Being in marching band is absolutely a sport. There is nothing else that can be said to convince me otherwise. For those who do not know what a marching band is, its exactly what the name entails, marching while playing music. Unlike the more popular sports, such as basketball, football, soccer, and baseball, the marching band is not considered to be among those activities as a “sport”. Let’s take a look at what an athlete in a basketball team would have to go through during the season. An athlete has to go through conditioning, training, and actual practice. 

During conditioning, athletes go through rigorous exercises to ensure that they are physically and mentally fit to play the game. Conditioning usually takes place before the actual season. Marching band is no different in this case. The high school marching band season typically starts in August, around the same time school starts. However, similar to the football team, the conditioning and practices start long before an instrument is heard on show day. Marching band performers go through a “band camp”. Band camp is typically a two week period where performers meet one another and learn many different aspects of being in a marching band. The performers also learn their show music and will start to learn their drill, or their movements during the show. Band camp will also be used as a time for performers to get into shape as much as possible. Marching band students go through the same basic exercises as any other athlete would. 

Not only do the performers have to carry heavy equipment such as a sousaphone or the tenor drums. They have to carry the heavy equipment while marching in step the whole time. One step out of time and the whole show has the possibility of being ruined. All of this while playing over 7 minutes of continuous music from memory.

Marching band performers like the band and color guard work hard to put on the shows that entertain fans at football games. So the next time you see a marching band performer, give them a pat on the back, but not too hard, their backs may hurt from carrying all of the school spirit.