Broken Backs and Apple Trophies
Facing adversity, the Eagle Regiment takes home two awards from their first competition
September 23, 2019
Sleepless mornings, counting while playing, perfect posture, marching in time, remembering notes and dynamics, watching the drum major (the conductor), and moving in a heavy uniform, are all mixed thoughts in a marching band member’s head. The amount of work that goes into this hybrid of sport and performance, is inconceivable.
On Saturday, Sept. 14, the band got to school at 8:3o a.m. to practice. They left for the Murphysboro (Ill.) Drums at Appletime Competition at 1 p.m. and got back to school 11 hours later.
The Eagle Regiment received awards for the Top Auxillary in the AAA division and third overall in the same division. The Auxillary (color guard) went home with the highest score of any group in all classes.
“It felt amazing to win,” senior drum major Elaine Amery said. She stands center podium during the show, conducting the band. “It’s not always about getting hardware but winning does feel good. We’re a growing band, so to go to this competition and being a (placing) band makes me proud of everyone.”
When the band went on to the field, the tension was high. But that satisfaction of a near-perfect run, is unbeatable.
“My favorite part was the anxiety right before walking on the field,” senior Anakin McCormick said. “Everybody is super nervous and it’s really exciting to find out how we will do in the heat if it all.” This year, he is the section leader of the trumpets in the Eagle Regiment.
Sydnie Shultis, a new student this year, was feeling the pressure before performing.
Lexi Graham and Katie practice with the rest of the battery before going onto the field.
“The ‘airgrams’ (messages announced before a performance as the band sets up) calmed my adrenaline and made me more just excited to perform. It definitely calmed my ‘pre-show’ jitters. (My friend) was so nervous, her smile was twitching,” she said. Both, as a part of the color guard, have to wear constant smiles on their faces while performing.
But this season hasn’t been that smooth sailing for many. Countless injuries have occurred, most not even being marching band related.
Kat Gniatkowski broke her back and wrist from falling off of a zipline. Kara Lemke flipped off of her bike and got a concussion. Ethan Weiler, a football player, broke his leg during a game. Kaylee Williams tore the thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone to her toes. Many many more injuries have occurred, from sprained ankles to hurt knees.
Lexi Graham, a freshman in percussion, has finally found her place among all of the beautiful chaos of marching band.
“We’ve spent a lot of time working on the show and it’s starting to pay off. I didn’t like band at first because I didn’t really associate with people and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for the commitment; but now I’m glad I did it,” Graham said.
The band warms up with audience favorite, “Hey Baby.”
The Fanfare Of Hard Work
An insight on the everyday life of marching band
Teamwork, faith, trust in yourself and your bandmates are all important elements in making marching band a success. Everyone has to memorize their own drill and not one of the members has the same drill as another . They learn that everything ties into one another, and if even one tiny thing is off, perfection is no more.
“It all comes down to believing and trusting every last one of the band members- believing that they will be right and that you will be right too,” freshman Jennifer Knapp said, who plays the mellophone.
If there was one word to describe the band, what would it be? Some say “family” and others say “discipline.”
Band director Ms. Magno says, “It’s the fact that this marching band loves to be an absolute unit, that is what makes them so good.”
Student and staff start working on the show as early as July (in the summer) to learn the music and the drill (the formations on the football field). After that, band camp happens. Two weeks of excruciating conditioning and rigorous learning, all while in the sizzling summer sun.
Kaylee Williams leaps during her performance on the field.
During marching season, every single day, band members are at school by 6 a.m. and are marching down to the field at 6:30 giving them a short window between that time to get their instruments and get ready for the day ahead of them.
After they march down to the football field trudging along trying to dismiss the obvious fact that they are still half-awake, they warm up with some cardiovascular activities, stretching and running fundamentals until 7 which is when the true marching comes along.
The show theme this year, is “A Letter to Mom.” At first, many were not excited about the theme.
“To be honest, I didn’t really love the show when I first heard about it, but having the music and drill come together with guard work then uniforms, I really like the show,” said Drum Major Elaine Amery.
But some seemed to really connect with it. Some seniors this year recorded “Letters” to their moms, and those recordings are played as a part of the show.
Junior Kaylee Williams felt very differently than most did when the show was announced. “I was in love with this year’s show theme; coming from a single mother I feel really connected it.”
Marching band isn’t just about playing music, it’s the steps they have to take to execute perfection and it is not as easy as the title may suggest. They have to maintain perfect balance and posture when marching and playing instruments. But that’s just the icing on the cake because soon enough it’s not a piece of cake. Without strength and determination, they can’t keep that good posture and balance, and the form would be lost.
Junior Eric Welker gets ready to spin rifle during halftime at a football game.
Color Guard Keeps Their Heads High, But Their Flags Higher
Color Guard begins its season by taking first at competition in Murphysboro, Ill.
Have you ever been so passionate for a sport that you do everything you can to be good at it and help your team succeed? Well, for the Liberty color guard they do a lot of work to look good. They practice all the time to get football game ready and to be competition ready.
The color guard practices everyday in the morning from 6:30 to 8:06 a.m., Mondays from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and lastly Wednesday 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. It takes a lot of practice to be clean and to get people interested in what they are doing.
Junior Eric Welker, who is the guard’s captain, says he believes the group can show improvement.
“I think we don’t work hard enough, we are having trouble staying focused throughout practices, and it’s making us less clean when we know we can do better,” Welker said.
Their first competition with the marching band was Saturday, Sept. 14 at Murphysboro, Illinois. The guard got first place in their division and first place out of everyone who performed.
Although color guard is flags, rifles and sabers, there is a whole different meaning to color guard.
“Color guard means way more than spinning, it’s the feel of it and the people you do it with. It’s taught me how to be more outgoing and comfortable with the people around me,” sophomore Sydnie Shultis said.