COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — It is an honor of a lifetime for a sousaphone player – dotting the “i” during the Ohio State Marching Band’s script Ohio.
On Saturday, a Columbus native said he would be experiencing a dream come true.
Cam Reinbolt grew up in Worthington.
Reinbolt is one of two marching band members who will be dotting the “i” in South Bend, Indiana, against Notre Dame. He will be joined by Mike Sterling, also an Ohio native from Twinsburg.
Reinbolt said that as a young musician, he never thought he would be in this position.
“Knowing how big this matchup is going to be this coming week, like this is going to stick in my memory just as well,” Reinbolt said.
Reinbolt said being the “i”-dotter is something you work on for your entire Ohio State band career.
“It took honestly, until I got to like my last couple of years of high school and started college, that I realized that like, ‘Oh, I could totally do that,’” Reinbolt said.
He had his first opportunity to dot the “i” at last week’s home game against Western Kentucky.
“I just know I had the biggest smile,” Reinbolt said
He said Saturday’s game on the road will be different.
“I don’t think I even know the last time we’ve traveled to Notre Dame; I think it’s been a while, so it should be a really good matchup,” Reinbolt said. “Not that we don’t have some following when we go on the road, but it’s just a totally different energy being surrounded by the opposing team’s fans, and it’s almost kind of fun to be in the stands when you’re like surrounded by people that are rooting for the other team and we still get to play our fight song loud and proud.”
He said he was focused on taking in all of the scarlet and gray at Ohio Stadium last week. Reinbolt said that this week, he plans to show South Bend what The Best Damn Band In The Land is all about.
“This week, I think my main focus is going to be on making sure I look as good as possible, getting my legs up as high as I can when I’m strutting, making that battle snappy as possible, just to really show off for everyone who maybe hasn’t seen a script Ohio before,” Reinbolt said.
He said he’s expecting the Buckeyes pride to show up strong on the road against the Fighting Irish.
“My parents are going to get to go,” Reinbolt said. “I know Mike, who is dotting with me, his parents are going. There’s a few others. There’s a pretty good group of band parents that I know will be traveling with us, too.”
Reinbolt said he went to Thomas Worthington High School and his marching band coaches there are proud to see him as the “i”-dotter.
