The Yellow Jacket Drumline has performed in multiple competitions this year along with performing at the Yellow Jacket Band Hamburger Supper. Their show is an intense piece named “Galactic” by Shane Gwaltney and percussion director Michel Wimberly has been preparing it with his students since marching season ended.

With all of the preparation must come practice. Ryan Donham, the snare line section leader, knows all about the hard work and focus you have to have in order to be successful in drumline, especially before competitions.

“There’s a lot of individual practice that I do before a competition that really helps me prepare for it,” Donham said. “It’s not just physical practice either though. There’s also a mental aspect consisting of self-discipline so that I can stay focused for a full drumline practice or a competition.”

As a section leader, Donham has responsibilities to help prepare his section.

“I have to make sure that they have a good attitude and stay optimistic and in order to do that I do my best to encourage them and just let them know that we will do awesome no matter what,” Donham said. “If we win or lose a competition, I make sure that they know that we will do it as a team. No particular person is the adding factor to a win or a loss.”

The Indoor Drumline had championships in Burleson on Saturday, April 14th, and placed second in their class after moving up a class in a previous competition, which placed them against harder drumlines. In the previous season, they placed second in championships as well. From here, the only way they have to go is upwards. The future Indoor Drumline holds a lot of promise.

“The drumline as a whole is a very young section,” percussion director Michel Wimberly said. “Though they are young, they are talented, dedicated, and work very hard. We have a great group of students graduating this year and we are looking forward to the incoming freshmen filling big shoes.”

While Wimberly is finishing up this year’s indoor drumline endeavors, he focuses on next year as well.

“Next year I hope you continue building off of our previous years’ success,” Wimberly said. “I hope that everything will be just that much better. Each year things get a little harder, a little more challenging, and I look for to it every time. Our Indoor Show next year will be very dark. Personally I’ve always wanted to play a show that was a little edgy, and I think I finally found it.”

As the Indoor Drumline prepares for Jacket Jam, their next big show, Wimberly always makes sure to keep his students working hard.

“Replace the commonly used phrase ‘I didn’t have time”’to ‘I didn’t make time,’” Wimberly said. “it can change your life.”