The Clay High School Fighting Eagle Marching Band consistently earns top ratings in band festivals throughout the United States, representing Clay High School and Oregon, Ohio with a high level of musical performance. The Clay Band is enriched with pride and tradition, has Ohio's largest Alumni Band, and is a product of one of the finest high school band programs in Northwest Ohio.

The band "double times" onto the field for every halftime show and performs a "high mark time" marching style. The band has incredible percussion, flag corps, and majorette sections, and is lead down the field by a drum major.

Nancy Fox Bricker played the saxophone in a band at Clay, graduated in 1948, and returned four years later to lead the band. Mrs. Bricker built a high quality program and influenced many of her students not only in music, but also in life. One of her students, Charles Neal, graduated from Clay High School in 1957 and went on to BGSU to pursue a degree in Music Education. Mrs. Bricker became ill and her husband assumed the director duties until Mr. Neal was named as director of the Clay Band in 1967.

Mr. Neal continued to build a program of pride, tradition, and excellence until 1999. Under his direction, hundreds of students passed through the Clay Band program and became productive and successful members of society.

In the summer of 1999, one of Chuck Neal's former students, Brian Gyuras, a 1987 Clay Graduate, was appointed as the new director of the Clay High School Band. Mr. Gyuras has kept the traditional styles of the Clay Band and extends the tradition of former Clay students directing the Clay High School Fighting Eagle Marching Band.

The Clay Alumni Band. is Ohio's largest. At every other homecoming, the Alumni Band performs three traditional songs: Basin Street Blues, Georgia on My Mind and, of course, the Clay Fight Song.

Band Activities At Clay High School:

Symphonic Band
Concert Band
Jazz Band
Pep Band
Marching Band
Majorettes
Flag Corps
Percussion Section
Drum Major
Solo and Ensemble Events

Former Clay Band Directors:

Nancy Bricker
Charles Neal

Current Staff:

Brian Gyuras, Director of Bands
Angela Reinhart, Assistant Director
Stacey Hendry, Flag Corps Directors
Shirley Brewer, Majorette Advisor
Kim Corado, Percussion Advisor

Contact Information:

Brian Gyuras
Clay High School
5665 Seaman Road
Oregon, Ohio 43616
419-693-0665 ext. 2164
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it