At every high school in America, Friday night football is a pretty big deal. The football team is ready to fight, the cheerleaders are pumping everyone up, and the marching band is getting on the field.
At Dover, it is no different. As a part of the Marching Tornadoes, I feel the love from people in the stands – I feel the pride from our student section! I’m so proud of our band, but I have slowly come to the realization that this will be my last year.
I joined concert band playing flute all the way back in fifth grade to eighth grade, where I quit for a year due to the pandemic. I never got to experience marching band as a freshman, but when the pandemic slowly died down I returned my sophomore year! Looking back, I really wish I had never quit. I have not only made connections, but a ton of fond memories with members of the band.
My most fond memories…
My section falling behind me when we practiced our run-in entrance at the start of football games. When we do our entrance, we run in a few columns at a time. Ours being the last column, we have to march very fast to our spot so we would make it on time. As I led the line, I noticed nobody else was there with me. I turned around and, to my surprise, I saw all of my section on the ground. It turns out they tripped over a large cord on the field!
Our senior prank. Every year, the night before the last day of band camp, all of the seniors come to the practice field and, well, prank. We had streamers, eggs, toilet paper – the works. However, my favorite part of that night was the fact we managed to do the impossible. We suspended a couch over the band director’s podium with ratchet straps and yarn… I’m sure this will be mentioned for years to come.
The Canal Days parade – the weather was absolutely horrible, and yet we still marched on. At first, it wasn’t that bad. The band was aware it was going to rain later, but we didn’t know how soon, or really, how fast the rain would come. Right after our first song, it started to lightly drizzle… and then it POURED. We had to run from downtown to the high school, where we finished our performance.
My first time winning the bat. What is the bat, you might ask? Well, every Monday night practice, a section is awarded for being the best performing in the band. Some may win it more than once, and some may never win it at all. We won the bat that week because our section had the best-looking shoes and the straightest lines in the whole band! I was very proud of everyone in my section, but most of all, proud of myself.
What have I learned as a senior in the Marching Tornadoes?
As a senior in the marching band, there is so much that I have learned! I’ve become more coordinated with my movements by listening with my eyes. To “listen with my eyes” is to focus on when the director puts his hands up and is ready to perform. All the band members have to watch for when that happens.
I also used to struggle with my reaction time and I would react to the director’s whistle slower when we are called to attention. When we are at attention, the band has to stop and not move. During my first year of marching band, I had a tendency to move during attention. Over time, however, I have strengthened my habit of not moving at attention.
Most importantly, I have learned to love myself and be more confident in myself. In the marching band, we are all uniform. From our matching uniforms and our fast movements, I’ve slowly learned to not care as much about what people think of me!
As this marching season is progressing, I’m begrudgingly approaching my last shows and performances. The feeling is bittersweet, and I have come to realize I’m going to miss all the people I get to play with. I know the season hasn’t ended yet, but I will still cherish the moments I spend with the band.
