Published: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 / Updated: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 08:07 AM

Come blow your horn

Debra Adkins admitted she was scared when she pulled out her trumpet at the Rock Hill Bearcats road game at Lancaster last Friday.

She and her husband, Billy, recently attended a Bearcats road game against Ridge View at Blythewood High School and she was shocked to find out that in an effort to help save funds, the band is not going on road games this year with the team. So she took matters into her own hands.

Adkins walked up to the ticket gate in Lancaster and asked if the Rock Hill band was there. When the lady at the gate told her no, Adkins asked if she could go back to her car and get her trumpet.

“She said yes, but that I needed to hurry up,’’ Adkins said. “So I went and got it and played the Rock Hill fight five times, each time we scored.

“I graduated in 1969, but Billy and I still go to almost all of the games. We are big Bearcats fans and we are avid Gamecocks. I just wasn’t going to let my Bearcats go out of town and not have their music.’’

Adkins is a sports junkie. She played volleyball and basketball all four of her years at Rock Hill high.

“That’s about all they offered for girls back then,’’ she said.

Sports are still a big part of her life, even with her 59th birthday just three weeks away.

She has played church softball for 40 years, is a standout, and pitches for her team. She bowls Thursday nights and has traveled the country to bowl in tournaments. The Adkins belong to the Eagle Club at Winthrop and attend nearly every home basketball game. And she’s also a pretty good golfer.

The Adkins have been invited by their daughter, Robin, to come down to Tampa, Fla., for Thanksgiving.

“I told her we’d be there, but that I had to get an early flight out because the Bearcats would be playing in the state semifinals on Friday night. We are 9-0 and I think we can go all the way. I have to be there to see it, to cheer for our guys.’’

Adkins has seven grandchildren. She plays the piano at her church. And when she was in high school, Adkins played No. 1 trumpet, which she said was rare back then for a girl.

“When I went to school, we didn’t have band competitions, but the band played every time the football all team played,’’ she said. “I just can’t imagine a football game without the Rock Hill band there.

“The last game in September was our 40-year high school reunion. Several of us former band members sat together at the game and talked about the trips we made when we were in school. Two weeks ago, we had no band at the Ridge View game,. We scored nine times and after each we stood up and sang the Bearcats’ fight song. I realized we needed something else.’’

So the tradition began last week, and Adkins hopes to keep it going whenever the Bearcats take to the road. She said the band is performing out of town for this Friday’s home game and she’s planning to sneak her trumpet in and do her thing. Who’s going to stop her?

“I hope it doesn’t cause a problem for anyone. I was scared at first in Lancaster, but everyone seemed to like it. Some of the fans walked me to my care and thanked me. I mean we are undefeated. We need to show our team as much spirit as we can.’’

IT’S ME: One of the questions I asked last week in “Say What’’ on the right side of this page struck a bad chord with several of our readers.

It was all done in fun and with no harm intended. So to any one who was offended, sorry it was taken that way. I asked, “Which player on your team talks too much.’’ Each player answered with a chuckle and said they liked the person picked out. That was the intention.

One readers asked that I walk around the newsroom and report on several topics, so I have chosen to answer one. He asked, “Who is your newsroom talks the most?’’

There were two a few months ago, but one took a job in another part of the state. So the crown is now clear cut. It’s me.

Ask anyone who knows me well. I can talk a blue streak. My boss, Gary McCann, has told me to hush many, many times. And I know I’m doing it. I just can’t seem to shut up when I get going.

I don’t know if this helped any, but it’s the truth. So within the next 30 minutes I’ll be done for the day and off to the house. I’m sure Dawn, my wife, will tell me at least two or three times tonight to shut up because she trying to watch TV.