The Wgi Patch

Riley Brown

Mrs. Fraser

Creative Writing

27 August 2015

The WGI Patch

                The whole season has lead up to this moment.  Some of the members are getting anxious, some are getting excited for world championships.  As we all walk to down the tunnel into the University of Dayton arena we are in quite anticipation of what is going to happen when we step out on that floor.  As we get to the bottom of the steep tunnel the drumline all gathers into one big circle.  We pray for a good performance, and no matter what the score is, we pray we have fun.  After the prayer everyone is exchanging hugs with each other, congratulating them on the season.  As the seniors and the parents get emotional so does the rest of the line because we know that this is the last time that this specific line will march together.  We hear the sounds of the group preceding ours drums cease, and the cheers that follow.  We start to push the equipment on to the floor, and see the arena from the floor.  The arena is bright and the stands are packed, and the nervous excitement sets in even more.  Performing the show for that big of an audience is such a rush it is hard to remember some of the details, but the drumline did well and had fun, and that’s all that matters.

                After getting all the equipment out of the arena and back to our bus the members ecstatic.  Performing for a crowd that loves drums and cheers for everything they do, was one of the best experiences of our lives, and even though we still have to go through the hassle of trying to pack every marimba, vibraphone, and xylophone on to one bus we all know that these moments are special, and will not be forgotten. 

                The fun is not over though, after packing everything up we go back for the finals retreat, which is where every drumline that participated gets together and waits to be called out on to the floor, for the second time, to receive their placement and plaque.  As we stand in a line at the beginning of the tunnel we went down not a few hours before the mood is all changed, everyone is excited and happy and ready to get down the tunnel and walk out on the floor again.  As our name is called we all walk down the tunnel together until we get to the same spot where we had our prayer, and continue on to the floor.  The arena is dark now, with two spotlights going around the arena, occasionally shinning on some of us, as we walk to the place where the drumline stands in a single file line with all the other drumlines to receive their placement.  The process of building up every groups score before actually saying it takes a long time, especially with fifteen groups that made it to finals, but once the announcer says ninth place everyone perks up because that’s what we had got the year before.  We get excited now because the announcer has said Kickapoo got eighth in the world. Everyone is happy we at least did better than the last year and our captains go up and receive the award. 

                After we get back we all get finalist patches to put on jackets or whatever we want, and every time I see mine I’m happy I got experience those amazing times.  It was one of the best experiences of my life.