In a 300-word story series, juniors and seniors express how they have changed from the time they started band and color guard.
By Kennedi Wilson
Blocking up, getting ready to go out on the field, saying “evens … odds… evens … odds” over and over until you get to the right spot, marching to the start of the show. All of a sudden you’re a senior and it’s your final run, no going back, just you and everyone else having fun doing what you love.
With 21 seniors, the Delta Marching Band and color guard qualified for semi-state for the first time in school history. They started competing four years ago. Before in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘90s they only competed at the Indiana State Fair, never in the division above.
For juniors Trinity Polzin and Phoebe Supan, they still have a year of band left. However, for seniors Brycen McNeil, Elliott Feeney and Zela Tschopp, this was their last year getting to march on the field, spin a flag, or conduct on the podium.
“It’s comical because I think back to where they were in middle school. All of them struggled. There’s no way we would be here if it wasn’t for the first group four years ago,” band director Zach Enos said.
Enos jokingly added: “Some of the seniors in particular, I don’t want them to leave, so I would like them to fail. I would advise them to fail at least one class their senior year, so they have to repeat their year.”
Conducting the Future
From marching on the field to conducting on the podium, Brycen McNeil was the one they focused on the most.
McNeil has been in band since sixth grade. He plays saxophone, but this marching season, he was one of four drum majors. He wasn’t sure about band at first, but seeing his brother in band encouraged him to join.
“I would say just try it,” McNeil said. “You can make a lot of new friends, and it’s a sport that you can stick with through seven years, and then you can even do it throughout more. It’s something you can do throughout your whole lifetime.”
Band hasn’t just taught McNeil leadership but also how to grow with others. When he graduates, he hopes the leadership and relationship the band has now stays for years to come.
Although he doesn’t consider himself one of the better musicians, he still believes he is a good player because he has come a long way from where he started – not being able to make sound to now being one of the best in his section.
“Brycen, he could not make a sound that did not sound like a dying duck on a saxophone,” band director Zach Enos said. “We took his saxophone apart, sent it to a repair shop. Come to find out it was a cheap Chinese off brand reed.”
Not only has band changed McNeil’s mindset but it has also helped him grow. He feels as if band has become his personality and said he has found playing an instrument is a good way to show your emotions.
“The better musicians are the ones who practice for 30 minutes or so a day, and so that’s kind of just homework, and it’s also a class, so you can improve so much within 40 minutes,” McNeil said.
All Because of Mom
“I’m signing you up for band.” Some kid’s worst nightmare to hear from a parent, but for Elliott Feeney that’s exactly what he needed to jump start his band career.
“Elliott might tell you something like he is not a great player, which frustrated both directors,” band director Zach Enos said. “I thought I was going to have to cut him from marching, but in eighth grade something changed because he became the best in his section.”
Feeney joined band in sixth grade, per his mom’s request. He didn’t know if it was for him but has since fallen in love with band.
He went from not trying in sixth grade to becoming top of his section. He makes it a priority to practice throughout the week and go to lessons to get better. He puts band above everything else he does.
He was one of the four drum majors this season, but instead of conducting, he played the saxophone.
Feeney feels he has been given many opportunities from Enos that he wouldn’t have had if it wasn’t for band.
“I’ve already been accepted [to Ball State University], and have my entire future planned out around band,” said Feeney, who plans to major in music performance.
To Feeney, Enos is “one of the most influential people” he has. He wouldn’t be where he is now without the band directors; Cameron Kavanaugh and Enos have helped him grow as a person and musician.
Feeney has gotten out of his comfort zone by talking to more people and gaining many friends from band. He looks forward to each practice and game or competition.
“If you’re gonna join band it’s definitely a commitment, but it’s also something that can be serious sometimes,” Feeney said. “It’s a lot of fun. I don’t make it more than it is.”
Spinning Toward Success
Showing up to practice with a friend, enjoying it from the start, and becoming a big part of her life.
For Zela Tschopp, color guard is her passion. Ever since she started she has been infatuated with the sport. Her coach, color guard director Dottie Schuler, has been her biggest motivation to keep going and has taught Tschopp much of what she knows.
“She actually went out of her way to take dance classes, too, so she didn’t just grow here,” Schuler said. “She grows outside of school as well.”
Tschopp has been in color guard since her freshman year after hearing about it from a friend. She has become a team member, a compassionate person, and a leader.
Tschopp puts a lot of time and effort into color guard. She said it has brought her so many friends that she wouldn’t have without it. After the first practice she went to, she knew color guard was for her.
“It’s changed me as a person, and we have some issues and stuff, but how we’ve become a family and how we spend so much time together,” Tschopp said.
She puts guard above everything else. She makes sure to go to each practice even if she has a dance lesson in the middle of it.
There have been times where Tschopp has been stressed with it but she kept pushing through. Guard has taught her determination. She focuses on the positive before thinking about what could happen.
“It’s definitely a lot of time and energy and if you join it and you find out that it’s right for you, it’s gonna be something that’s a gigantic part of your life,” Tschopp said. “It’s gonna mean everything to you.”
Instrument to Instrument: Finding the Right Fit
Forced to choose between choir and band, one didn’t seem appealing, but the other didn’t seem like something Trinity Polzin wanted to do. But after a year, band turned out to be something she wanted to do. In fact, five years later, she is still enamored with band.
She has been in band since sixth grade and has a year left. Polzin plays the bari saxophone. However, bari sax isn’t the only instrument Polzin can play; she started as a flute, went to saxophone, and has recently picked up the bari sax.
“Trinity has been quietly just working,” band director Zach Enos said. “I think she’s on her third instrument and wherever I need help, I can put her and she gets it done.”
She finds that switching from the highest sounding instrument (flute) to the lowest one (barisaxophone) is something you wouldn’t think of.
Polzin puts band above everything else. She will set aside a day to practice and make sure she doesn’t have to work so that she can play.
She has gained friends throughout her time in band. Being nice to everyone is a big part of making new friends in band. For Polzin, sticking with band has helped her grow closer to those she cares about.
“Just do it,” Polzin said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s only just a little bit of work at a time. It adds up and it’s actually really fun. It’s really worth it.”
Marching to the Beat of the Drum
For Phoebe Supan, seeing her brother play the drums wasn’t interesting at first. However, after joining band, playing the drums, and skipping school, she wasn’t sure marching band was going to work out.
Supan started band when she was in sixth grade and still has a year left. She wanted to play the drums like her brother. Even though her brother was in band she still struggled throughout middle school.
She was always missing school throughout sixth and seventh grade. The directors thought they were going to have to cut her from marching, but in eighth grade something changed. She was consistently going to school, focusing on getting better at her instrument.
Sticking with band isn’t something Supan thought she would do, but with the environment and people around she decided to give it a shot. She believes that even if you have no prior experience with music, there are people around to help with that.
Supan looked up to former band director Jonie Crawford for assistance throughout sixth to tenth grade. This year, however, Supan looks up to co-band directors Cameron Kavanaugh and Zach Enos. All of the band directors have been big role models in her life.
Even though band can be stressful for Supan, she perseveres through it. She became not only a better player but also a “stronger, better person.” She puts band above her school work and job so she struggles to keep up with everything.
Supan wasn’t the best at the drums but through lots of practice she has become the one her section looks up to.
“Phoebe has been the leader we need in the drumline,” Enos said.
Band has taught Supan how to be herself, accept who she is, and grow as a person. She enjoys seeing how band brings everyone together as a family.
“Be confident in what you’re playing, and even if you’re wrong, it’s better to play confidently instead of playing it right,” Supan said.
