SEASON WHERE THE NEWBIES ARE HOPING TO MAKE THE CUT.
♪ >> TODAY IS OUR DECEMBER CAMP, THE SECOND CAMP OF THE SEASON, OUR SECOND ADDITION CAP.
THEY CAN EXPERIENCE BUT IT IS LIKE TO BE A SPARTAN FOR A DAY OR A WEEKEND.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS 130 YOUNG ADULTS TO GO ON AN ADVENTURE, TO LEARN ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND CHALLENGE THEMSELVES EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY, TO SEE WHAT THEY ARE
MADE OF, TO MAKE THEM BETTER PEOPLE, GOING FORWARD.
AND TO HAVE A GOOD TIME.
SEAN: THE SPARTANS DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS HAVE A LOT TO LIVE UP TO THIS SEASON.
>> A SCORE OF 81.05.
THE SPARTANS.
[APPLAUSE] SEAN: THE SUMMERTIME MARCHING BAND AND DEFENDING WORLD CHAMPIONS HAVE THEIR SIGHTS SET ON ANOTHER TITLE RUN.
>> WE ARE NOT RESTING ON OUR LAURELS FROM LAST YEAR.
IT WAS FUN AND WE ENJOYED IT IMMENSELY, BUT WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE.
SEAN: THE SPARTANS HAVE BEEN DRUMMING AND BLOWING THEIR BUGLES FOR YEARS.
WHEN HIS GRANDFATHER ALBERT TOOK A GROUP OF TROUBLED KID AND PUT SOME INSTRUMENT IN THEIR HANDS.
>> IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR ONE SUMMER ONLY, A LABOR DAY PARADE, WHICH THEY DID.
THE NEXT SUMMER, IT BLOSSOMED AND HE PUT OUT A COMPETITIVE UNIT.
SEAN: THE BATON HAS REMAINED IN THE FAMILY WITH PAUL LEADING THE CHARGE.
>> IT IS PART OF MY LIFE AND WHO I AM SINCE THE DAY I WAS BORN.
OVER TIME, IT HAS BECOME A MUCH MORE ARTISTIC ENDEAVOR.
WE DO NOT EVEN HAVE UNIFORMS.
WE HAVE COSTUMES THAT MATCH THE SHOW AND THE THEME IT IS NOT MY GRANDFATHER’S DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS.
SEAN: THE MOOD AT CAMP IS LIGHT AND THE GROUP IS HAPPY TO CATCH UP AND KNOW YOUR FACE IS, BUT WHEN THE HOPEFULS ENTER THE PRACTICE ROOM, EVERY SET OF EYES IS DIALED IN TO THE MUSIC AND
THEIR INSTRUMENT.
♪ SEAN: JONATHAN FROM MASON, NEW HAMPSHIRE IS HERE, TRYING OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> I AM HOPING TO MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE AND MAKE SOME NEW FRIENDS.
I JUST WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND HAVE A GOOD SUMMER, AND TRAVEL.
SEAN: NEW INSTRUMENT.
THE 18-YEAR-OLD USUALLY PLAYS THE TENOR SAXOPHONE, BUT HAS RECENTLY TAKEN UP THE TELEPHONE -- MELT -- >> NOT GREAT.
WE’LL SEE HOW IT GOES.
WE WILL.
SEAN BACK IN THE ROLE OF VETERAN THIS YEAR.
SHE HAS ALREADY SIGNED HER CONTRACT AND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER BUSY SUMMER ON THE ROAD.
>> BEING A ROOKIE, YOU HAVE THOSE PEOPLE TO LOOK UP TO YOU, BUT BEING A VETERAN, YOU ARE THAT PERSON.
IT IS COOL TO SEE THEM TRYING THINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME.
REALLY HELPING THEM GROW.
I HAD NEVER MARCHED BEFORE, SO I WAS TERRIFIED COMING IN HERE, BUT I HAD A BACKGROUND IN DANCING AND GYMNASTICS.
OBVIOUSL WINNIE A CHAMPIONSHIP WAS PRETTY COOL.
THE HIGHLIGHT WAS MEETING THE PEOPLE.
I FINALLY FOUND WHERE I BELONG AND WHERE I FIT IN.
>> INDICATED THAT IS WILLING TO GIVE UP THEIR SUMMER TO WORK ON THEIR CRAFT AND PLAY THEIR INSTRUMENT FOR EIGHT, 10, 12 HOURS A DAY, EAT WHEN YOU ARE TOLD TO AND NOT WHEN YOU’RE
HUNGRY, IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO DO THAT.
SEAN: DESPITE THE LONG HOURS, THE VETERAN SAYING, IF YOU LOVE MARCHING BAND, YOU WILL LOVE SPENDING YOUR SUMMER AS A SPARTAN AND HE WILL TAKE AWAY MORE SKILLS THAN CAN EVER BE
PERFORMED ON THE FIELD.
>> THE MUSIC AND INSTRUMENTS ARE JUST A TOOL TO SOMETHING MUCH LARGER.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THE SPARTANS SAY OUR RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMITMENT.
SEEING IT ON ALL OF THEIR LOGOS, THAT IS WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY LIFE, NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT DRUM CORPS FOLLOWS.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
>> EVERY SINGLE MEMBER IN THIS DRUM CORPS IS GOING TO RECEIVE A SPARTAN NECKLACE.
WHAT GETS ME EVERY SINGLE TIME IS WHEN I AM SCROLLING THROUGH MY FACEBOOK PAGE, AND ONE OF THESE MEMBERS ARE HOST -- POSTING THEIR SENIOR PHOTO, AND THEY HAD THAT NECKLACE DISPLAYED
FOR THEIR HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK.
THAT IS WHY I DO IT.
IF WE GAVE THEM THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY THINK IS THAT IMPORTANT AND THEY HAD THAT MUCH FUN, I HAVE DONE MY JOB.
>> MARCHING BA STIGMA, GEEKS AND WEIRDOS.
BUT WE ARE STRONG AND SMART AND I THINK WE ARE PRETTY COOL PEOPLE.