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The One All About Moms in the Marching Arts
146 Plays10 months ago
Join our full mom hosting panel for this Special Edition of On A Water Break because it’s all about Moms! We dive into what it’s like being a mom in the marching arts. Our hosts bring you their stories, plus news, guests, and so much more!
Special Guests
Jenny Durko - @petiteflower0918
Jacqueline Yurko - @fusionwinterguard
Katheryn Scott - @shs.pmm_band
Meet our Hosts
Jackie Brown - @spintronixguard
Stephen McCarrick - @stephenmccarick
Cindy Barry - @leandermomma
Nicole Younger - @o2bnpjs & @thecookoutcg
Trevor Bailey - @t_pain151
Trish O’Shea - @trishdish1002
Beth Beccone - @bether7189
Chris Rutt - @wildhornbrass1
Cynthia Bernard - @cynthiabern
Ashlee Amos - @famousamossss_
Theo Harrison - @harrisontheo07
Stephanie Click - @stephanieclick
Whitney Stone - @dancerwhit
Justin Surface - @J_dex07
Ashley Tran - @itsashleytran
Jack Goudreau - @goudreau_
Bill Woodward - @remoking100
Emily Nee - @tch.makes.art
Ricardo Robinson-Shinall - @ricardorrobinson
Callie Quire - @cnquire
Austin Hall - @Austin_hall10
Jose Montes - @joeymontes57
Music provided by leydamusic.com Follow him @josh.leyda
Avatars provided by @tch.makes.art
Featuring
Lexi Duda - Host for On A Water Break In Rhinestones - The Stories of the Twirlers @lexi_duda
Thank you also to @guardcloset
#marchingband #colorguard #dci #podcast #onawaterbreak #wgi #drumline
Recommended
Transcript
Celebrating Mother's Day in Marching Arts
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey, everyone, we are back for another week of exciting rehearsals. This week, we are celebrating the most important person out there, mom.
00:00:09
Speaker
We're also going to find out what made Cindy say. It was madness. But somehow they all marched during finals. I still don't know how they did. We had several that said, there's no way I am missing that final run. We made it to finals. I'm not missing it. And why Ashley said. Like a broken whip. Oh my goodness. My grandma's whip is not broken. All this and more. So get out on the field and we will see you back on the sidelines for this week's episode of On a Water Break.
00:00:40
Speaker
Ate off the Met and Go. Welcome to on a water break. The podcast where we talk everything marching arts. Everyone bring it in. It's time for a water break.
00:00:58
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of season two of On A Water Break, the podcast where we talk about everything you and your friends are talking about at rehearsal, On A Water Break.
Moms in Marching Arts: Introductions
00:01:07
Speaker
I'm Jackie Brown. We are in for an exciting rehearsal this week because not only are we celebrating all the moms out there, but we have some very special moms who are actually coming on to chat about their experiences being a mom in the marching arts.
00:01:23
Speaker
But what's even better than that is that our hosts this week are all moms too. Yay. Yay. So let's see who's on the sideline this week, starting with one of my besties, Ashley, you are a mommy on a mission. How are you? So good, friend. How are you? I'm good. Tell us about your kids. I mean, I know all about your kids, but tell our audience about your kids.
00:01:49
Speaker
I have almost four. I'm pregnant with number four right now due in June. I know Cynthia. So I have, I will have four under, well four and under because my daughter will be five until September. Yes.
00:02:07
Speaker
Yeah, they're crazy. They're fun. Yeah, I think being in marching band has kind of helped me, my brain, you know, my multitasking brain deal with it. So yay, band.
00:02:22
Speaker
Brave mama. Cindy is back. You are not just an IRL mom, but you are the band mom to everyone on Instagram, I have to say. But tell us about your real kids.
00:02:38
Speaker
Oh, absolutely. Mine are all grown. In fact, I just got back from two weeks with all three of my grown daughters in the red woods in California because my middle daughter is a park ranger there. Awesome job. My oldest who did not do band at Leander, but my youngest is my band kid and I was in band.
00:03:00
Speaker
I finally, with number three, got my band kid. She's still in Texas. My oldest is a wedding photographer in DC, so they have a wide variety of lives. They could all be more different, but very close. My youngest, my band nerd, we nerd out together. We do DCI together.
00:03:21
Speaker
I drag her to VOA competitions and it's fun having that connection with one of your grown kids. I mean, obviously I have connections with all three of them, but we have that in common. We have that passion and she was in marching band and obviously Leander was very successful in a lot of ways. So we got a taste of that and we fell in love with all things band related because of that.
00:03:48
Speaker
Yay, kids grow up have that to look forward to as well. It's wonderful. I'm so excited about that part. Oh, it's great.
Personal Stories: Balancing Marching Arts and Motherhood
00:03:57
Speaker
Cynthia, you are a single mom, but tell us about your amazing daughter.
00:04:04
Speaker
Yeah, Saha is six now. And yeah, like you said, she's six going on 15. Like she's a teenager by far already. But she's really great. And I was born in Caligari. My parents met through drum corps. My dad was a director. I've been to WGI every year. I missed
00:04:26
Speaker
two, I think, except for the ones that didn't. So to have Sarah around Color Guard and Drum Corps is not hard for me. It was just like, at a certain point, they become a human, like bringing them everywhere when they're five weeks old is easy at six. I told her before going to WGI, I was like, there's going to be long moments of flexibility where we can do whatever you want and short moments of really harsh
00:04:52
Speaker
in French, I just have the word in French, but non flexibility, like you have to be there when it needs to be there. And I'm going to bring her to the tour with troopers. Like she's really, yeah, I don't think she's gonna at this point, she doesn't want to perform. Or at least she said that she wants to perform in class. And I'm trying to tell her that that's not
00:05:20
Speaker
the path that you do. At six, you don't just jump to open class. But she loves to be around. But yeah, her achiever. But she loves to be around color guard and drum corps and all that. So it's just easy to have her around. And like, I was one of the worried moms that I have to stop. And I'm pretty sure a lot of us, yeah, there's a yes, right? That when you're pregnant, you're like, and that's, I don't know for you guys, but it's one of the things why you think that there's less
00:05:49
Speaker
Designers female designers and all that and then you figure out you can make it like it can work out
00:05:57
Speaker
It's possible. There's sacrifices on both sides, but it is possible. I have a little boy who's only two. He'll be three in September. And anybody who was at WGI in either in 2022 or this year in 2024 got to meet him. He is, he's a little sweetheart and he got his first flag ever at WGI this year. So he was like out there flipping it around on the sidewalk and just having a blast.
