marching band, is it a sport? Options

[*tweeak*]

do you consider marching band a sport?

[CrazayChristian]

No. it's not a sport. it is physically demanding tho.

it's not a sport becuase there is not a unfied handbook. there aren't requirements that marching bands must have X number of people, have numbers on thier uniforms, and the marching band parking lot (that's where my school's marching band practices) must be made of say concrete and be X long and Y wide.

Actually there are:

Your division is how many people you have, if you lack people then you can't do the show entirely.

#On uniforms, not a requirement

Parking lot, it has to be marked specifically, you can only practice to the UIL limits and regulations.

You can't have certain instruments,

You can't use certain equipment,

You can't be allowed to march on a certain material (certain astroturf/grass)

The UIL has a CRAP LOAD of rules and regulations. Not to mention the schools that are going into BOA (Bands of America) who actually judge you on UNIFORM as well as skill and form. They have like TRIPLE the rules UIL has.




WARNING: THIS IS A LITTLE HARSH FOR ME

LOL



umm..................... NO.


haha... cause it's instrument. You guys don't even run around during marching bands. you guys march. I call it "MUSICIAL BAND" not sport

Well, if you want to talk skill, how about learning an instrument. And being so good at it that your playing near expert music in an act of second nature. Because it makes it hard for you to think about music and march to a spot that is NOT MARKED in a field to ther nearest millimeter and belive me YOU HAVE TO DO BOTH.

After you get second nature down, lets see you be able to feel how big your steps are, walking with your toes up, hurt your shins? TOO BAD, you have to do it. Walk backwards on the front of your foot without making yourself move up and down, hurt your calves? TOO BAD.

Once you can feel your step sizes to the nearest millimeter from where your suppose to be, lets see you do it backwards, sideways, fowards, randomly, quickly. Oh and one more thing IN TIME. Can't hear beats? Run a lap, do pushups, and listen to the music until you have it down.

Aww, didn't practice over the summer? Well, you better suck up your time and practice or it will be hell for you.

I would LOVE to see someone hold a 5-10lb instument for seven minutes striaght and move in a powerwalk only taking short breaths ever 10-20 seconds for 7-10 minutes straight.

Then (if you can handle that) I would like to see you stand in the sun for 4hours without sitting down.

Then (If that hadn't taken you out yet) I would like you to spend 4 hours outside in the sun early in the morning doing sets, jazz running, doing visuals (while holding an instrument) and doing the above from 2



I've seen cross country people who can't handle marching,
I've seen football players who can't handle marching,
I've seen blood,
I've heard death (Just a heart attack in the area),
I've seen bruises,
I've felt the sore sholders,
I've felt the sunburns,
I've felt the sun beat down on me,
I've felt a dry mouth that lasted hours,
I've fallen on weak legs,
and...


I've enjoyed every minute of it...

So, yes I belive it qualifies as a sport.


"WE'LL MARCH IN THE RAIN THE SLEET AND THE SNOW....just not the lightning."


Edit: And if you've been in marching band and think this sounds more intense than it is, then come on over to Texas. We have the best music program in the states, music is nearly more important than football here. And they'll be damned if we don't compete like it ^_^'

Double edit: ANd I don't know what it's like for everyone else, but we DO have to change into athletic cloths.

Triple edit: (Sorry guys I just had to say this)

QUOTE(learninghowtofall @ Mar 29 2005, 6:15 PM)
definitely not a sport. More of a club or activity.
*


Why? Have you ever been in marching band? Have you ever been out practicing at six a.m., gotten half an hour for lunch, then practiced until seven p.m.? Out in the Florida sun all day, with occasional two minute water breaks so that we don't pass out from physical exertion.

We in Texas did a parade in Disney land in Flordia, and holy crap. (I'm not saying it's worse in Flordia, we had a slight disadvantage)
See, we did our warm ups (takes about 20-30min) IN UNIFORM. We literally had thick cotton jackets and pants in the Flordia humidity. BUT, it was much easier to play cuz humidity just rocks for brass playing (Trumpet here)

Joshua[QUOTE]