Well we have reached what feels like a halfway point since school got out until we start marching band camp. I am always amazed, year after year in my 20+ years of marching band camps: so many kids are so excited to start. Last year I felt like we had sort of cooked the books in favor of us. We cancelled marching band in 2020 due to the pandemic, we were starting a new school, who DIDN'T want to get out of the house and come see what Ridgeline HS was all about.

We were the first organized activity in the building, new instruments, familiar faces, adventure, excitement - then we realized just how hard starting over was going to be. But our students persevered, they worked really hard on a team project that was really demanding. They grew tired and frustrated over time, the purpose for a while seemed, "am I in marching band so I can go to practice marching band?" But then on September 25th, 2021 it all changed. People started to show up to the stadium, the lights went on, students donned the uniform, they went to warm ups, and they came out to the field to an ovation that was different than any other ovation I had not heard the likes of before.

Like when super heros return to the city to save the day; here were these teenagers, a bunch of ragamuffins, trying to start a marching band, trying to remember their music, trying to remember their drill and choreography, but mostly TRYING NOT TO PEE THEIR PANTS! But to us, moms, dads, grandparents, neighbors, former band kids, to us they were here to rescue us from a year of bad news, a year of this "this thing was cancelled," a parade of disappointments. These young members of the Ridgeline Regiment started something special - and ever since that day, so many of our members have been talking about getting back on the field.

August 15th is the day. If your student is a percussionist or colorguard member, they will start at 1pm and go until 9pm on the very first day. That schedule, 1pm - 9pm will continue all camp.

If your student is a leadership team member, they will report for the whole day, 1pm - 9pm and help the staff show the new students, 9th graders and rookie Regiment members how we do some of the most basic elements.

If your student is a brass or woodwind player from last year's Regiment, they will report on the first day at 5pm and be dismissed at 9pm. These particular students will do the same thing on August 16th, but on Wednesday, August 17th they will finally report for their first full day, 1pm - 9pm.

Students Should Attend Every Hour Of Every Day

Yes the days are long, but we have so much to teach them. The music must be learned, and memorized. The dots on the field that organize each page of drill formations will be practiced over and over and over! The choreography for the flags, or the winds and percussion movement needs to be taught. All this can't be taught from scratch, students will spend a significant portion of the day getting a good foundation set through fundamental training; breakouts in to small groups, peer coaching, specialists from universities coming in to help, not to mention our amazing coaching staff. so rule number one, DON'T MISS your opportunity to be part of why we are so great, so prepared, and why we are having so much fun along our journey.

If you do have to miss, please email your coach know (Nate Hunt, percussion - Josh Niles, colorguard and Mr. Parker, winds) 48 hours or sooner. We will cover in the coming weeks the process to efficiently do this. But please note, we don't want students missing for vacations, for dance practice, for a big college football game; we want kids here, invested in their efforts to make themselves and their peers better.

Drink A Lot Of Water

Your greatest ability in any team is your availability. Be your best by drinking a lot of water at rehearsal and continuing to drink a lot of water at home.

"Drink today to hydrate for tomorrow."

Get into the habit of increasing your water (that's WATER) intake now. Your health check every night is when you go to use the bathroom if your urine is clear, you're doing it right. If not, try again tomorrow.

Use Sunscreen And Hats

Your health as a student is paramount to your success and you being able to enjoy the adventure of marching band. Take time to put sunscreen on everyday before you arrive to camp. Use your best judgement if you need to reapply at our dinner break, 5pm - 6pm each day. Some of you might need to while others might not. We trust you, but get a good base of skin protection on everyday afternoon.

Start Making A Plan To Add Activity To Your Day Right Now

You will be putting a lot of hours in, 8 hour days - almost always working out to a sweat. Set up a weekly routine by walking 3 - 4 hours a week to start. Maybe get your section together and start a challenge to get everyone moving 6 hours in 6 days! Make it a date, meet up and walk and talk. Nothing can get you excited like a good walk and talk, it helps your fitness level, it helps your mood and it improves your ability to cope with stressors. Get Up and MOOOOOVE!

We tend to organize our day in to what we call "blocks." And for the most part, we will only rehearse in our sections for most of the camp. Blocks are typically three-hours long, they include a robust water break schedule, sometimes playtime to build team camaraderie, and lots of reps on fundamentals and new skills we need to develop for the show's custom design.

Colorguard

1pm - 2pm, stretch and dynamic warmup

2pm - 3pm, movement fundamentals

3pm - 5pm, flag fundamentals

5pm - 6pm, dinner break (bring your own)

6pm - 7pm, dynamic warm up

7pm - 9pm, choreography

Brass/Woodwinds

1pm - 2pm, breathing gym and musical fundamentals

2pm - 3pm, music rehearsal

3pm - 4pm, sectional breakouts with specialists

4pm - 5pm, movement fundamentals

5pm - 6pm, dinner break (bring your own)

6pm - 7pm, movement fundamentals

7pm - 9pm, learning drill

Percussion

1pm - 3pm, pit and battery sectionals

3pm - 4pm, small group breakouts with specialists

4pm - 5pm, pit and battery sectionals

5pm - 6pm, dinner

6pm - 7pm, pit moves to field while battery does movement fundamentals

7pm - 9pm, putting music to drill

These are just EXAMPLES of how many things we cover. We share the day's unique schedule every morning. Students can arrive to school with a pretty good idea of how much music vs. how much movement training will be on that given day. Some days feel more music-centric, while other days will get very movement focused. It all flows with what our growing needs are as a team. No single day will be the same, but no single day will be WAY DIFFERENT than the previous day.

1 - insulated water jug (1 gallon recommended, fewer stops at crowded refill stations)

1 - 1" or 1 1/2" white three-ringed binder with 10 - 12 plastic sheet holders

1 - set of printed show music, available soon

1 - black towel (hand towel size, appox.16" x 28")

1 - tuning app on your cell phone (recommended, Tonal Energy - worth the small fee)

sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and great tennis shoes

1 - insulated water jug (1 gallon recommended, fewer stops at crowded refill stations)

1 - 1" or 1 1/2" white three-ring binder with 10 - 12 plastic sheet holders

5 - reeds of your choice in strength (mark your reeds; M, T, W, TH, F - they will last forever if rotated)

1 - tuning app on your cell phone (recommended, Tonal Energy - worth the small fee)

sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and great tennis shoes

1 - insulated water jug (1 gallon recommended, fewer stops at crowded refill stations)

2 - rolls of electrical tape for flag taping throughout the year (check with coaches for colors)

1 - playlist on your cell phone of each movement of the show music in mp3 form (coming soon)

sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and great tennis shoes

1 - insulated water jug (1 gallon recommended, fewer stops at crowded refill stations)

1 or 2 - rolls of white electrical tape for mallet/stick taping throughout the year

1 - metronome app on your cell phone (recommended, Tonal Energy - worth the small fee)

1 - pair of hearing protection, EVERYDAY

sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and great tennis shoes