00:06:23
Speaker
And I am, I am due to have my second baby in October. So yay. Yeah. So anybody who's going to be at the Macy's parade this year, yeah, there's going to be a tiny little baby.
00:06:37
Speaker
what very tiny very tiny while you're brave it's gonna be a trip but i think i think we could do i did it with the first one we can we can do it again it'll be out if you need anybody to come along and be your nanny i am totally willing to help out let me know i'm there
00:06:59
Speaker
All right, well, I wanna go ahead and introduce our guest host for tonight. This is, I'm gonna let her introduce herself a little bit more than what I'm gonna give her, but we're talking to Jacqueline Yurkin, Jackie Yurkin, who is also a mom in the marching arts. Hi, how are you? Good, how are you?
00:07:23
Speaker
Thank you for having me. I'm honestly so excited to talk to you because I want to know how you balance everything. But first, before we get to that, we need to do our 32 count life story. Okay. So if you've listened to the show before, you know, we're going to give you a Dr. Beat, you'll get eight on the Met. And then you just jump right in and you tell us your entire life story, whatever has happened to you from birth until now.
00:07:53
Speaker
You ready? No pressure. Think so. All right. Let's do this. All right. I'm Jackie Yerkin.
00:08:08
Speaker
I am, I live in Bergen County, New Jersey, and my dad got me into the marching arts when I was little, grew up in Rochester, New York. Right now I am in finance for a corporate clothing company. I teach fusion winter guard, as well as blue coat strumptor. Sweet. And I'm on the movement team. So when in there did you become a mom though?
00:08:38
Speaker
Yeah, so my little boy is, he's gonna be six in like three weeks. So I have a very similar story as Cynthia, actually. My dad got me, like I said, into the marching arts when I was really little. And 2018, Riley, my son was born. I was teaching drum corps at the time. So just, you know, managing that. And very similar, he kind of grew up in like me dragging him to rehearsals.
00:08:58
Speaker
Yeah, missed that part, but I figured we could talk about it more.
00:09:06
Speaker
at Fusion and no interest really, same yet. But we like put him into, he's into the sports thing, the soccer, the baseball, put him into gymnastics. And, but he does like being around, he's known all the kids pretty much his whole life. So he knows what it's about and he knows mommy loves it. And he's always down for the ride. But
00:09:32
Speaker
We'll see where he takes interest in it later down the road. That's the perfect training. Sports, gymnastics, he will be ready for marching band if he can do those things. Good training. That's what I'm hoping. That's what I'm hoping, whether it's musically or, you know.
00:09:48
Speaker
In the color guard, whatever it may be, maybe at some point, my dad was a drummer, so maybe it'll be in his bloodline somewhere along the way, but we'll see. But yeah, he's a great kid, so it's really fun to drag him along. He's pretty good. How did you start out? What did you play or do in band that got you excited about it?
00:10:10
Speaker
Yeah, so my dad was an assistant band director up in Rochester, New York. And I was around the novice Winter Guard, the indoor, both the marching band and the indoor guard, up in Hilton, New York, when I was like four or five years old. And so I was also dancing, obviously, in preschool and taking all dance classes. So I was doing the competition dance.
00:10:31
Speaker
and then the color guard as well. And a little five-year-old trying to spin a padded saber and dancing and everything. Yeah, so I was definitely around for all my dad's time with the band.
00:10:47
Speaker
And then took some time off from Color Guard, went on to do the competitive dance thing, moved back to New Jersey around 2000, 2001, and got back into Color Guard in 2003. Wow. Pretty much didn't take much time off between, I think I took two years off. Did marching band with Trish, actually. She taught me in high school. Wow. And yeah, and then from there just went into independent.
00:11:14
Speaker
independent guards from there and then did DCA drum corps for a long time as well. And how are you going to manage this summer? Are you with Bluecoats the entire summer and it's going to come along? No, I was with Bluecoats last year and this year as well. And they're just short stints, basically a week at a time. Like I went to April camp. I will go out for the end of spring, like one week down to spring training and then I'll be on the roads for one week.
00:11:40
Speaker
And that's pretty much it. And so it's, it's, it balances pretty well because it's not, I don't know if I'd be able to do the whole summer, but I'm really excited that I can at least be a part of it in some capacity. And of course there's, you know, tons of family at home that are really, really supportive to be able to, you know, watch Riley when I'm away. So it works out well, thank God. I'm such a big fan of Kathy.
00:12:09
Speaker
I missed that. Oh, I said I'm such a big fan of Kathy on the blue coat stuff. Yeah. She's amazing. She is truly like a great soul, great educator. Yeah. She's a lot of fun. Yeah. Do you get to take your little boy on the tour with you at all or to any of the drum corps rehearsals?
