TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — What does it take to be in an award-winning marching band?
The over 260 students in The Pride of Arizona marching band train 14 hours a day for a week in triple-digit temperatures for their preseason, just like any other sport on campus.
“We talk about being musicians on the top and athletes on the bottom,” said Drum Major Kaesey Borders. She's had her eye on the Pride since she saw them as a freshman in high school.
After four years on the team, she knows just how many hours of work go into every eight count of choreography.
“We’re out just as much as the athletes are," Borders said. "We’re here from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. and we’re working.”
Band Director Chad Shoopman says band camp makes up about 30% of their total season rehearsal time.
“We’re performing more than we’re rehearsing really,” said band director Chad Shoopman.
Those performances helped them win the prestigious Sudler Trophy in 2024, awarded to the best collegiate band in the nation.
“It’s a huge deal for us," Shoopman said. "It’s been called the Heisman trophy of collegiate marching bands. We get the celebrate that all season.”
But to even make it to the season, the team has to make it through band camp, which not everyone does.
“We always lose a few because it’s a real uptick in expectations," Shoopman said. "We ask them to learn quicker, remember more, and be subtle.”
Those that do make it through— like Borders— say they gain experience and friends that last a lifetime.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
