"Every morning we track out to the stadium with all our equipment about eight in the morning no matter if it is 100 degrees or if it's 32 degrees," said Director of Bands for the Petal School District, Mike Garnand.
Garnand says the Petal High School Marching Band practices twice a day.
"We rehearse the show until we can get it as perfected as possible," said Garnand.
According to senior section leader Kimberly Heath, that barely leaves time for other school priorities.
"I have band, and I have to stay up even later to do my homework," said Heath.
"They put in the hours as a professional musician would, they just don't get paid," said Garnand.
"Oh, we get paid. We get paid in the joy of our performance and seeing the audience applaud. There is this feeling that you get after a marching show it's the most inspirational, exhilarating feeling you could imagine," said Heath.
That's the feeling a couple of students remember as the band took home first place in overall categories at the 6A State Marching Band Championships in Clinton last week.
"Whenever we heard Desoto's name called out for second place we knew we had it. Everybody in the band had linked hands, just to connect with each other, because it was such a wonderful experience," said Junior A. K. Hinton.
Garnand says it's fulfilling to watch the students develop in and outside of the band.
"The biggest thing for me is not only training them to be musicians, it's just training them to be responsible for what they have to do," said Garnand.
So, now the Petal High champions march on to support the football team, but they keep in mind you don't become the best by slacking off.
"For us as a marching band, we actually start preparing for what we are going to do for next year. So, we have actually started on that. We don't ever stop. That's how you get good," said Garnand.
Copyright 2012 WDAM. All rights reserved.
