From my P.O.V: Marching Band in Indiana
The family behind the field show
On the first day of school, my literature teacher asked us to anonymously write the thing about ourselves we are most proud of, and put it on the wall. One little pink Post-It hanging on the corner of the whiteboard read: “band geek.”
When people ask me why I am in band, I never know what to say. No one understands why we spend over 14 hours a week working on the same eight minutes of music. I usually smile and shake my head, as I can’t even begin to explain it.
The reality is, all the tough days and all the times we are pushed to our limits and forced past them are what make the work worth all of the literal blood, sweat and tears.
On the outside, we look like one huge clique of band nerds. On the inside, it isn’t any different, and the best part is, none of us care. I have met some of my best friends in marching band. They are some of the greatest people I’ve ever met and will ever meet.
It was not until we all went to dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe in Indiana that I realized just how much they all mean to me.
Music started blaring and band kids started getting up and dancing with the waiter. The band directors and parent volunteers all went up too. By the end of the night, we had an entire restaurant full of people dancing and singing to Taylor Swift.
After placing 19th on a national level in semifinals in Indianapolis, nobody on the field could be happier.
This was my first year as a student leader, and I still remember meeting the freshmen who joined in May, when they had never touched a flag, or marched at all. From day one to the final show, watching their nervous smiles in the Homestead gym and their huge smiles on the jumbotron at Lucas Oil Stadium in front of a screaming audience, was the most rewarding thing I have ever experienced.
Walking into Lucas Oil, I was so nervous and scared of being consumed by the huge stadium. Blinking hard to adjust to the bright stadium lights, I looked up at the silent room, at the big awaiting crowd. I said good luck to the people who lift me in the show one final time, and after one more deep breath, the announcer started.
Your “show face” is the expression you are supposed to have when you perform, and this year it was smiling. I did not even have to think about it because I already had the biggest smile on my face while doing what I love with the people I love, in this huge stadium at this insane event I’d only ever seen pictures of.
Eight minutes later, the very last note of the show sounded. The applause started and slowly everyone in the stands stood up to give us a standing ovation. The second we could move, I rushed to the closest person and hugged them, tears streaming down both our faces.
Walking off the field, knowing we would never perform that show ever again, or perform with that group of people, we all put down our equipment and ran to hug and congratulate each other in one big group.
When I think back to why I do color guard, I realize it is because of the tough times we all go through together, because they make the end so much more worth it. Marching band is my second family and my home. In the end, you get out what you put in. And when you are with this group of 203 other kids all working for the same thing, all the rough days do not matter.
It is easy to get lost and forget what we are working towards, when school starts and you are practicing over 14 hours a week. But in the end, the feeling after that last show motivates me to keep going.
Looking back at high school in ten years, I won’t remember that one test I failed, the nice boy from the library or the time I messed up in a French presentation, but I’ll always remember band. I’ll remember the long hours, hard work, our shows and all the people I shared these experiences with.
People will continue to ask why I am in band, and I’ll keep smiling and shaking my head, knowing they’ll never have any idea. The family I have found in the Homestead marching band is what inspires me each day, on and off the field.
Two hundred and four people, six and a half months, over 300 hours of practice, only eight minutes to impress and zero regrets.
Ronald Bell • Nov 25, 2015 at 5:52 pm
This is the reason that I spent 22 years of my professional career as the Assistant Executive Director at ISSMA. This girl fully understands why we do what we do. Thank you for understanding the benefits of a extra special musical experience!
Grandma Rose • Dec 2, 2015 at 6:18 pm
Dear Lindsay,
My computer is finally working again. I would like to respond to your eloquent essay.
It brought back memories of my marching band experiences in a small midwestern town in the 1950’s. I studied flute and piccolo. Our director incorporated life long values as part of the training and –like you– life long friendships were formed.We practiced year around. Each year we competed in the state marching band competition. We were apprehensive– competing against large school city bands. However, we did come in first place a number of times. And–yes–it was worth all the “blood,sweat and tears!”
