Band camp season gets me all fired up. We all know the debate, so let's cut to the chase. Competitive marching band is a sport.
Think about your favorite sport- it can be football (go Steelers!), basketball, cheerleading, swimming, or hell, it can even be golf. Everything that goes into each one of these is a component of the marching band. Being that I was also (unfortunately) a swimmer in high school, I'll use the swim team as an example.
Before the swim season even started, we did something called "Dry Land" which was about a month of conditioning: lifting weights, doing ab workouts, building endurance, etc…
Band camp is the conditioning of marching band: breathing exercises, practicing music/drill, building endurance, etc...
Swim practices usually went a little something like this: change into your suit, warm up, swim your sets, get a few water breaks, pretend like you're not dying, and then cool down.
Band practices usually went a little something like that too: change into athletic clothes, warm up (musically and physically), practice marching drill and playing music, get a few water breaks, pretend like you're not dying, and then "story time."
But why practice? Obviously, do well in the swim meets (something I never did).
And why practice for band? Obviously to do well in the performance/competition/parade.
Swimming is physically demanding- usually not identifiable by the amount of sweat exerted by a person, but more so flushed cheeks, cramps, and extreme loss of breath.
Band is physically demanding as well- quite identifiable by cramps, extreme loss of breath, and sweat… A LOT of sweat.
Need even more convincing? Look up DCI Blue Devils and let me know if you'd be able to do that... I know I couldn't.
I didn't write this article to argue that marching band is more demanding than anyone sport — I wrote this to prove to you that it is, in fact, "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment." So, if you can look me in the eyes and tell me golf is still more of a sport than a competitive marching band, then… well, I'm still going to tell you that you're wrong.
Perseverance. Respect. Integrity. Dedication. Enthusiasm. These are all qualities of true athletes. Am I wrong?
This article goes out to the PRIDE of Laurel Highlands. Play loud, march proudly!
