13 December 2012
Dear Editor,

I read online a blog post where the author was trying to prove a point that Marching Band is not a sport by definition. Dictionary.com’s definition of a sport is “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature” . Marching band is a sport because it meets all of the requirements the above definition specifies.

As an alumni of a high school marching band, I would like to point out that it takes multiple skills to be able to put on a marching band show. People need to be able to step in time with the music when there are a ton of other people moving around them, with each person going in a different direction, keep their shoulders towards the audience while their feet are walking in a perpendicular fashion, and focus on moving lips, fingers, feet, and eyes all at the same time. These are all skills needed to put on a marching band show. As for physical prowess, marching band members must be able to hold an instrument, sometimes weighing up to 50 lbs, up while trying to do everything mentioned above. As for the requirement of competitiveness, marching band shows are held throughout the world, whether they are held weekly or yearly. Each marching band is ranked based on skill level, and receive trophies if they make it into the top 3 bands. As a result, marching bands are highly competitive during these competitions.

Some might still oppose marching band being a sport because it doesn’t have a ball. There are objects in marching band that function just as a ball does. The color guard throw their flags around to each other, percussion and drumline sometimes toss their sticks and mallets to other musicians that are 15 yards away. This is all for effect. Participating in marching band is a lot harder than it seems, and based on the definition from Dictionary.com, marching band is definitely considered a sport.

A Marching Band Alumni