My summers in high school were full of marching and drumming. I remember going to the high school at about 7:40 am to get my drums and music ready to warm up with the drumline by 7:45 am. The marching band didn't even arrive until 8. For the next two hours we marched around the track, marched around a parking lot, and marched around the side streets of Spanish Fork playing cadences and practicing our marching music. The ancient T shaped drum carrier dug into my shoulders and back, and I always got a beautiful T-shaped sweat mark on my t-shirt. At 10 am the band was done with practice and went home. If it was a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday the drumline stayed another 2 hours to practice. I gained some sweet skills with all that time. I could stand in one spot without moving for hours, walk around for hours, and do both of those things with a heavy set of drums on my shoulders. The sweat, pain, and time put into it made me proud of what I was doing.And why was I doing it? My brother did it. Once Kevin brought home a snare drum to practice for concert band, and he let me play it. It was the coolest thing to hold the drum sticks and try to play what he just showed me. I think I even played a buzz roll (which is really easy), and I almost wet my pants with excitement. Also, when Kevin talked about drumming, marching, and competitions I got excited. At parades and competitions he looked so cool in his uniform and the drumline sounded powerful that I knew I wanted to do it, too.
So, my 4 high school summers were spent marching and playing in a band that probably looked just as pathetic as the one I saw this morning, but I thought it was the greatest thing in the world. It was hard. It was hot. And sometimes it was really long, but now I'm really glad I did it.
I liked it so much that I played for 2 years on BYU's drumline. And that is anything but a pathetic looking marching band. And the drumline rocked.
5 comments:
Oh yes, those many years of my brothers drumming away on everything and anything (including me). I have to admit as the sister of two drummers I have enjoyed going to their performances and because of them I have a special place in my heart for the drumline!
Wow! If I had realized fully how much I was being looked up to at that time I might have tried a little harder to be a better example. I'm just glad that we both now have fond memories of "Sir", the streets around the high school, and almost endless hours of practicing (just to really goof it all up in a competition or parade). :)
So Tyler, I was watching a thing on BYUTV today, and there was a snippet about the band. And I saw you! I was already recording it for something else, so Steph and I will have you guys over, and show you your 2/10ths of a second of fame.
That sounds great, Larry! Lisa and I adore the pictures of little Creed and want to see him in person. And Lisa would really like to meet your wife (even if she's too shy to admit it), and I have only briefly met her once, I think.
I'm not shy! You take that back, Lewis!
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