This is January band camp with The Magic.
The facility in Umatilla, Florida is beautiful. It is the Florida Elks Youth Camp, several hundred acres with new buildings and dorms, a beautiful place to stay. The band wasn't there to enjoy the scenery though, they were all, work, work, work. The weather was excellent, a little overcast, but 70-80 degrees
. There are many fewer members this time. Many have dropped out. It is very difficult work. By Saturday night, Preston had enough. He called me to come pick him up. He said that his muscles just would not work for him anymore. We talked about it later, and most of the problem was "failure to properly hydrate". You have to drink water when you are exercising that much. Preston vowed to work hard this month and get in shape for his next camp. This will involve exercising every day, lifting weights, going to the gym, running, and lifting the "heavy metal" at least once a day. Time will tell if he can make it. 
It is difficult to watch your child when he is in pain.
2 comments:
It's the shared experience of tripping, sweating, turning this way when you should have turned that way, wanting to give up but hanging in there if not for yourself, then for your bandmates that will build not just muscles, but character and values he'll carry with him his whole life. Our conductor would not allow us to move after we came to a halt...even if we were standing in an ant bed. Hang in there Mom...he's going to be fine.
t2t - thanks for the encouraging words. I used to think that band geeks were. . .well, GEEKS. Now I wish I could have been one!
Post a Comment