Should Marching Band be Considered a Sport? Record heart rate of marching band member and a football player, then compare data

Why I chose my topic. I chose my topic because marching band is a big part of my life and I believe the amount of work we put into a show is extremely under-rated.

Research I found Marching band is a sport because it requires an immense amount of practice in order to do everything perfectly.

Research I found Marching band members acquire injuries similar to other sports such as: sprained ankle, injury to the knee, even as far as a broken arm or leg. Heart problems were even found because the heart is beating so fast for a long period of time

Research I found The dictionary definition of a sport is “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature” Marching band requires an immense amount of skill and physical endurance. Bands usually take part in local competitions or for some of the big-time marching bands, national competitions to see which is the best

Research I found Based on all this research the answer to my question was yes, marching band should be considered a sport simply because of the amount of physical effort and skill needed to perform at a high level

Obstacles I overcame One of the worst obstacles I had to overcome was the fact that the topic I picked didn’t have much information on the web. Also my own motivation to complete my junior paper was lacking when I tried to complete it. Originally I wanted to do a video of me marching, unfortunately it didn’t turn out the way I wanted so I was unable to do it.

Successes I had I had massive success in recording the heartbeats and proving that marching bands do indeed work as hard as the average football player. Plus I had many volunteers that helped take pictures of the band and I marching during rehearsals and even competitions.

Link between Research and Product My research is trying to prove that marching band works hard enough to be considered a sport. The product is recording the heart-rate of a football player and my heart-rate after a run of a performance and being in the front ensemble (not marching)

My Mentor John Pearson Has been my been my band director for the past 4 years

My Product

What I learned about myself I learned that I could be very organized when I put my mind to it I make good use of time when I have it

Thank you for your time Are there any questions?