For the past six years of attending this clinic, each year I return with a sense of accomplishment. The biggest skills throughout the years though would most certainly be to challenge myself. Step outside my comfort zone and realize, in order to improve and achieve goals (either short term or long term, personal or with a group), I must challenge
myself along with the other members. This skill, mastered by the teachings of the spirited Fred J. Miller staff, is well shown through the leadership programs. Being a teacher with the “Deputies Drum and Baton Corps” and head feature at Elyria Catholic High School, I am in a role model position. A leadership slot where, without our team talks, would be a big spot to fill.

While attending the Fred J. Miller Clinic, I acquired numerous skills that have already begun to help me lead the Jesuit High School Blue Jay Marching Band to the best of my ability. The two greatest skills that I received from the clinic that I have begun and will continue to apply to the Blue Jay Band are leadership and motivation. With the leadership training that I received at the clinic, I will be able to lead the band to its fourth consecutive Sweepstakes rating and another successful marching band season. I have already seen the fruits of my efforts and applications of my leadership training as the band is more focused, dedicated, and disciplined in this early part of the marching season than it has ever been before. OF course, it is difficult, even nearly impossible, to achieve great success without motivation. Motivation is without a doubt the best skill that I acquired at the Fred J. Miller Clinic. From the first rehearsal that I had with my band this summer to band camp, rehearsals, and football games, I have used the motivational skills that I learned at the Fred J. Miller Clinic. Jesuit High School is an all-male school, and thus the Blue Jay Band is an all-male band. Motivating an all-male band has proven to be a very difficult task for many of my predecessors to accomplish, but with the motivational tools that I obtained at the clinic, I have been able to successfully motivate the band to achieve new heights and perform impeccably. These skills will prove even more valuable, though, in the middle of marching season when most bands tend to hit a lull. With the leadership and motivational skills that I attained at the Fred J. Miller Clinic, I will keep the Jesuit High School Blue Jay Marching Band
progressing to make this marching season another major success.

One skill that I have acquired this year at the clinic that I will apply to my group is to set goals. The Fred J. Miller Clinics have opened my eyes to see and appreciate how important setting goals are. Through the camp I have learned that setting goals, either long term or short term, are very important in the success of a group. I will show my group that by setting short term goals as in catching a unicorn toss, or perfecting eight counts of a routine, we can accomplish long term goals as in winning a competition, or performing great at a football game. In order to show my group that goals are important I will talk to my group about setting their own goals, both personal and group goals, for the season. I will then ask for one common goal to strive for during the upcoming season. By going through these steps I can assure that my group will both understand the importance of goals, and challenge themselves to accomplish them.

Another important skill that I have acquired at the Fred J. Miller Clinic is a positive attitude. The clinic has taught me, through the staff, that a positive attitude is contagious. If everyone in a group has a bad attitude, work in the group would be very hard to accomplish. For the past two years, my group has had at least one person at every practice or performance that didn’t have a positive attitude; and having only one person with a bad attitude has brought our practice or performance down. I now know that just by me having a positive attitude it can help change the bad attitudes into good ones. I will help my group have a positive attitude by simply having a positive attitude myself. As I sad before, a positive attitude is contagious, and if at one hot and miserable practice I decide to step out of a bad attitude into a positive one, I know that the people around me will start to change too. It doesn’t take a lot, even a simple, “Come on guys, we can do it!” can change the whole attitude of a group from bad, to great. Even a little joke, or a smile, or something as simple as a smile can change someone’s attitude, about not only the situation, but themselves. Applying a positive attitude to my group, it will not only change the group morale, but it will make us work harder too.

The first full day at the camp I was reluctant to participate in the cheers, the chants, and the motivational chats. Over time, however, this uneasiness wore away, and my negativity vanished. During my four-day stay, I exceeded all the twirling skills I had been learning for the past eight years; as my attitude improved, my skills improved as well.