It's polyester....it doesn't breathe.....nobody really looks great in it......it's uncomfortable in places you don't want discomfort.......and yet there is something about it that is exciting. It's the marching band uniform. It seems weird that the same item that causes more students to drop out of band before high school is one of the greatest symbols of pride that our organization can display. Every year, I am amazed at the improvement in performance quality from our first game (always done in t-shirt and jeans) and our second game (always done in full uniform). I think it's the mentality. If we break it down, students wear t-shirts and jeans everyday to school; they wear them on the weekends; it is their "everyday" clothes, therefore, putting one on to perform in gives no added adrenaline rush. We are merely just a group of 54 kids wearing the same shirt. However, the uniform is none of these things. It is not "everyday" and no one gets to wear it but us. There is a certain sense of accomplishment when the uniform is put on, a culmination of hours of practice time, both individually and collectively. I was thrilled by what I saw and heard on Friday night. Was it perfect? Absolutely not! I don't want it to be. We don't want to peak in September. But an improvement? Not even measurable. 

The best part are the smiles, though. Students know when stuff clicks and gels and they knew it Friday night. It's starting to get to where we want it. After the game, the band room turns into it's typical chaos of hanging up uniforms and calling rides. Amidst this chaos, I was talking to an upperclassman about the performance at halftime. "I am so proud of OUR band", is what they said. Let me reiterate, they said "OUR band", not "THE band". I could not have said it better or more concise. We are proud of OUR band because when we take pride in OUR band, we take pride in each other and the work and sacrifices that we collectively make for the good of the whole. When it comes down to it, we work for each other and for the greater good, not for individuals. After all, nobody really wants to see a solo marching show, or even a duet marching show. Marching band allows no one to sit the bench, no waterboys, no team managers. We are all starters and play a vital role in achievement. I, too, am proud of OUR band and the work we do, performances we create, and smiles we affect. It only gets better from here.