Marching Band Begins

We started real practice this past Monday with guard, percussion, and leaders. Then came the Rookies and assorted others. I always invite everybody to come to rookie camp if they want to brush up on a few things and some usually do. Of course many will wait until Monday morning when full day and full band camp really gets going to make a grand entrance. In my younger days, I use to think I had to do everything. As I age I have discovered I don't have to do it all. I have a very good instructor that has done a great job of teaching the rookies, a great percussion instructor that is teaching the percussion, and two great ladies that are teaching the guard. I get to check on things and order stuff and make sure everybody is happy and things are going smoothly. The rookies may even wonder what it is that I do. I can assure them that they will know what it is I do by the end of next week! I have been very happy to see some of the students that took a while to catch on last year are joining us this week and guess what? They are great. I always feel bad for the student that struggle early in the season and then make great strides by the end and then...don't come back. They really don't get to enjoy what marching band is all about. But anyway...I teach and respect who comes. That is my way. I hate it when I hear band directors or coaches say "If you don't want to be here, just go home!" How stupid. If they didn't want to be there, guess what? They wouldn't be there!!!!

I just looked on my home office wall and saw the picture of my first marching band in which I was the head director. There they are all 49 of them. Yeap 49 total. They are now adults and many have children of their own but to me they are still my kids. This week a new group of my kids started with the best choice of all...they were present.

The picture above is my true Agony of Defeat picture. It was taken in my office immediately after my band at Swansea had finished second at state and everybody knows we should have won. ( And I mean it!!! Watch and listen to the tape!!!) Any way that band made a choice to win and they had silent rehearsals for two weeks before lower state and won! The next week were awarded a silver medal. It was great but made me want first more than ever. If you look close at the picture you will see, I didn't have anything left to give. I tried my best. Sunburned, hot, and tired don't really give that picture justice but content I was because I had given it my all and so had those around me.