New study: corps & band => sports injuries

[j.morgus]

Mostly that Jim Rome is a blowhard. I'd have taken it down too.

[Taylor]

Here it is:

It's easier to dismiss something you don't know anything about.

[JOHNNY_A]

This does not suprise me at all. Corps is more intense than most sports.

[CrownLeadSop]

from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/151703.php

Gary Granata, Ph.D., R.D., studied 172 members of the Avon (Ind.) High School marching band, the Grand National Champion at the 2008 Bands of America competition. Through an anonymous questionnaire, band members reported fatigue, muscle soreness, and injuries, commonly associated with competitive sports and athletics.

I marched four years with that program, and three with my drum corps of choice, and I can no longer march. Stress fracture in my first metatarsal, fragmented calcaneus, and arthritis in my fourth and fifth met, all in my right foot, prevent me from enjoying my age-out this summer. For those of you in the position to help, make sure your kids are wearing the right shoes and taking care of themselves.

Edited June 11, 2009 by CrownLeadSop

[Matt_S]

Cool, a fellow Indiana HS marcher! I'm guessing you marched recently, so you marched some pretty cool shows (though I can't say I approve of the town of West Lafayette!)

[PhantomCadet1934]

Here's something interesting... I played football (O-line) my freshman year with Kyle Turley. I quit my sophmore year because I became the Drum Major, he went on to play in the NFL and make the pro bowl. We wound up getting the same injury as adults: ruptured lumbar disks. Gotta love a lifetime of tuba playing vs smashing into 300lbs defenders.

Heh, I have a herniated lumbar disc from marching Bass 5. It's a great injury to get when you're 16.

[TrumpetJ]

And as for adrenaline, I'd personally rather catch a football in front of 100,000 screaming fans at Neyland Stadium than play/conduct/dance in front of 50,000 at a DCI Finals.

Someone has good taste in stadiums. However, there is absolutely NO lack of adrenaline in Neyland Stadium when the T opens. At that moment, I almost feel as if I've caught a touchdown.

[CrownLeadSop]

Cool, a fellow Indiana HS marcher! I'm guessing you marched recently, so you marched some pretty cool shows (though I can't say I approve of the town of West Lafayette!)

Avon High School 2002-2005, soloist in 2005 (Equus ballad solo), and Carolina Crown 2006-2008. Incredible design staffs for both programs, I couldn't have asked for anything more (since you mentioned cool shows).

I really should've been a music major, but I had no support from the parents on that on account that Dad's a corporate exec and mom was a teacher and quit because she hated it after 20+ years (No Child Left Behind). So here I am, at Purdue, doing nothing in particular that I'm too motivated to do, but I'll get by and make it work. I'm hoping to take a consulting gig and work 9 months of the year and to teach during the important three. That would be a sweet gig, I just need to figure out where to teach! Haha.

Where did you march, sir?

[Matt_S]

I'm a Carmel grad, 1997-2000

[Roark1]

Here is my reply to Mr. Rome:

Dear Mr. Rome,

It has come to my attention that you do not consider the marching arts to be a sport. I couldn’t agree more. You will rarely find the type of narcissistic, self centered, me first culture that is exemplified by most athletes in a major college sports program, in the marching arts. Thank you for seeing this so clearly.

While I understand that your worship of all things sports is derived from your own feelings of physical and psychological inadequacy, and that indeed, you are only trying to attain some type of vicarious sense of worth by hanging with athletes; I would like to offer an alternative path to salvation for you. It is as follows:

Locate the nearest all age drum corps in your area. Approach them about learning to play percussion with the goal of marching bass drum # 5. Please make sure it is bass drum # 5, unless they have a bass drum # 6 of course. I am sorry to inform you that drum corps stopped marching timpani many years ago, or this would be the perfect fit for you. you may however, substitute a set of tenors (the nice, light Dynasty's would be best) if you like.

Once you have mastered "crabbing" at 180 bpm for 3-4 minutes straight (to be repeated many times over during coordination) while playing rolling passages as part of a larger “split-part” whole, you will be ready. I know that with your athletic prowess, this should only take you an hour or two at best to learn. Once you have mastered this, I know you will find nirvana.

Again, thank you for not confusing the marching arts as sports. I think I can speak for all of us in the marching arts in saying that there is not place for (insert name of criminal or reprehensible public behavior here) in the marching arts.

(Oh, by the way, did you hear the one about the Madison Scouts helping to save the town of Baraboo, WI from flooding by working all day to help sand bag the town last year? No, I thought not)

Here is the wonderful response I got back.

Thanks for writing The Jim Rome Show.

Here's a message from our sponsor, 5 Hour Energy

Why do energy drinks make you crash? It's all the sugar and caffeine. 5-Hour Energy has zero sugar and just enough caffeine for hours of energy with no crash later.

You can send your own response to:

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Edited June 17, 2009 by Roark1