antonio embraces tradition at UTSA Homecoming

Spirit of San Antonio embraces tradition at UTSA Homecoming

At UTSA Homecoming, alumni band members return to play with SOSA.

(Oct. 10, 2018) – During the UTSA Football Homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 13, the guys in helmets and pads won’t be the only ones on the field. The Spirit of San Antonio (SOSA) Marching Band plays an important role in the Homecoming festivities to promote UTSA tradition, spirit, and pride. SOSA is there to ramp up the spirit of pre-game tailgaters in the parking lots, to welcome the team during the Spirit Walk, and kickoff the evening with a pre-game show designed to build fan excitement and bring the team on the field with great support getting them victory-ready.

One of the extra moments to make Homecoming special is the SOSA Alumni Band. Former band members are invited back to reminisce on the good times and participate in the current ensemble.

“We’re really trying to welcome back all the alumni and show them how everything has changed and grown,” said UTSA Band Director Ron Ellis.

Some of the returning alumni played for UTSA long before the band got the name SOSA, with members dating back to the 1970s. Last year’s Alumni Band even had a couple of multigenerational families represented. High school band director Jose Rodriguez got to experience gameday on the field with his son, Joe Rodriguez, and had the honor of conducting the National Anthem.

“Having my dad on the field with me was such a surreal experience,” Joe said. “I felt the past and present connecting.”

This year’s halftime show features Stevie Wonder’s “You are the Sunshine of My Life,” which sets the stage for the highly anticipated crowning of the new Mr. and Ms. UTSA.

Shelby Gorden, Ivan Cordova and Franky Mullin


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Learn more about UTSA Homecoming.

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UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.


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The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

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The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.