What's up gang? Hope everyone's summer is going smoothly and slowly!
Well, it's an early Tuesday morning, which means?
Yup, another summer update and report on our brave instructor's journey through time and space.
Obviously, he went prepared to practice in even the most adverse conditions, and while we won't quite be battling dinosaurs, he has the right idea! Although I haven't talked to Daniel since the 2nd, as far as I know, all three battery sections have had at least one sectional since school got out, which is a great sign. Hopefully they helped everybody realize the completely different challenge presented by having to play perfectly together with 2-4 other players, and you will start practicing to that level of expectation. As Forrest hinted at last week, a full sectional is certainly in the works, so be on the lookout for an email or phone call from Kimball, Forrest, myself, or your section leader! Pool, anybody?
We are less than a month away from our first step-off of the 2011-2012 marching band season :O While super exciting, this is also a great marker to make sure we've all stepped up our exercise and practicing routines in prep for the coming months. While running and lifting weights everyday probably isn't necessary, you have to understand band camp is extremely physically demanding and HOT. Hydration will be key, and you should get in the habit of drinking multiple bottles of water a day.
Don't kill yourself out there, be careful and enjoy your summer, but please come on the 26th ready to work. Set a goal: run a certain distance, do a certain amount of pushups, plank for a certain amount of time, ect..and shoot to reach it before the season starts!
I can't stress practicing more than Forrest already has, but I do want to touch on it really quickly, because it's too important to ignore. The dangerous thing about long breaks between organized drumline sessions is that you will not feel your hand losing muscle memory, technique, or chops, but it absolutely will happen if your not legitimately practicing daily. Please don't come to camp unprepared for the inevitable hours of reps and exercises. Reasonable endurance, and well as near perfect technique (especially on all of our basic exercises) is expected. I hope I'm not scaring anybody, but it is definitely an experience that is worsened by poor preparation.
On that super positive note, I will talk to you guys (+ girl) lata :D
Be sure to text, email, call, sign, smoke signal, morse code (verb?), or page any questions you have to Daniel, Forrest, Kimball or myself.
Love you all dearly,
Eric
