Providence High band wins competition in honor of late member

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- They were major underdogs at a big band competition this past weekend, but the Providence High marching band had something motivating them -- the unexpected death of a member they called the heart of their team.

They're called the pit -- the only part of a marching band that stays put on the field.

"The pit is probably the closest group in the marching band because we spend so much time together," said Melissa Mitchell, who plays the marimba (a giant xylophone) in the pit.

But one member of the Providence High band -- of the pit -- is missing.

"He was the really bright spot in marching band," Mitchell said.

Seventeen-year-old Scotty Yandle played the marimba right next to Mitchell. The two were close friends.

"He absolutely loved band and band loved him," said Scotty's father, Rick Yandle. "That's what he lived for."

Scotty Yandle had multiple sclerosis that had gotten progressively worse in the last few years. But it never kept him from the band and the instrument that he loved.

"Just because he had some sort of disability he didn't let that stop him," said Brockton Conwell, another band member.

Scotty's mother, Dot, said, "He was an ordinary kid who just happened to be in a wheelchair."

His band mates just loved Scotty because he was Scotty.

"He was always smiling, happy. Because he never acted like anything was wrong, half the time you totally forgot he had multiple sclerosis," Mitchell said.

But Scotty died suddenly on his 17th birthday after a routine procedure in the hospital.

"We were supposed to come home from the hospital that day," Rick Yandle said. "Something went wrong and he died."

The members of the pit performed a special tribute song at Scotty's funeral last Wednesday.

Then, just a few days later with the entire marching band, they competed in something Scotty had been looking forward to, called Band Beat.

"It's the biggest competition of the season," Mitchell said. "Band Beat is what we practice for all season, it the biggest competition of the season. Bands come from all over the place. This competition is really huge. We talk about it all year."

"We were like, 'OK, we got to do our best for Scotty," pit member Grace Brooder said.

"And they wanted Scotty there," said Rick Yandle. "His picture was with them, marching on the field. Someone was carrying his picture. It was like he was there with the band."

The students literally carried a framed picture of Scotty as they competed in the biggest competition of their lives.

"When we got on the field, him wanting to be there and his drive to always be the best played a huge role when we performed on Saturday," Mitchell said.

And the unthinkable happened.

"We were not expected to win this," Mitchell said. "We were definitely, definitely the underdog."

Providence High became the first Charlotte-Mecklenburg school to ever win this big competition.

"We won it for Scotty. We won it for Scotty," Mitchell said.

The Providence High marching band, Scotty's picture in tow, were crowned champions of Band Beat.

"A couple people told me they were marching for him. They believe that's why they won," said Scotty's father.

Mitchell said, "I think he had everything to do with it, personally."

"We were celebrating his life. We just went out and put our best on the field," said Conwell.

Rick Yandle says he's certain his son's memory -- through his friends' music -- will play on.

"I'm incredibly proud of him, of the life he lived," Yandle said. "I could just not be more proud."

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