The Dilemma

Being Section Leader

On Tuesday September 23, 2010, the marching band headed over to Michigan State School for Girls, a private high school, to play a concert. Before Mr. Wright told Tamika to tap off the cadence, she walked over to the percussion section.

"Percussion, listen up! We're in a gym, and we don't have to play really loud. After we play cadence, and when we play "Rock Bottom," play softer, and don't rush. Got it?"

"Yes." They all agreed.

When Tamika tapped off the cadence, Darryn and Maleek started rushing, and playing loud. Tamika turned around.

"Darryn! Maleek! Quiet down, and don't rush!"

They quieted down, but they kept rushing. When the cadence was over, Tamika turned around to talk to them.

"You two! I told ya'll to stop rushing! On "Rock Bottom," we have the first two measures. Don't play too loud, and don't rush!"

"Okay, Tamika. We got it!" said Darryn.

They listened, and then, they played the rest of the songs without any mistakes. Then, Tamika tapped off their ending cadence, and they played it. Siera started doing rolls instead of sixteenths.

"No!" screamed Tamika. "Siera, sixteenths!"

Siera obeyed, and then, the cadence was over. Tamika led the section out, and they packed up their drums. Before the band got on the bus, Ryan went over to Tamika.

"So, how do you like being section leader?"

"It's okay, but half the section doesn't listen to me anyway. It irritates me."

"Have you ever thought about quitting?"

"Yes. In fact, I thought about that last week when Darryn and Siera wanted to play "Rock Bottom," all fast in practice, and when Siera wanted to do doubles instead of five-stroke rolls."

"Do you think it's hard being section leader?"

"Yes. Especially when the section doesn't want to listen to you, and people in the section want to lead, instead of listen and learn. Why are you asking all these questions?"

"I don't know. I saw you yelling at Siera, Darryn, and them, and I just wondered how it felt to be section leader."

"It's okay. If only the section listened a little more, instead of trying to lead."

"Oh. I see."

When the band reached the bus, Tamika rounded up the percussion section.

"You guys can't get on the bus, until all your drums are loaded. Okay?"

"Yes, but who made that rule?" asked Siera.

"Mr. Wright did, and I'm repeating it for this section. Now, like I said, you can't get on the bus, until your drums are loaded. Do you understand?"

"Yes," they agreed.

When the drums were loaded onto the bus, Darryn, Briana, Siera, and Maleek sat at the back of the bus, talking about Tamika.

"Man, I can't believe her. Bossing us around like that," said Siera.

"Well, she is section leader," said Darryn. "We have to listen to her."

"No, we don't," said Siera and Maleek.

"We have a strong section. I mean, the quads are good, the basses rush, and the snares." said Siera.

"What about the snares?" asked Briana.

"I don't know. We're good, but when Tamika tells us not to play loud, her and Ryan are like breaking their drum heads," said Siera.

"I wish that she wasn't section leader," said Maleek.

"Me too," they all said.

Tamika was sitting up front with Thomas, Ryan, Shawna, and Joseph. She had no clue that the others were talking about her.

"So, Tamika. I thought that you were getting really mad when Siera wasn't doing sixteenths," said Ryan.

"I was getting mad. We've practiced this cadence for a month, and she still doesn't get it."

"Well, have you went over it with her?"

"Yes, like twenty times. I don't know why she keeps doing rolls instead of sixteenths."

"Well, you should go over it with her one more time," said Thomas.

"Okay, but if she doesn't pay attention this time, she just won't get it."