For an Etowah band member, the status of Band Captain is a great honor, but to knowing how to lead an entire band is a skill that must be cultivated. For Dryn DuBois and Melisa Gonzalez, senior band captains, music is a passion.

DuBois has played the piano since second grade and believes that his piano skills and his other musical talents have helped defined his ability as a musician.

"The biggest hardship about band is the time commitment. If the practice lasts three hours, you’re expected to be there early, and almost guaranteed to stay late. You give up every Friday night for months, and once competition season starts, you end up giving up most of your Saturdays as well," DuBois said.

To be an Etowah band captain, one must be quick on their feet and be able to exceed the standards of the average band member. For Gonzalez, the role of dedicated band captain comes naturally.

Also, exceptional leadership skills are a requirement. A band captain must maintain respect and discipline throughout the band. And, extensive musicianship and marching skills are essential to ensure that the newer members prosper.

"The one thing people don’t understand about band is that it is a challenge to be able to march and play at the same time," Gonzalez said.

The band captains have many responsibilities in addition to being able to play an instrument and march.

"As a captain I’m required to run sectionals and assist with teaching marching, correcting drill sets and generally acting as an on-the-field assistant to the directors and drum majors. As brass captain and a brass player, I naturally work more with the brass players than the woodwinds," DuBois said.

DuBois said the band attends three-hour marching rehearsals on Tuesday and Thursdays and sectionals after school until 5 p.m. on Wednesdays.

"We also hold the occasional Saturday rehearsal, which usually lasts about nine hours," DuBois said.

All the hard work pays off when the band captains lead their band onto the competition field.

"So far, the year has been going great. We have a great staff with a couple new members, but we still have a strong core team full of seniors and juniors," Gonzalez said.

Every team must have a goal to stay motivated. The Etowah Band strives for the same goal every year - to earn the Superior honor. To achieve this rating, the band must practice.

Recently, the band placed third at the McEachern Marching Invitational at McEachern High School.

Whenever DuBois finds spare time, he spends it running, playing Pokémon or enjoying a good game of Dungeons and Dragons, but even spare time is hard to come by. Currently, he is not sure if he will continue with band past high school.

"I love playing my instrument, but my goals for the future do not include music, so it will depend on what colleges I get into and what I end up doing once I’m there," DuBois said.

Gonzalez said she does not plan to continue with band after high school either.

On October 29, the band will head to Creekview High School for the Creekview Classic Marching Competition.