00:12:29
Speaker
No, we've taken him to the local DCI shows around here in Jersey. But as far as being on the road, maybe Allentown, because that's not too far. It's about an hour from home. So my parents usually come out for that. And my dad did bring him at the Glassboro Jersey show last year. They surprised me there for a day. But everything else is just a little too far and sleeping on the buses and everything. I think that would be a little
00:12:58
Speaker
Extreme at six right now. They managed. Sarah sleeps way better than I do in a bus. I was coming back to WGN. I was like, I cannot go on tour. I'm way too like this. This is hurtful. I cannot sleep.
Events and Traditions in Marching Arts
00:13:18
Speaker
Well, I have to ask, does your little boy get a costume that matches what the blue coats are wearing? I just love that trend when you see like in guard and in band. When you see the little kids in a uniform, I just love that. Does your son do that?
00:13:33
Speaker
No, he doesn't. We definitely have used merch, tons of fusion t-shirts and sweatshirts and blue coats t-shirts and definitely he stocked up with all the fish with that, but no uniforms yet. Not yet. What has been your most challenging moment so far with balancing out your life between being a mom and being an instructor for all these different ensembles?
00:14:03
Speaker
Yeah, probably honestly, when he started school, I think it was a lot easier. I guess it's a double edged sword because when he was smaller, like, you know, you got the diaper bags, you got like, you have like 1000 things in the car. And it's like, how am I gonna like walk around the regional like this? But then honestly, now it's more so like,
00:14:25
Speaker
just now that he's in school, managing, making sure that obviously he's the priority. I have to make sure the homework is done and he has the lunch ready for Monday morning and all that stuff. So I think it's just managing the priorities and just making sure those things are planned well ahead or just making sure, is he at my dad's house? Is he at my mom's house? And just the logistics of it all.
00:14:49
Speaker
Because like of course it's like missing him too when i'm on the road obviously i'm like missing a baseball game or like audition because like his first. I think it's those things of like missing out but in all honesty all the staff that i work with add post fusion and blue coats are like.
00:15:07
Speaker
Insanely supportive like his godparents are like on staff as well and like they're very welcoming same thing Like every there's always someone that's like you want me to take him. You know what I mean? Do you all go out nice thing about the arts? Yeah, it's one massive family as you all know So it's like I have so much support that I'm been Crazy blessed to like not be too stressed out about it
00:15:33
Speaker
But yeah, I think it's just making sure that you plan well, and you're organized, and you know what I mean? You just have everything kind of set and good to go, so you don't have to worry about it. You just don't want to be caught like, oh my god, I forgot something, or I forgot about this, I forgot about that. But yeah, like I said, there's been a lot of help, a lot of support, a lot of love for both me and him. So that's been really great to have that. That's awesome. Totally.
00:16:03
Speaker
That makes you and Cynthia super moms in my book. I just can't imagine. But doing the things that y'all do and not having the support at home that comes just from.
00:16:13
Speaker
having a partner that just changed. My daughter, like I said, my oldest is a wedding photographer. There's no way she could do that if her husband didn't stay home with their son. And so I'm just so impressed with you and Cynthia both that you can manage that. That's kudos to y'all. It really does make you smile. You don't have a choice though, huh? Yeah, exactly. You make it work though. Yeah.
00:16:38
Speaker
I think what Cynthia said, it's really easy to just be like, well, I guess I have to be done, or I guess I have to give it up. But when it's part of your life, your whole life, you know what I mean? I can't imagine not having the marching arts in my life at some capacity, even if I was doing an admin role or selling the costume, you know what I mean? It's just hard. I'm thankful I could be so physically active in it, and so hands-on with the membership, that's my favorite part.
00:17:06
Speaker
Yeah, it's like it is what you're just like, okay, I guess like your life as like not being a mom, you know, it's like over and you could still have the best of both worlds. That's really cool. I love that. On that note, I think it is time we switch over to our new segment.
00:17:39
Speaker
I always feel so professional with that like news sound we got going now. Cynthia, you have our first story and I'm so, I'm excited about this one. I'm finishing up reading the article as we're talking right now, but basically it's the, let me find the U of L marching band, which is a school that
00:18:06
Speaker
is going to the Kentucky Derby. And that's not a thing. I mean, I'm saying this and maybe there is a thing here, but I didn't know about this. Like to me- You don't do this in Canada?
00:18:16
Speaker
I, maybe probably, but like, I picture more the Princess Diana with the big hat, you know? Oh yeah, that's it. You nailed it. That's it. Just put on your best outfit and go watch some horses run around. Yeah, and they're saying that they are celebrating their 115th year, so they've been doing this since 1936.
00:18:43
Speaker
And they're very excited to go and to be there. And at this point, it's in their blood and in their culture to go and play for the Kentucky Derby. Wow. Yeah, that's the University of Louisville, the Kentucky Derby. Of course, it's a horse race here in the States. Kentucky. And the University of Louisville named Kentucky. That makes sense. But yeah, it's a tradition. When I was a kid, we always would watch it.
00:19:12
Speaker
You know, it was something that my grandmother and I would watch together and it's just neat. It kicks off the biggest three races in our thoroughbred racing culture. So it's just a really cool thing. It's just awesome too that they have like a marching band involved in a horse race. So talking about college marching bands, Cindy,
00:19:39
Speaker
I have a great story although part of me thinks this shouldn't be a first but it is for the first time in Notre Dame history they will have an all-female group of drum majors this fall and so evidently that hasn't happened until now and
00:20:02
Speaker
But that's exciting.
Financial Aspects of Marching Arts
00:20:04
Speaker
And one of the girls is from Minnesota and her local news interviewed her. So that's pretty cool that this group in Minnesota is super proud of her for leading the fighting Irish of Notre Dame. And so, you know, her mom and dad are very proud of her and that's pretty cool.
