The sun has finally set on the 2019 marching season for the Spirit of Madison, and with it, my career with this beloved band. As I survey the sum of my years, I feel it is of the utmost importance that I give non-band individuals a slice of the marching experience.
Do you know what 440 hertz sounds like? Do you know the fear that flashes in the eyes of every clarinet and bass drum when this pitch is hammered out at a tempo of 160 beats per minute? If not, it’s likely haven't spent eight hours on a practice field in ninety degree temperatures.
Perhaps you should count yourself lucky. Perhaps you should be glad that you do not know how many steps are supposed to fit between a five-yard line. Perhaps you should find freedom in the ambiguity of the home hash and college hash, or a Dinkle and a Drill Master. But personally, I consider this knowledge a privilege. It’s an honor to have seen the rainbow of facial expressions, ranging from undying optimism to existential horror reading across the faces of 70 classmates. Speaking of rainbows, the less said about the sunburns; the better. Trust me.
Sure, many of us may not know the life-long application of the ictus or the roll-step, but such technicalities are not the only things that come with four years in marching band. We have had life-long mentors and friends. We have completely unique team-building experiences. But more than anything, we have spirit.
So - thank you. Thank you Mrs. Decker, our director, and thank you to all of those who involve themselves in band. And thank you to the community - in hertz your cheers and claps may register at only half of that of the standard metronome, but they are ultimately what has kept the Spirit in step for years past, and for generations to come.
Picture Credits http://www.dailyleaderextra.com