For better or for worse, we are always active in the Marching Virginians. I love all the activity we do because it always gives us an adrenaline rush, and it is great in the long run, despite how some of us may loathe the walk back up the hill after the game. It’s definitely not limited to just marching either: lots of us in the band have additional ways to get our hearts pumping.
Many Marching Virginians will take part in some recreational fun before rehearsals; Source: Nate Holmes
A lot of times before rehearsals even begin, there will be groups of different people playing catch with a football, tossing around a frisbee, or kicking a hacky sack. There is no better thing to do with your friends before a rehearsal than go out on the field and have some fun. Maybe it’s just a testament to how crazy we are, that we are willing to go exhaust ourselves when we are about to go march around the field for an hour.
Of course there is also all the walking. Living on campus, I have built the walk to the MVC into my daily schedule because it takes up a good chunk of time. But it is a relaxing walk; you can zone out and listen to some music before having to start rehearsal. Sometimes the weather conditions aren’t as auspicious as one would like, but if walking can be my excuse to avoid the gym, I’ll take what I can get.
It may be a bit of a walk, but everyone has fun during the March to Victory down to Lane Stadium; Source: Ashley Deans
But game day walking might make me rethink my love for walking. Before some games the drumline will walk down from the MVC to Hokie Village, where we play drum cheers and other exciting songs to energize the fans before the game. Then after we finish playing, we go right back up Chicken Hill and prepare for the March to Victory with the whole band. If I had to guess, the march probably takes around 20-25 minutes in total to get the entire band down to the stadium. I can’t attest for the rest of the band; but I know the drumline is always sweaty and gassed after the march, especially in Blacksburg’s steamy Septembers.
The new (taxing) drumline tradition is to lift the drums during certain parts of the game; Source: Drew Robertson-Gouge
But there is more enjoyable exercise we all get, too. The winds have a myriad of horn moves that they do during the stand tunes. The drumline lifts our drums during one of the pregame hype songs and whenever the opposing team tries kicking toward the goalposts right in front of us. And did I mention the Hokie Pokie? I am sad to say that I likely will not ever get to do the dance to the Hokie Pokie during a show but I know all the other band members love doing it— and they sure look like they have fun getting that exercise!
Whether it be Marching with the Virginians, Walking with the Virginians, or even Dancing with the Virginians, this band knows how to stay active and get the blood flowing no matter if it’s a rehearsal, game, or just playing with friends.
Everyone do the Hokie Pokie! Source: Alana Hassett