00:20:25
Speaker
to know your kiddo is doing something so amazing. Everybody's heard of Notre Dame. And that's just, but like I said, it's kind of surprising to me. It hasn't happened before. I like these all female groups. We need more of this. This needs to be a trend. We need to keep trending this direction. Nothing against the guys, but I do love that. I don't know. I do. I love that. Ashley, what do you got for us today?
00:20:50
Speaker
We're gonna be talking a little bit about the 2024 DCI scholarships. Can you believe that more than $85,000 in scholarship money was awarded? That is wild. That's a lot of dollars.
00:21:08
Speaker
That is a lot of dollars. What's even more crazy is, thank God for these scholarships because of the price tag of Drum Corps nowadays. Okay, y'all. When I marched Blue Devils over 10 years ago, I paid $1,700 to march.
00:21:30
Speaker
Wow. And nowadays $6,000 to March mandarins or whoever. What happened to that blue coats Jackie? Uh, I want to say, I feel like it's around six, 6,000. Yeah.
00:21:48
Speaker
Those poor kids, oh my gosh. Especially after coming off of a winter season where you already dropped two or three. So in one season, you're probably even spending over 10,000. How is activity going to survive with that kind of price tag, you guys?
00:22:05
Speaker
I mean, I get the cost of wage and everything. I get that inflation has heavily impacted it. But it feels a little bleak to think that so many people cannot participate just simply because of the cost. Yeah. Shout out to all of the people who have generously awarded scholarships to all these really awesome members. And I can't wait to see what they do this summer. Yay.
00:22:36
Speaker
Cynthia, speaking of DCI, now let's flip over to the WGI season.
Rule Changes and Participation Excitement
00:22:43
Speaker
So maybe like some of you know, there's going to be the Board of Directors meeting, the Advisory Board. This word is really hard to say, advisory. Advisory. Advisory, that's what we're missing, advisory. So Advisory Board in Vegas on June 8th and 9th, if I'm not mistaken, it's the second weekend of June.
00:23:05
Speaker
And we're going to go over all the rules of the rule books of color guard, jump core and wins. So if you want to submit if a group wants to submit a rule change or.
00:23:19
Speaker
And to the rule books, you have to have it in before the 29th of May. And then it's going to be discussed and viewed and voted at the meeting on June 8th.
00:23:35
Speaker
participating for the first time ever. I'm very excited to be around the table to discuss. If I'm not mistaken, if I'm not mistaken, it's all of the, and correct me if I'm wrong if anyone knows, but usually I'm the geek of this, but it's all the world-class finalists that has a vote and all the top five, if I'm not wrong. I'm sure the medalists, but I think it's all the top five of the other open-class scholastics and A-class scholastics and independent.
00:24:03
Speaker
So I will be there and I will attend. So yeah, your roles, if you have anything you want to change, and usually they'll communicate the day of. So on that weekend, if you're a director, if you're a staff, go see if there's any rule changes, because then maybe you're going to have 70 members on the floor this year. Who knows, right?
00:24:27
Speaker
No, no, no, 50 is good enough. Being an educator too, 50 is good enough, but yeah. I think six is good, I'm just saying. Oh! Yeah, well, it's happy to have him, I guess. Speaking of WGI, Jackie, what have you got for us today? Yes, so WGI is looking for applications for the WGI board of directors.
00:24:56
Speaker
They're offering qualified individuals an opportunity to play a crucial role for the future of the organization to fill some open positions of the board of directors. 15 reps are going to be elected from the advisory boards to the board of directors.
00:25:12
Speaker
This is also including color guard percussion and wins. The basis for the deciding number is from each division is based on world championship entries from the current season. So the more groups that participate within a division, then the more representatives increase if one divisions.
00:25:29
Speaker
participation decreases, the number of reps will decrease as well. So they are looking for some qualified people to join that as well.
00:25:43
Speaker
Thank you so much, Jackie, for coming on the show. If our listeners want to come and find you and follow you on social media, where would they do that at? Yeah, I am Jacqueline Christiana, my middle name, Yerkin, on Facebook, and also on Instagram, Jacqueline Christiana, on there as well. We'll have to put that in our show notes.
00:26:06
Speaker
Is there anything you would like to sort of leave us with a gush and go, if you will, as we close out this section of our episode? Just really happy to be here. This is really exciting. And no, I think it's just really awesome that like we spoke about before, it's all about balance and you can you can do whatever you want. That this activity absolutely shows that and it's super cliche, but
00:26:30
Speaker
it's like the sky's the limit and you know if you want to do what you can do it no matter what that means it's all just planning and give yourself that opportunity to do that for sure. Okay well Jackie is going to run a dance block while she's here so all of you guys just leave your flags on the sideline but uh get that out there on the 30 so you can get that done and we'll see you after the break.
00:27:06
Speaker
Hey, this is Christine Rehm. And Chris Green. Guard Closet was founded as a consignment business in 2000. Since then, it has grown to include Winter Guard, band, percussion, and other genres. We can help you with custom flag and costuming designs.
00:27:22
Speaker
Our consignment inventory has plenty of great looks for your color guard, drum line, and marching band. Pay it forward. When you purchase consignment, you help other programs. Last year we sold over 400 sets of consignments and returned over $125,000 in payments to our consigners for their skills. Additionally, Guard Closet offers custom and pre-designed costumes, flags, floors, and formal wear, full or partial showwriting, educational programming, and other services.
00:27:51
Speaker
max out your rehearsal time and set up a microsite for easy student ordering for shoes, gloves, and other equipment. The Guard Closet team is here to help you get everything you want and need for your season. Check us out at guardcloset.com and follow us on social media.
Funny Stories from Marching Arts Moms
00:28:20
Speaker
All right, everybody, set your equipment down. It is time to jump into our funniest and most outrageous I'm a mom and I do marching arts story.
