Is band a sport?

[Kazoo2005]

I have been told many times by band geeks that they feel that band is a sport and well I am going to open this topic so we can actually see how the rest of you feel because personally I wouldnt consider band a sport at all. How do the rest of you feel though?

[Sex Goddess]

Criss, wherever you are, your topic is open. ^^

BAND IS A SPORT. It's not just walking around and playing an instrument, just like soccer isn't just running around and kicking a ball. There's a lot more to marching band than you think. Along with marching in time and on the right foot at all times, one has to be conscious of the notes that need to be played, as well as the drum major. And marching isn't all just follow-the-leader, where you can pretend to be aware of where you're going while looking up at the drum major and playing your music. It's possible that in 32 counts, you've got to march almost the entire length of the football field with your torso facing the drum major while you play those 32 counts of music. And imagine practicing that set, over and over again. You'd run that football field 10 or more times in a row.

If one of us is sick or injured, there are no substitutes. If someone gets hurt during a performance, no one calls time out; the show goes on. In these ways, it is tougher than a sport, because if someone knocks you over while playing soccer and you get severely injured, the coach will call a time out, you'll be pulled out of the game, and someone else will go do your job for you.

Practices are intense for us. We practice rain or shine, from the week before school starts until Thanksgiving. We practice in nearly 100 degree weather, and we practice in 40 degree weather. Games, competitions, etc. don't get rained out, like football games do. We march anyway.

And as for the colorguard, we are more intense, if not as intense as the actual band. Carrying 6 foot flags in the wind and rain and having to spin them without rolling them up or doing it wrong is not easy. Doing it while moving is even tougher. The band members can decide not to play a certain measure if they can't do it, but the colorguard sure can't decide not to spin if they can't do it. While the band has some of their practices inside to work on music, we don't. We're outside all the time, doing physical stuff.

Some people use the arguement that there is no professional marching band, so it isn't a sport.

http://www.dci.org

For all these reasons and more, I believe that marching band is a sport. w00t.

[Kazoo2005]

Danceline, cheerleading, drill team, baton twirling and marching band are normally considered to be extracurricular activity programs that are conducted in conjunction with sports contests and involve elements of physical activity. They usually exist to entertain or educate a spectating audience, or, in the case of cheerleading, to coerce audience enthusiasm and participation for an athletic team that is engaged in competition. Even bona fide sport teams may participate in exhibitions and demonstrations (such as a halftime volleyball demonstration) but these activities or performances are neither athletic contests nor practices. These exhibition activities are secondary and indeed unnecessary to the existence of an athletic team or the purpose of an athletic activity.


Similarly, danceline, cheerleading, drill team, baton twirling and marching band (and in some states even debate and typing) may periodically act like sports teams when they engage in state or regional championship competitions conducted under the jurisdiction of high school federations. The existence of a competitive opportunity does not qualify the extracurricular activity as an athletic team or sport.


You are considered and extra curricular activity that just does demonstrations for us real athletes involved in actual sports!

[krispykreme542]

ok, first off, i march a bach stratovarius bass trombone with a f and d valve. to most of you, this probably means nothing. but, size wise, its one of the largest instruments on the field. it weighs more than one of my schools marching tubas.

second off, you def. break a sweat while marching. band camp is one of the toughest weeks of your life, but what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger. at my school, we're not allowed to have band camp on the field. we practice on a black parking lot. not to mention its on a hill...

and not to raz on the flags, but the ones at my school suck, and only make the band look worse. i'm sure that you guys work just as hard, if not harder than the rest of the band. and alot of people come out just to see the band. not sure if its because our football team sucks, or what...

and music memorization...in how many sports do you have to remember 50+ pages of "plays". this includes drill (placement on the field) and music. this past year our band played bohemian rhapsody (2 pgs.), no leaf clover (1 pg.) and cup of life (2 pgs.).

at my school, after 4 yrs. of music, you recieve a varsity letter. thats right, a varsity letter, to go on your varsity jacket...

if they consider rifle or golf a sport, then band is most def. a sport...

[Sex Goddess]

Originally posted by krispykreme542@Mar 3, 05:10 PM
and not to raz on the flags, but the ones at my school suck, and only make the band look worse. i'm sure that you guys work just as hard, if not harder than the rest of the band. and alot of people come out just to see the band. not sure if its because our football team sucks, or what...

Lol, that's okay. The colorguard at my college really sucks, and they make the whole band look not good. But my h.s. colorguard was good.

You played Bohemian Rhapsody and Cup Of Life? That's cool! ^_^ Last year we did...wow , I can't remmeber the first song's name. The second one was "One More Time, Chuck Corea".

Ah, yes, drill sheets, forgot about that. It's like a football play, except with 20 times the amount of people and a time limit.

[krispykreme542]

Originally posted by Lumpy ^^@Mar 3, 03:56 PM
Ah, yes, drill sheets, forgot about that. It's like a football play, except with 20 times the amount of people and a time limit.

yea, except we can remember them...

[hawkfolyfe]

aghhh, not trying to be mean but no its not a sport

[Kazoo2005]

okay so this isnt a lets discuss the nature of being a band geek it was explain how band is a sport. While you talk about your lovely "Extra Curricular Activity" you still dont show how it is a sport!

second off, you def. break a sweat while marching. band camp is one of the toughest weeks of your life, but what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger. at my school, we're not allowed to have band camp on the field. we practice on a black parking lot. not to mention its on a hill

Okay... you break a sweat working out so should that be considered a sport?!?

at my school, after 4 yrs. of music, you recieve a varsity letter. thats right, a varsity letter, to go on your varsity jacket...

You can get a varsity letter for being the equipment manager!

[twisted_lil_flute]

To me, since I'm in band, it's a sport.

We have to run forward, backwards and sideways. On our toes. If we mess up, we get punished. We run laps, stretches, sit-ups, push-ups, and we compete like any other sport. Some of it's mentality but most of it's physicality. Go to a marching band practice in the summer.

At Columbine, we spend our entire saturday each week running around, learning things and getting burned up in the sun.

We build up muscles like any other sport. We spend a lot of our time at marching band practices like football and soccer. We do the same things, same stretches, same work out, same laps.

We bust our butts just to show everyone that band is actually worth something.

Ok, my rant is over.

[Cityscape]

Originally posted by Lumpy ^^@Mar 3, 08:21 AM
Criss, wherever you are, your topic is open. ^^

hahaha when i first saw that topic, i immediately thought of that too. i thought of criss. lol

for the record, BAND IS A SPORT. get used to it