Why Band?

If you were to sit in my house, you would probably discover that hardly a half-hour goes by with out some mention of band. It is my career and my obsession. Why do I choose to work in this field? I think the biggest draw to it is that it is something that I actually do. I watched the USC - Georgia game yesterday, and I have to say it was fun to see USC win but you know what? I didn't get one phone call from Coach Spurrier for supporting the team. Heck, not even one team member called me. No cheerleaders or even band members! Can you believe that? Then I watch the race. Junior did not make the cut for the finals and I was sad. Can you believe that as much as I watch him and support him, he didn't call either! Why? Well the reason is that, those people don't know me and I really don't do anything for them. I had no part of their success or lose. I just watched. Maybe that is why spectator sports are so popular. You can sit back and watch and if they win you can say it was because of your support and if they lost you can say you had no part of it. Pretty convenient if you ask me. Band is different to me. I have great control over what happens in my band. I pick the show. I find the people to write it. I teach it. The students have the ultimate task of performing it at a high level. We control how it turns out. Even families get in on this event. My wife loves to make suggestions and then when she see them in the show, she loves it. Remember the kneeling in the ballad last year? That was hers. Parents that encourage their children to practice. They are in on it too. The booster club members that work in a hot concession stand. Those screens that we will have aren't free. They are direct result of that work. We all work for the same common goal and when it happens...Wow! Everybody is in on the celebration. When we do well, I see parents, friends, staff, everybody is there because they all had a part of the victory. Think about it. Here is what makes it even better. We don't have a bench! Everybody gets to participate in the ultimate task of performing the show. All the way from the first year marching student to the seniors that may be in band for the sixth year. Not bench and no place to hide. We are all out there together! Yesterday my phone did ring from some people though. It was not Steve Spurrier of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. It was band people. We were all excited to hear about our spot at lower state. Hey, I know it was just a random draw, but it was our draw. All of us together! That is why I pick band! We are all in it together and we (NONE OF US!) don't just sit back and watch.

One of favor quotes about says it all:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."