00:28:36
Speaker
Cindy, do you want to kick us off? Sure. Obviously, my band, Kitto, has graduated and moved on, but I still will never forget her senior year. Leander was headed to Grand Nationals for the first time ever. We had
00:28:56
Speaker
VOA San Antonio happening Friday and Saturday. We had to come back for state Monday and Tuesday. All this was down in San Antonio and then we had to get to Indianapolis by Thursday so that the kids could do grand nats. We were going to San Antonio and then back to Austin and back to San Antonio and back to Austin and then
00:29:18
Speaker
Of course, they flew to Indy, but we drove and that was the craziest, craziest. I was like, I don't know how we did it. I don't know how we drove twice to San Antonio and factually entered and then back to Indy. And then on top of that, it was a show where the kids were really getting injured towards the end. So by the time
00:29:38
Speaker
We got to Indianapolis. We had one child with a broken hip, and he was in a wheelchair. So he was a drum major, and they just parked his wheelchair on the back field, and he led from the back. And then we had two or three with sprained ankles just that week, because it was just so much with San Antonio. And it was the year they did the
00:30:04
Speaker
the fourth dimension and they were all running through a giant cube at the end of the show. They were just so many of them falling. In fact, it's funny to go back and watch those YouTube videos. But they were troopers, but it was crazy. I'll never forget
00:30:22
Speaker
that week of insanity of driving and traveling and taking care of, I was running back and forth to the drugstore to get things for the poor kids that were falling and hurting their ankles. And it was just, it was madness. But somehow they all marched during finals. I still don't know how they did. We had several that said, there's no way I am missing that final run. We made it to finals. I'm not missing it. And they were limping across the field.
00:30:51
Speaker
I'll never forget that. It was crazy. It's just what you do. It's what band kids do and what band moms do is take care of them and patch them up. You got to do it. Oh my gosh. I wonder how their bodies are now. Right?
00:31:11
Speaker
Like your broken whip, oh my goodness. My grandma's whip is not broken. That was crazy. Cynthia, what's a crazy, outrageous mom story you have? I feel like, well, I'm pretty sure as every mom, I could have a full episode of just Santa truth. Santaisms, like little things that,
00:31:36
Speaker
But I think one of the funniest is when I was five weeks old and we went to Bethlehem with us in at the regional and we so we and at that point I was still with her dad so thank god he was there, dad trooper, but he had to take care of the pull the tarp
00:31:57
Speaker
So we handed the little five-week-old to a mom by here and put the swirler by like the announcer table downstairs. And then in 2018 Bethlehem was like a arena, like kind of WJ, I don't want to say WJ, but arena where you perform downstairs and then go higher.
00:32:19
Speaker
Um, to see the show. So the stroller is downstairs by the announcer table. We forget it. We forget the stroller there. We listen to the tapes to, to go to judges critique and stuff. And we go to judges critique where it's like between two, two, um, uh,
00:32:37
Speaker
you know, to spectator area. And it's blocked. And then at that moment in time, the recaps were not on competition suite yet. And for people that know me, I want to listen to all the tapes, I want to have my notes, I want to have the recap, everything as you should as you should. New educator, educator, please as you should. But um,
00:33:04
Speaker
but I didn't have my recaps and I was like oh my god I don't have my recaps and you have to go all the way like I didn't have time to go all the way around to pick up anything and Carlo was there and I love Carlo and I was like I'm not gonna go in front of Carlo and be like can I cut through the the entire like the judges and everything to but then Saha needed a diaper change
00:33:27
Speaker
And I just went to Carla and we're like, we need the stroller to have her diaper changed. Can we go get the stroller? But in reality, it was where the recaps went down the stairs, got the stroller and the recaps go back up. And yeah, that was kind of a
00:33:43
Speaker
But like, but you're right. Like, I don't know, Jackie, how it went for you at the VGI. But when you have a kid, you have a VIP pass. Like, at the arena, like Rabbar the first year was giving the bottle, like, like behind a stand, like a food stand, like laying on popcorn bags. That really helped you.
00:34:05
Speaker
Yeah, that's the judge of baby in a bottle. Right. Yeah, it's one of the things that like, like, well, and that was like, Cindy and Stephanie told me to was like, ahead of time, like, Oh, I was so worried about going this year in particular, because I have my toddler who's super mobile and friends with everybody. He's never met a stranger in his life.
00:34:27
Speaker
Oh, yeah. And and then I'm also pregnant. So like, I was just like, it's gonna be so crazy. And everyone was like, Oh, no, everybody's gonna jump in. Everybody's gonna be helpful. And really, they were it's it's such a loving community, I feel like with WGI. This year was giving out like, the maple candies to like people to stranger going to all the candies.
00:34:49
Speaker
And as a mom, like, you know those friendship bracelets that we was a trend this year? I made Sarah a friendship bracelet with, like, mom and my phone number on it. Oh, smart. Sarah is bilingual. She understands English, but she doesn't speak it. So if you ever go to, like, a big stadium with your kid and mobile, like Jackie is saying, like, when they're mobile, put your phone number on their wristbands and there's so many volunteers. They're going to help. But thank God she didn't.
00:35:17
Speaker
That's amazing. That's great. Great idea. Ashley? This was a hard one because I feel like I don't have a big giant story, but I do a lot of little things like that, like breastfeeding or pumping and really obscure places. Yes.
00:35:39
Speaker
So there was one season, yeah, one season I was nursing and I was just constantly worried that I was going to be leaking through my staff shirt and all the kids were going to see my breast milk at a game or something. So, you know, that was an added stressor. There was another time where, oh, it was during the COVID era and we were recording
00:36:06
Speaker
stuff to submit for competition. And I brought baby girl with me. She was probably two at the time when we were on a stage in the auditorium and I'm recording, they're spinning their flags. My back is to the house. And next thing you know, we hear a big old thud because my toddler fell off the stage.
