Teacher Appreciation Day: Homecoming 2005

Where the bold saguaros
Raise their arms on high
Praying strength for brave tomorrows
From the Western sky
Where eternal mountains
Kneel at sunset's gate
Here we hail thee, Alma Mater
Arizona State! [listen]

Today I woke up sporting a nice sunburn. My lips are sore from playing a trumpet off and on all day (first time in I don't recall how many years - probably four or five). I have sore fingers where I held a trumpet most of the day. I also have sore legs and shoulders. Was it worth it? You bet it was!

Yesterday was the Homecoming game at Arizona State University. I was one of 285 members of the Alumni Band that marched during the pregame show - the most we've had for any homecoming ever. Most of the alumni are still pretty young (most graduating within the last ten years, and many grauduating within the last five). But we also had a pretty nice representatation of folks from "my generation" of about 25 years ago - also the best I've ever seen.

Each and every one of us made it the special day that it was. There were also several people that, through their own efforts, made a tremendous contribution. I have to salute one man in particular, though, and that's Dr. Robert "Coach" Fleming, Director Emiritus of the Sun Devil Marching Band. He saw, like many of us, the waning enthusiasm for the alumni band. He made it his mission to make the alumni band something really special to be part of, just like he made the Sun Devil Marching Band something that was really something special to be part of.

Those of us who were under Coach's direction were quite fortunate. To say he is a motivator is an understatement. He would tell us that he "eats, sleeps, and drinks Sun Devil Marching Band," and he made you believe it because he didn't just talk the the talk, he walked it. Coach had a way of making us believe in ourselves. He demanded the best from us, and he got it. Not because we did it for him (necessarily). We did it for ourselves, and we did it for each other - the friends we made as we marched and played together.

As a former member of the Sun Devil Marching Band, I have fond memories too numerous to mention. There have been only a few other mountaintop experiences in my life that compare to those after having performed what Coach called "the biggest show of your life." It wasn't so much the performance (which turned out awesome in itself), but that it was an experience that was shared with most of my closest friends.

And that's what Coach is trying to accomplish. The ASU Alumni Band is not there just to raise money for the band (although that's nice). It's not there just so we can dust off our instruments and try to make some decent music (which we did pretty well). It's so we can enjoy the company of our fellow bandmembers.

One day a year, we can experience together the "torture" that reminds us of the hard work and yes, even pain and discomfort, that we endured as we prepared a pregame and halftime show for every home football game (granted when we were a younger we didn't concern ourselves much with the pain and discomfort - it was just part of the process). One day a year, we can be reminded of how we reap the rewards for our perseverence through experiencing the accolades of an appreciative audience. One day a year, we can get together with old friends and share how we've grown and how we continue to apply the lessons we learned from Coach.

Yesterday was a beautiful day. I enjoyed seeing friends I don't see often. I enjoyed making new friends amongst the younger alums. That's what it's all about.

Needless to say, I slept like a log last night. I'm going to go and heal, now. I look forward to seeing my fellow alums next year. [listen]