What is the Superior Sound Marching Band? From the outside looking in the band looks like an organization that may practice a few days out of the week and perform at the games just to entertain the crowd, but is that really the case? The life of a band member is a lot more stressful than what others make it out to be. Just like with any other sport we put blood sweat and tears into this organization.
The band has to be one of the hardest working organizations in the school. We band members are some of the first people to arrive on campus and among the last to leave. We start practice and work out conditioning at 6 a.m. and end at 10 or 11 that night—more than most athletic teams on Saint Augustine’s campus. The band works just as hard as any other organization but gets little to no recognition in comparison to them. So why is that? Are we looked upon as a non-important organization or are people just unfamiliar with the work we put in? I personally like to believe that people are just unaware.
To be great an organization doesn’t need recognition. Instead what the band is all about is building a stronger foundation for others who will come after us. And it’s not all about what we do on campus. We support the community when we go to recreation centers and perform for children who have never been exposed to a real college band. We’ve marched to the polls twice to encourage our fellow peers to follow us. This year we got the opportunity to perform for former president Bill Clinton in a rally before the presidential election And that’s only the beginning.
The band encourages success beyond its playing. As a whole we strive to maintain a certain GPA and set aside time to exercise as a unit, whether it be with Zumba or group workouts outdoors.
Not only does the band work hard during football season but all year round. We have marching band during the fall semester where the dancers and the flags are added to the shows. In basketball season we have jazz band for concerts and pep band for the games. We have competitions throughout the spring semester including open houses, recruitment fairs, battle of the bands and etc.
Giving your all without major recognition is one of the hardest things to do, but we do it every day. Supporting other organizations makes us stronger. Does this change the views of the band? Well it should. Don’t get me wrong; there are students who notice and are witnesses to the hard work, but there are also those who have no idea. The band is growing and is a force to be reckoned with. It’s time we open our eyes and experience the Superior Sound evolution.
— By Zenia Wilson