00:36:27
Speaker
Oh, no, I know, I know. Can you imagine my heart? She is lively. I think she's okay. Yeah, dude, I don't know. Being a mom and doing marching arts is wild. And they're also trying to break into the office right now. They're like crying on the other side. Aww. Aww.
00:36:56
Speaker
being on a podcast even about the marching arts and your kids are like, we have to be there with you. Yeah. My door is like, I'm like in a horror film right now. They're like crying. I don't know. Oh, here you are. This is like perfect. This is just such a classic reality mom life. Oh my gosh.
00:37:23
Speaker
I had a really interesting time at WGI this year, of course, and but my crazy story has to be whenever Victor and I were up in the box, and he just
00:37:39
Speaker
I mean, he loves watching Color Guard. And so he's all excited about the flags and the rifles. And he's like jumping up and down. And they have those like glass walls. I thought he was going to like launch himself over that wall. I was so worried because of how excited he was. But he just kept like waving at people. And like, he'd wave at performers. He'd wave at people in the audience. Sometimes people in the audience would wave back at him. And it was just really cute at that point.
00:38:08
Speaker
But yeah, kids do crazy things. They're wild sometimes.
00:38:16
Speaker
Well, we have another amazing marching arts mom guest who's about to be on with us, Jenny Durko.
Career Journeys: From Marching Arts to Education
00:38:25
Speaker
I'm gonna go run and grab her really quick and I'll be right back. Come on over here Jenny and join us on the sideline. I'm so excited you're here because we're doing our episode all about moms in the marching arts today. And I want to start off with your
00:38:40
Speaker
32 count life story. So if you've not seen this before, the way it works is we will give you a metronome, it's a Dr. Beat, so be warned. You'll have eight counts for free, and then you just jump right in with your life story. Basically from birth until now, how did you get to where you're at? But you guys cram it all into 32 counts. So you think you can handle it? No pressure. No pressure.
00:39:10
Speaker
Are you ready? I'm ready. All right, let's do this. Okay, well, um, I was born in Dayton, Ohio. I am an only child. I went to Carroll High School. I was luckily very blessed by beginning my high school career during the Mike Gaines
00:39:36
Speaker
First years at Carroll, so did that. And then I went on to march some independent groups, none of which still exist. I marched in Escapade, Adagio, the company. I marched in Phantom Regiment and I marched in the Crossman. And now I'm an elementary school principal. I have two amazing kids and I still work with color guards. I do some judging and I work with the Cavaliers in the summer.
00:40:02
Speaker
Wow, that's awesome. Whenever I first received your contact information, I was like, I know this name, but I'm pretty sure it's that Cavaliers connection is what it is.
00:40:15
Speaker
It might be, it might be. I feel like we're all like the seven degrees of, what is it called? The Kevin Bacon, seven degrees of Kevin Bacon connections. I think it's even closer than that. We can all figure out how we're connected in some way. I love this activity because of that.
00:40:34
Speaker
Yeah, it's a small world. It really is. It certainly is. I love that you're an elementary education principal. I was a preschool director for 10 years, and that was such a... I miss it. I really do. It's pretty great. My worlds have collided a little bit too recently. It's been very cool. Well, in a lot of different ways.
00:41:00
Speaker
our bookkeeper here at school, I taught her daughter when she was in high school color guard, one of our teacher assistants, I taught her daughter when she was in high school color guard. One of my pre K teachers here I taught her when she was in first flight. One of
00:41:16
Speaker
Someone else I taught with at First Flight, he was one of my third grade teachers here. I mean, it's just, it's very, very cool. So the connections you make and it's pretty amazing. It's so true. A lot of my little preschoolers are now in high school and in Texas and in the Austin area. So it was always so fun when I'm watching a BOA competition. I'm like, yeah, they were at my school and I was their teacher. And oh yeah. It's just so cool to see them grow up and exceed and excel.
00:41:45
Speaker
and be connected in the band world. I just, I love that. Pretty awesome. Yeah. So you're a mom to everybody, but tell us about your kids a little bit. Are they involved in working hard or anything?
00:41:59
Speaker
So I have two sons. My oldest is 20. And he actually, he did high school band and was in the indoor percussion thing for a while when they kind of combined and had some, he played saxophone.
00:42:18
Speaker
He did some wins with them. He was actually in his college marching band at East Carolina University. All fun. Pretty awesome. He started out as a music education major and went through one semester and said, I love it, but I don't think I want to do it for a living.
00:42:42
Speaker
Okay, I'm trying to figure that out. Yeah, I'm good with that. Yeah. Yeah, and I think to the whole education thing, you know, he's
00:42:49
Speaker
having a parent that's in education, you see every side of it. And, um, and you know what, I, I don't care what he does as long as he's happy. I really, truly don't. Um, but he was involved in that. And then, um, my youngest son who's actually having a birthday today, he's, he just turned 17. Killing me 17 and 20. Um, but he, um, he did some percussion stuff and you know, he, um,
00:43:15
Speaker
He is a lover of the of the marching arts. He he has been lately taking out to the backyard wanting to he's taken a saber and a rifle out there. He's like, Come out, watch me. Am I doing this right? And I do it's pretty exciting. Yeah, it's and he they love to go to
00:43:35
Speaker
you know, to show they both grew up in a gym. I mean, you know, when I taught, I was pregnant with both of them. When I was teaching first flight winter guard, I mean, we have pictures of the pack in place sitting on the front sideline. We'll have hearing now because back then, you know, we didn't know yours probably should put headphones on those babies, you know, we talked about that. Yeah, no clue, no clue. So but they were raised in a gym, they were raised,
00:44:05
Speaker
around this their whole lives, you know what I mean? And it's it's been amazing. It's it's been the best, best, best thing really has. Do you have a funny or outrageous? I'm a mom and story where your world's kind of cross. Well, so this is one that everybody laughs about a lot. Actually, we we actually
00:44:31
Speaker
We have a dear, dear friend of ours that just passed away recently. And he was very involved in the marching arts here in the Atlantic indoor circuit. And we just did a beautiful memorial celebration of life for him this past weekend. And so all these people that have come back, just decades and decades of us that were connecting. And I think that I heard this story probably four times. But when my oldest, my 20-year-old was a baby,
00:45:02
Speaker
And I was teaching first flight. We were in, we were either in Atlanta or Nashville. I can never remember which one at the regional. And I would always joke and say, you know, I did my time on floor crew when I marched.
