Personal Narrative: Marching Division

Leaping into our high school marching band’s “rebuilding season” with a dozen other novice classmates, I approached with a hesitant enthusiasm. Though I instantly gained a great passion for marching and competing, my inexperience, when combined with the similar inexperience of my peers, would lead to last place finishes at nearly every tournament. However, the failure of this unit did not cause me to become discouraged or resigned, but rather led me to take ownership for areas I needed to personally correct and improve upon, to recommit and develop diligence for pursuits I truly valued, and to seek to help strengthen and build up every other individual member. Especially for a marching unit, every member counts, and no one may be left behind,
for the group is literally only as strong as the weakest link. This renewed vigor, enthusiasm, and determination positively impacted team unity the following year, especially among new members, as a Bronze Finalist and Most Improved Awards at State Championships the ensuing season stood as a testament to our perseverance.