colorguard/band-os...please stand up!

LuaBlanca · #1 12-30-2002, 01:00 AM

Since WE aren't jumping on the post-"Drumline"-movie band wagon (I'm sure next year there will be HUGE turnouts at recruitment camps)....I think all the GC-ers that were involved/are involved in HS/Collegiate Marching Bands, Colorguards, Drill Teams, Winterguards, etc. should post here and take a little bow.
We all know what it's like to REALLY go through band camp.
We know what it's like to stand around and wait for the football team to lose so we can play the school song and then leave to party.
We know what it's like to march in a dumb parade for some town we've never heard of, but that is "paying alot of money to see you smile so shut up, suck it up, and go spin with pride!"

I'm proud to have spun flag, rifle and sabre for 4 years, and have been able to dance in a WGI - SWO - Percussive Theater unit for 2!
woo hoo!

Kevin · #2 12-30-2002, 01:17 AM

Played drums & percussion in jazz band in HS.. I'm a violin player and we had no orchestra (although I did play fiddle for other school functions like mass, musicals, etc). I even got to march once (we had no marching band).

My girlfriend is a music ed major and has been on the school's drumline for the past two years. So I sort of know what ya'll put up with

Makes me glad I'm a strings player

adduncan · #3 12-30-2002, 01:21 AM

I was in color guard in HS and college....

You forgot about standing in the rain in band camp w/ 6-foot aluminum poles in the air, and an electrical storm approaching.

Lessee...........
Doing a pre-game for the soccer team, where the teams outnumbered the fans. Oh joy.....

Hiking up a 60-degree hill to get to the practice field.

(Segue to college band years)

The old Commonwealth Armory as a practice stadium. Great for use in bad weather but no ladies latrines and rats big enough to look like Cadillacs with feet.

Standing around the exhaust pipe of the ambulance parked by the field. In November, it's the warmest thing around.

(Segue to winter pep band in college)
Just WAITING for the hockey team to score 10 goals so that the band director would have to put his money where his big yap was and buy us all beer. (It happened my junior year at the Beanpot against Harvard--the director never made that promise again.)

Ah, the "good ole days".....

Adrienne

AGDPrincess70 · #4 12-30-2002, 02:15 AM

I played flute in marching band for two years, then went on to be head Drum Major for my junior and senior year. I also played tenor sax in Jazz Ensemble.

To add to your list LuaBlanca, we all know what it's like to get in fights with the cheerleaders.
We all know what it's like to march around in 30 degree weather and sleet wearing no gloves because you can't play otherwise.
We all know what it's like to do 50 pushups for not making your set in time.
We all know what it's like to rehearse for 8 hours and then go to a competition.
We have all heard the "This one time at band camp" jokes.
And we still loved it.

Even though I'm not majoring in music, I've come back to be a marching band instructor for my old high school. It has been without a doubt the most rewarding experience of my life. I didn't march in college so I'm kind of living vicariously through them. And it's amazing knowing that you make a difference in some of those kids' lives. It takes me 20 minutes to leave rehearsals every night because all the kids have to come hug me. That truly means a lot.

texas*princess · #5 12-30-2002, 03:52 AM

In high school, I played flute, guitar, & the violin. I was also in the colorguard my entire high school, and was captain for 2 years.

Our high school band directors were nothing sort of psycho, but that helped us win qualify for state competitions every time they rolled around! I'll never forget our marching practices when there were SWARMS of mosquitos, but we couldn't move because we were at "attention" and would have to run if we did move.. when there was a terrible thunderstorm, but the band practiced on. .. The hours and hours of practice before and after school & best of all the bus trips to football games... those memories were priceless

So it might sound like I was a major band geek, but at my school, it was cool to be in the band

OUlioness01 · #6 12-30-2002, 07:49 AM

i did the color guard for 3 years in high school, and my first year decided to pick up percussion for WGI. It was an experience that definitely affected my life. i mean where else can you toss 6 1/2 foot poles around like they were feathers?

SATX*APhi · #7 12-30-2002, 08:57 AM

I played flute from fourth grade up until my senior year of high school. I was in marching band for all four years of high school. That's a chapter of my life that ended a few years back.

PM_Mama00 · #8 12-30-2002, 11:15 AM

I'm kinda jealous. I played clarinet in 5th and 6th grades, and if our band wasn't so dorky and nerdy, I might've continued on.

33girl · #9 12-30-2002, 11:21 AM

I was in color guard for three years in HS...partly because I played drums and didn't want the PIA of marching w/ one.

japhir · #10 12-30-2002, 12:42 PM

I played percussion during football season (bells for most of the time, but a short stint as a bass drummer and a cymbal player) During the off season, I played Bass Clarinet. Percussion totally rocked except for when we had to run a mile every morning before practice.

Honeykiss1974 · #11 12-30-2002, 12:59 PM

Well, let's see

6th grade: Started playing the sax and kept on for the next 10 years

Junior High: Still paying the sax and picked up the clarinet too. Was on my jr. high's rifle/colorguard.

High School: Still playing the sax and was on my high school's colorguard for all 4 years

College: Played the sax recreationally, but not for my university.

I had so much fun and enfoyed being a "flag girl".

That's what we called them.

AKA2D '91 · #12 12-30-2002, 01:06 PM

At my elem/jr. high school, I was on the pep squad. I have been the Pep Squad sponsor at my job for the last 4.5 years.

RedRoseSAI · #13 12-30-2002, 01:59 PM

My resume...

Played in the band until junior year of HS, when I made drum major (both a blessing and a curse). Our high school band was huge - around 250 by the time I graduated, and now they're around 320, I think. I also played a bit in college (concert band).
For college marching band I was on guard, and also did WGI. I'm now a guard instructor. Out of the three (playing, DM, and guard) guard is by far the most fun (and by FAR the most physically challenging)!

snuggles12 · #14 12-30-2002, 02:53 PM

I was a flag girl for 4 years in high school. When I was in college, the flag girls were known as silkies.

BJ

Quote:

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
Well, let's see

6th grade: Started playing the sax and kept on for the next 10 years

Junior High: Still paying the sax and picked up the clarinet too. Was on my jr. high's rifle/colorguard.

High School: Still playing the sax and was on my high school's colorguard for all 4 years

College: Played the sax recreationally, but not for my university.

I had so much fun and enfoyed being a "flag girl". That's what we called them.

UKDaisy · #15 12-30-2002, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AGDPrincess70

We all know what it's like to do 50 pushups for not making your set in time.
We all know what it's like to rehearse for 8 hours and then go to a competition.
We have all heard the "This one time at band camp" jokes.
And we still loved it.

How true! I remember doing 100 pushups one day b/c one kid could not fall into set.

I've played clarinet from 6th grade to now, I'm a junior in college.