by Jessica Brown
It is pretty obvious when it’s football season here at Wagner -- anyone can clearly see the numerous posters in our hallways cheering for the T-Birds. For the band and color guard, these bright spots signal that it’s time to prepare for the Friday night games to come.
But a much more predictable signal that school and competition season has begun is the long, long line of bright red bottles.
“That’s one of the first things they tell you to get, when you join band – your water jug,” senior color guard member Lilian Rodriguez said. “We have a break, and it’s ‘Everyone go get water.’”
The red water bottles are a sight to see. Every day, amid the rows and rows of band students marching and color guard members practicing, you can see that barrier of red Igloo jugs offering unspoken support.
You don’t have to ask the band members, though, to know that it can get hot, really hot. Just look out your window as you drive by the school any time after 4:30, and you can see countless students outside practicing, dripping with sweat, proving just how dedicated they are to what they do.
“They told me what to expect, but I didn’t expect it to also take up all my time outside of it,” sophomore band member Tia King said.
This is King’s second year in marching band and her fourth year in band during her academic career. “Total in a week, we spend about 3 hours a day, totaling in 12 hours a week,” King said.
Along with the band you can also see the color guard in their workout clothes, twirling flags in endless circles. “We are with the band everyday outside,” sophomore and second-year color guard member Sarena Williams said. “It was harder than I expected it to be.”
But unlike Williams, who says she has had no bad experiences while practicing outside, King has spent rainy afternoons practicing through the damp weather. Luckily, clarinet player King said, she has a smaller instrument. But for those with larger instruments, long practice afternoons can become quite a challenge. .
Wagner’s JROTC members are also hard at work in the Texas heat. “In JROTC they teach you leadership skills, team work, and communication skills,” junior and third-year member Veronica Garcia said.
JROTC has a system when members practice outside, and after 30 minutes of practicing they come inside for a water break. This schedule helps students to cope with the heat as they practice.
So why would anyone, after a long, 8-hour day at school, be willing to go march, twirl and run in the broiling sun day after day?
According to King, second thoughts are common. “I wanted to quit after the first year, but I decided to give it a second chance,” King said.
So did Williams -- this year, she chose to remain in color guard for another year, even though she will have to spend a lot of time outside practicing with the band in the heat.
“It’s about just being with the band and being a part of it,” Williams said.
Tan lines, sunburns, sweaty clothes and water bottles – all the rest of that is just details.