By Melody Cen
Staff Writer
Marching band is a performing arts group that trains 15 hours a week while holding sizable instruments! However, band does not qualify as a sport.
According to the Britannica Dictionary, a sport is “a contest or game with opposition in which people do certain physical activities according to specific rules and compete against each other.” Marching band contains high levels of physical activity, however, that is not the sole criteria of a sport.
Despite qualifying for PE credit, marching band does not require the same amount of physical exertion as many sports provide. Following cross country practice, my heart rate averages 172 BPM.
Marching band does not bring your heart rate up as much as other aerobic sports do. Marching band’s priority is music, placing less emphasis on physical fitness.
In competitions, a band’s performance cannot directly affect its competitors. This distinction is important because a sports team consists of athletes who directly affect their opponents, while a marching band consists of musicians and performers who do not come in direct contact with opponents.
Sports and band have distinct cultures and bonding experiences that differentiate the activities. Although both form close bonds among students, band has a culture based more on performance comradery.
As an athlete who runs for the cross country team, I fell in love with my sport and realized that band makes its members feel a similar way.
This passion for competing in what you love does not define something as a sport, nor is it exclusive to sports. There are other extracurriculars that spark joy and require physical exertion that aren’t a sport such as woodworking, Brighterside, the arm wrestling club and hiking.
Marching band cannot be classified as a sport because of differences in definition, foundation and culture. Band’s foundation is music and performance-focused with no direct opposition and helps to train different skills. Sports are more physically strenuous and marching band is more musically inclined, making it an overgeneralization to call band a sport.
By Bruce Piekarsa
Staff Writer
A sport is an activity that requires physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against others. Upon hearing that explanation, any typical person would think of basketball, baseball, soccer or football–and I don’t blame them! However, marching band is also a sport.
Since marching band is a performing art, many believe that this prevents it from being a sport. Being in one category doesn’t stop the activity from being a part of another. Marching band meets the criteria of what constitutes both a sport and performing art because it’s physical and competitive yet artistic.
Drum Corps International is an organization that hosts a world championship for marching band members. Corps hold 12-hour rehearsals from late May until August, while performing for audiences across the country.
Eventually, all corps compete for the title of the world championship. For all that time and dedication, what’s preventing marching band from being classified as a sport? Athletes don’t realize how much they have in common with band members, because they’re unaware of the physical demand and competitive nature required to compete.
An incredible amount of movement, coordination and mental awareness is necessary for a field show to function. Plus, marching band competes with schools just as other sports do.
It is argued that for an activity to be a sport, there must be two opposing sides. But by that definition, figure skating, gymnastics, golf, diving and others aren’t sports.
These are all deemed to be sports by the International Olympic Committee, yet, they have similar competition formats to marching band.
Taking everything into account, marching band is more than just a performing art because of its physical demand, competitive nature and ability to entertain a crowd.
No matter how absurd it may sound, marching band is undoubtedly a sport.