Arizona State University - Sun Devil Spark / Sahuaro Yearbook (Tempe, AZ)

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when did they lengthen the field? Editor ' s Note: Marlene Naubert was a graduate student at ASU. She told her story about what it was like to return to ASU as an alumnus. These are her own words about the activities surrounding Homecoming. Homecoming! What could be greater than returning to one ' s alma mater for a week of reminiscing, carousing and one-upping each other ' s accomplishments. I ' d have no problem with the reminiscing, and I ' ve always prided myself on my ability to carouse, but there I was, still living at home with my mom and two dogs. What could I possibly say to one-up my fellow alumni - something like, Yeah, I ' d work more overtime, but Mom says the dogs need to be walked? This was going to be miserable, but I had a promise to fulfill. Before I graduated from ASU last May, I swore to myself I ' d return for Homecoming every year. Anyway, as a past (and lifelong) member of the ASU Sun Devil Marching Band, it was my duty to return and march pregame with the rest of the Alumni Band. I fondly remembered being in my band uniform on Homecoming and sitting in the stands watching the alumni attempt to recreate their past. By the time they reached the end of the show, they were wheezing and panting. They ' d ask, When did they lengthen the field? We ' d pat them on their aching backs and try to suppress the laughter. Now it was my turn. As the drum major blew the whistle for the step-off, I raised my cymbals and crashed as if my life depended on it. As a matter of fact, about halfway through the show, I was sure the only thing keeping me from passing out was the ear-piercing sound of those infernal cymbals! But was I going to let my pain show? No way! No one was going to pat my aching back! Although marching pregame wasn ' t as easy as it once was, I was handling it a lot better than some of my older, more accomplished counterparts. Sometimes the best one-ups come from living at home, walking the dogs. by marlene e. naubert above — Smiling for the camera, 1992 Homecoming King and Queen Brad Snyder and Carmen Kreuger take their royal walk at halftime. Halftime was also highlighted by Hall of Fame inductions and the ASU Sun Devil Marching Band. Photo by Tim Gibbons left Performing after the Homecoming parade, Grant Mann and the Island Beat entertains an audience of students, alumni and people from the community. Homecoming provided various forms of entertainment for people of all ages throughout the week. Photo by George Gibbons