08/27/2026
Sometimes they don't get much respect, these marching band kids.
They get ignored or called names. They are misunderstood. They sometimes get passed by for recognition or funding or accolades.
But let me share a little bit of what I've seen.
These kids practice in sweltering heat for hours during the summer with sweat dripping off their faces. They perform in rain and wind and cold. They lug pounds and pounds of instruments (have you ever held a sousaphone or tuba? It's like 20-30 lbs.) and equipment and props from the school to the fields to the bus and back again.
Want to get your 10,000 steps in? They do that in one pareade route or practice or sometimes even routine!
They get to school at 7 a.m. to practice before competitions, and stay until 10 p.m. for football games. They meet during class and practice at home and stay after school and late into the night.
They look out for each other. They offer rides and snacks and support. They make sure the freshmen feel included and the seniors are celebrated because they are all part of one big team. They are part of something greater than they ever could be by themselves.
And the parents? The parents of these marching band kids are hardcore.
They spend their weekends creating elaborate set designs and fitting uniforms and serving meals for 14-hour days. Each weekend I see moms and dads and grandparents and siblings loading U-Haul trucks and handing out waters and cheering in the stands.
A lot of people don't give marching bands the appreciation they deserve. They don't take it seriously. They talk over their performances during halftime or maybe even make fun of some of the members.
But marching band is often a place that welcomes everyone. Where the loneliest kids can find their people, where kids who feel different can feel like they belong, where even if you don't play an instrument, they will find a place for you.
Isn't that what every kid deserves? Isn't that what we should be celebrating?
Truth is, I didn't realize how special it was until I saw it with my own eyes.
Let me tell you something about those kids in marching band....they are performers, they are athletes, they are a team.
They are family.
And we can all learn a little something about how to live life, how to treat each other, how to focus on what's important, from them.
