Marching On

By Kaleo Li

Instead of liquefying that lean muscle into fat in front of the television this summer, joining the marching band may be a more constructive-- and even healthier-- alternative.

Summer is "parade season" for the marching band, when they participate in various city parades and functions. The preparation for the performances, however, requires dedication and discipline.

"We spend three hours every morning Monday through Friday," says senior Brent Hyer. 'We start out with marching practice and work on marching technique."

After the outside practices, the marching band will then go into the school building to work on their music. Following that, a mini-parade might take place in preparation for the parades that they will be marching in.

"In the late summer, we go to band camp, where we do at least 10 hours of marching and three hours of music every day," says senior Mic Lopp.

In fact, marching band is so physically demanding that, along with Fine Arts credit, it counts for an elective credit for physical education.

"It improves stamina," says junior Shad Loveland.

Of course, hard work comes with its own reward. The marching band of Timpanogos High took State in their division. Participating in marching band also teaches lessons such as team work and the importance of diligence. Participating in the marching band may even provide a positive spin on resumes and applications, as it shows employers the amount of dedication and work ethic they have.

"I like how marching band unifies us. If one person's out of place, then the whole band is out of place. It causes us to work hard together," says Mic.

"After all the hard work and the competitions are over, it's totally worth it," says Brent, "Marching band is the best experience of my high school life."