There’s a lot more to marching band than most people think. It’s not just standing there and playing music on a football field. Marching bands, especially those school systems that support their music program as much as their athletic program, eat, sleep, and breathe marching band life. It requires hours of training to learn the different formations and patterns, to know on what number step you need to be in the position planned for on the field. It also requires hours of training to learn the music, and then to remember the music while also marching and remembering where in the field you need to be at to execute the formation perfectly in order to get full marks during a competition.
It is a truly wondrous thing to be sitting in the stands of a football game during the halftime show when the marching band takes the field. The energy that goes through the crowd as the band performs is charging to both the football players as well as the spectators. If you have never seen a marching band competition, do yourself a favor and check one out. The dedication and love that these artists put in their craft is spectacular and inspiring!