"Old School" Fundamentals

Dear color guards, starting with "old school" fundamentals is the best way to start a new program in order to build a highly advanced, specialized team. Success is not about what an individual can do. Success is what the team must accomplish proficiently together on their way to future perfection.

The best percussion lines do it, the best cheer and dance teams do it, the best Olympic athletes do it. We do it when we learn a new language, too! It is important to learn the rudiments and the language in order to build a new repertoire that expands over time.

Best of luck as you kick off the 2017 season!

Jan. 20, 2017

11:28 am

Sigh

SIGH

"His counter tops are low grade," she said.

"I have marble," she said.

I stayed as quiet as stone, and only sighed.

I have stood under Trajan's Arch in Rome,

climbed the promenade to the Capitolini Museum

Seen Medusa's severed head frozen in marble,

Preserved in her venomous hatred.

Walked on the floors of Pompey,

marveled and sighed

Marveled and signed.

Stood on the mosaics of someone's home, vanquished by nature and time

Wept an invisible tear for those who writhed in pain, cast and frozen forever,

And sighed with long exhalation.

Viewed Dante's tomb,

Admired the view from the Stadium at Dephi in the brilliant sun.

Prayed to the gods at Olympus

Closed my eyes, and exhaled for reaching this.

Walked the cobbled stones of Venice,

Heard the string quartets in Piazza San Marco at sunset in July.

Listened to the gondolier's song as we floated at dawn under the Rialto.

Prayed at St. Peter's, St. Paul's, San Marco, in Greece on Patmos and envisioned the Vision.

Inhaled clean air on Mt. Pilatus, at the St. Goddard Pass.

Can somewhere on Earth really be so clean?

Stood on mountain tops and reminded myself how small I am.

Prayed at Dacau, snarled at Hilter,

and cried visible, agonizing tears in the crematorium...

the sighs of The Holocaust 's innocents haunting the halls.

Shared coffee and consolation with the young girl who didn't understand who could hate her so much.

I have watched violets spring on the graves of Keats, Severn, and Shelley

in the Protestant Cemetery near Rome.

Hugged and shared empathy with my British tour guide, talking of Ozymandias.

I have known rivers, too, and the cold touch of marble.

I have listened to the voices and lessons of history.

"I have marble counter tops," she said.

Robert Robinson

1.22.17

8:25 am

First draft of a free verse journal reflection.