Lindsay, my eyes filled with tears again and again as I read your essay. Thank you for sharing it. I am bursting with pride. And–please thank your gifted band director. He must be extraordinarily special.
I dearly love you–
Grandma Rose
Melissa Smith • Nov 25, 2015 at 7:17 am
From Homestead HS in Indiana to Homestead HS in California, the band geeks are all the same. As a band parent, I have been overwhelmingly impressed with the calibre of the students from EVERY band that pour their hears and souls into their performance. Our band has a phrase, “There is no finish line….” and in the world of band kids, the lessons learned, the friendships formed from a season of hard work, long, long days and innumerable “resets”, last a wonderful lifetime of memories! Thanks, Lindsay, for capturing it all so well! HOMESTEAD, HOMESTEAD, HOMESTEAD!!!!!
BILL MILLER (PAPA) • Nov 24, 2015 at 9:35 am
Half way through reading I forgot that my Granddaughter had written this. It was beautiful and sincere. I played in the band myself in highschool (played football also) and marched at half time and in parades etc. Some of my best memories come from those experiences. Thank you for that Lindsay.
Patricia Gibson • Nov 24, 2015 at 5:58 am
Thank you for this! It’s a walk down memory lane … this is exactly the experience I remember from my marching band days more than 20 years ago. I’m so happy to hear that young musicians and artists are still having these thrilling experiences.
And I echo the words of other commenters: My best friends from marching band are still friends today, over long distances and time apart, we still carry with us common experiences and emotions that we will never forget, and bonds that will never break! Good for you for realizing already that this is something to cherish.
Best of luck in whatever the future brings for you!
John Burn • Nov 23, 2015 at 11:36 pm
Great Story Lindsay!
Richard Karkosky • Nov 23, 2015 at 7:31 pm
Lindsey, what a well written article. I am the mellophone instructor from “the other Homestead” here in Indiana. It was very cool passing your band in the tunnels of Lucas Oil Stadium as we were entering to warm- up and you were exiting after performing. Two bands separated by miles but sharing the Homestead name, and a common goal to achieve our very best. Congratulations for being a band that is willing to give your very best effort in every rehearsal in order to experience the ultimate joy of performing!
Dawn Grabowski • Nov 23, 2015 at 3:36 pm
As a proud band parent of a Penn High School student, this was wonderfully said! But what is even more fantastic is the comraderie and friendships that are made with competing band members! We are proud to be competitors with Homestead! We are like family, they cheer for us and we cheer for them! HOMESTEAD, HOMESTEAD, HOMESTEAD!!!
Laxmi Ramanath • Nov 23, 2015 at 3:23 pm
This is a very wonderful note Lindsay. You have beautifully captured all the feelings in this lovely note. This is Meera Srinivasan’s Mom from color guard and it was wonderful to see all of you come together so beautifully as a team and the caring and the sharing and the bonding all of you have developed over these past 4 months that Meera has been with the band.
May all of these friendships be lifelong ones for you. I think and know that all of you in the band have a bright future having learnt through real experience that hard work, diligence, team work does pay off beautifully and very satisfyingly
Good luck
Laxmi
Cindy Gallo • Nov 23, 2015 at 1:46 pm
Lindsay, magnificent story!! I’m sitting in a cafeteria with teary eyes. You took me back to my own Band experience! I’m still in touch with fellow Band Geeks, 30 years later, yikes! Only fellow band members understand the comittment, exhaustion AND Glory!! Band Geeks Forever!
Joey Rivera • Nov 23, 2015 at 12:05 pm
Totally understand you my self I can call myself a band geek, percussion little HS band in Puerto Rico, Class of 1984 McDonald’s All American selectee and 1979 Panamerican games band and 1984 Olympic band. University of Miami Marching and Concert band Class 1988.