00:45:15
Speaker
you know, I don't touch the floor anymore. That's y'all y'all get to enjoy it now. Well, I had him. I had Hayden in his stroller. And we're rolling out, you know, will the you know, when you're not in your own circuit, when you're in your own circuit, you have all these high school kids that are running out to help with a big deal.
00:45:34
Speaker
Well, you go somewhere else to a different state. A lot of times they're not there. So we get done with the show. They're getting ready to roll up the floor. I've got the stroller and I realized, oh my God, there's like nobody here helping with the floor. So I leave the stroller on the front sideline and I run to help with the floor. We get the floor off. Lo and behold, the stroller with Hayden, the baby is still across the gym. And yeah.
00:45:59
Speaker
And then later on, we were in the, you know, they have like the sous vide area and everything. We were up there and we were walking through and I'm pushing the stroller and these two high school kids went by and they said, here's that lady that left her baby on the front. Oh, no. Oh, my God.
00:46:17
Speaker
Did you get a T and P penalty for that? No, because I left him like he was over on the side. Oh, okay. I wouldn't have risked getting the penalty. I wouldn't have gotten this a penalty.
00:46:44
Speaker
It's been amazing having them grow up around this activity. So that's, uh, no better people that you could have as your, uh, as your village, you know?
00:46:56
Speaker
It's been amazing. You see that a lot now even. You see so many of the instructors bring in their little kiddos with them and it really is a village. I'm just amazed at the amount, especially even in the high schools, those guard kids, they step up and help take care of the director's kids and the marching band too. It's just really cool to see how it's such a community that really obviously loves each other.
00:47:23
Speaker
Oh, yeah, they used to, that was the other thing at the memorial. We said, how many of you were on critique duty? Because whenever we would go on critique after a show, I would say, okay, who's watching the kids? So, you know, I mean, it was an independent group wasn't a high school group was independent group and sites say, Okay, who's taking them and
00:47:40
Speaker
I mean, buddy, if they stepped up and they would take them, they'd go hang out and they'd play. And I mean. And you didn't worry. Yeah, they're just the best. And, you know, my kids have made great relationships. One of our, you know, the kids, the young people we taught, I mean, she's an adult now. She's engaged to be married. She lives in San Francisco. I mean, I sent Hayden for his senior spring break to go and spend a week with her in San Francisco. Oh, fun.
00:48:07
Speaker
You have these connections and it's great when you build them for yourself, but then to build those connections for your kids. And I think they learn from each other. I think my kids have learned so much from them, but to be quite honest with you, it's a pretty neat perspective for young people, for young adults to have to be around parents and to be around.
00:48:31
Speaker
And to see that their director can have a job, have a career, and still be a mom. That's a valuable lesson to young girls. You can do both. Yeah, definitely. And it makes you a better mom, in my opinion. It does. Jenny, is there anything before we let you go that you would like to gush and go on about?
00:48:59
Speaker
just to our listeners, to the marching arts community in general. Well, you know, we're coming off WGI, right? We're coming off of WGI. We're getting ready to start the summer. I think that, you know,
00:49:14
Speaker
Maybe one thing is that if you're, if you have the opportunity to march and you're kind of on the fence about it, and we have a few kids, you know, even for this summer looking at our cast of Cavaliers that are kind of on the fence, you know, oh, you know, I've got this going on or that going on, you know, real life is always going to be there.
00:49:34
Speaker
real life is always, always, always going to be there. And I guess maybe that would be my thing is just to say, I couldn't be more blessed that I did this and that I took opportunities and that I
00:49:47
Speaker
made the connections I did and, you know, did it take me a little bit longer to get through college than other people, maybe? But is that okay? I've got plenty of time to pay bills the rest of my life. I've got plenty of times to have my big girl job. But it's funny now, and especially last summer at Cavaliers, one of the other members of the staff and I were walking around and
00:50:10
Speaker
I was like, man, this is crazy to be here and to think, you do have a different perspective. You don't realize how nice it is. Yeah, they're feeding you and you don't have to worry about what time they're feeding you and you lay on this bus and then you get to practice all day long and you sweat and you work and you perform. But you're pretty much taken care of. I just have to do your own laundry. And I loved it so much.
00:50:39
Speaker
Oh my gosh. Yeah. And you forget, like you forget how you just take it for granted. You know, I wouldn't want anybody to take that for granted. And if they have the opportunity, like don't pass it up, don't answer that because it's the best ever.
00:50:57
Speaker
That's awesome. I absolutely share that perspective with you so, so, so much. Is there anywhere that our audience could come and find you and follow you on social media? I mean, I'm on Instagram. I'm on Facebook. What's your Instagram handle?
00:51:14
Speaker
Because we can share it in our show notes, too. I don't know. It means I'm old. I don't even know. I don't know what it is. It's at, oh, I've got it. It's right here. It's at Petite Flower, 0918. 0918. I will go follow you after this, too. Me, too. Oh, goodness gracious. All right, good, good, good. It says, showing my age. I have no idea what my, I'm like, I don't know.
