Coming in freshman year, I didn’t know what to do. So at the big Arrowhead High School, I tried as much as I could, even though we couldn’t do much anyway because of Covid restrictions. I did football, marching band, and Discus, and Shotput. When it came to sophomore year, I felt like I had to make a decision between football and marching band, they were at the same time and marching band plays at football games so I could do only one fully. I made the decision to do marching band instead, even though it was met with some arguments.

Sophomore year was the year that I felt like I really met people, no one hiding behind masks and being sick. Mr. Moore, my drumline instructor, was one of them. Me and him talk at every single game whether it be marching band or pep band about the game or anything else. In those conversations, I learned that we have a lot more in common than I thought. He is 30 and I’m 16, he lived in Minnesota and went to college in Virginia and I have lived in the same town my whole life. So what could be in common?

Turns out, he was in the same spot as me with football and marching band. He also chose marching band and now his job is teaching music (specifically percussion). Some of the conversations we have had are the best, talking about WWF/WWE when it was still good, or he says “Lamb of God is the greatest heavy metal band of all time, no one sounds better and they are the best” or even talking about how our football team was dumb to go for two to take the lead and should have kicked it. Mr. Moore is also the best marching band player I have ever met. He can do it all. He teaches us yahoos which can be a daunting task at times, he also teaches at Mukwonago which we give him grief for. On top of teaching, he runs the Bucks drumline and also is in the Packers drumline as well.

Mr. Moore has changed how I view music. At first, music was something you listened to on the radio and a band was playing songs so you could get your credit. But he showed me a new type of music I never played, drumline cadences. The things you can do with 3 drums and cymbals is crazy. He also makes it fun because, during those long days when we are outside walking around in circles for hours, he doesn’t lose enthusiasm. He always says “Drink Water” which has now become a joke within our drumline. Mr. Moore is not someone I see much, but man is he my favorite.