00:51:45
Speaker
Thank you very much, Jenny. We are going to have to get back out on the floor and we're going to take full advantage of your skills while you're here and have you do some critiquing from the box. So we'll be right back.
00:52:15
Speaker
Hey everyone, it's Jeremy, and here are your announcements coming from the box. You wanna drink up on a water break lost in translation with Cynthia Bernard, uncover the glitz and glamour of twirlers with on a water break in rhinestones hosted by Lexi Duda, get the insider scoop from the stands with on a water break from the stands with Cindy Berry, aka Leander Mama, and join the band family in on a water break family style with Stephanie Click, plus much, much more to come.
00:52:45
Speaker
Make sure to follow us on social media at onawaterbreak for all the latest updates and bonus content. Got something to share or a burning question? Email us at onawaterbreakpodcastatgmail.com. So don't be the person that doesn't tell their friends about a water break. Make sure everyone stays hydrated. Okay field staff, take it away. Let's reset.
00:53:17
Speaker
guys, I can't believe it. But on this water break, we have another guest joining us another marching arts mom for Mother's Day. Please welcome to the pod, Catherine Scott. Hello, everybody.
00:53:38
Speaker
So Katherine, before we get started on chatting, which I want to know everything about you. So what I'm going to do is we're going to do something called the 32 count life story. Everybody who's been listening to this episode so far, we've already done it with our previous guys. So I don't want to go too deep into it. But just so you know, we're going to give you a metronome.
00:53:59
Speaker
You get eight beats from the Dr. Beat, and then you'll have 32 counts to tell us your entire life story from birth until now. Okay. So, are you prepared for this? I am. I'm excited. Do you know your dots? Do you have your music memorized? I do. I even color-coded my dot book like we're ready to go. Oh, wow. Yes, mama is ready. All right, let's do this.
00:54:33
Speaker
Alright, my name is Catherine. I am a 34 year old mother. I am a headband director in Dallas, Texas right now. I have spent my entire career since I was 21 years old teaching high school band and it all started with my love for music when I was in high school in South Florida doing competitive marching and
00:54:59
Speaker
jazz band and I loved it. I went to University of Central Florida, Florida A&M for master's and had a great time. That's awesome.
00:55:12
Speaker
What school in Dallas are you at, Catherine? So I am currently the head band director at Sunset High School in Dallas. We're about to celebrate the 100th year of the school. Wow. That's fantastic. So cool. Yeah, I'm good friends with Leah, the dance director. Oh, awesome. Yeah, she's great. We're currently preparing our spring game for Thursday.
00:55:40
Speaker
Oh, nice. That's awesome. So tell us about your kids. Kids, kids, kids. I'm a mother of three. I have nine, four, and two-year-olds. Wow. Girl, two boys. I was pregnant for three marching seasons. In the Texas heat. That's crazy brutal.
00:56:10
Speaker
How long have you been at Sunset? I recently got to Sunset October of 2022. So the majority of my career was in South Florida. Oh, awesome. Nice humidity down there. Am I hearing an accent from you? Or am I just imagining things? No, everybody says that I spent a lot of summers with family in New York. Born and raised in Miami though. Okay, 305. Exactly.
00:56:38
Speaker
One of my good friends that I did Blue Devils with is from Miami, so we're always joking about the Miami things. Yep. Oh, I loved it. South Florida is amazing. South Florida is a great place to be, but making the move to Texas was huge for the family. Yeah, I bet. I can imagine.
00:56:59
Speaker
What would you say was the most challenging thing about making that move? Did you move for your job initially? Yes. What was the most challenging thing about moving with your family? I think challenging was, of course, as a mom. We're career driven, but we're also
00:57:21
Speaker
we're motherly, we play dual roles as women. And the most challenging thing was making sure that our career was stable as well as the health of our kids, like mentally, moving them halfway across the country for me, was making sure that my kids were set up in great schools and had great teachers.
00:57:53
Speaker
Also that they'll go to a great high school one day with a great marching band. Yes. I love it. I love the ability. South Florida Living was really quick pace and I love where I am now. I could walk to my daughter's elementary school. I could walk to my son's daycare. I get to do a lot of morning pickup or after school pickup for them or morning drop off, sorry.
00:58:20
Speaker
you know, a little bit more than I was able to in South Florida. So the move was challenging to develop a new lifestyle, but it really did give me a chance to better balance being a head band director for high school and mom. Yeah. And do you see them? Do you see them already having a... Oh, go, go. Yes, she'll go. Oh, I was gonna say, do you see them having already like a tangent or an interest for a marching band or the marching arts?
00:58:47
Speaker
Oh, my daughter, my daughter for sure is very into dance and color guard. We do color guard and the Todd's whirling. Yes, she loves it. My middle child loves percussion. Yeah. And the two year old just wants to run around everywhere.
00:59:08
Speaker
He could be, I don't know, I first see him playing the loudest instrument possible, maybe. That's just his character. It's going to be drums.
00:59:23
Speaker
I really foresee a drum set soon in the house. I was going to ask, is there a huge difference between the kind of band program you taught back in South Florida versus in Dallas ISD? Because Dallas ISD is very different from a lot of the surrounding districts as you know in Texas because we're really known for our marching band culture.
00:59:45
Speaker
But Dallas ISD, being an inner city district and a lot of low income students, the marching band culture is not quite the same. So is that what you experienced back in South Florida?
00:59:59
Speaker
So in South Florida, I originally developed my program to be very core style, very competitive because that's the organization that I grew up in. And I loved it. When I started teaching in South Florida, I did realize that the group of students that I was educating were not as
01:00:21
Speaker
very driven by competitive marching band. It was more of, well, I would like to be in a band where I have fun. I was like, okay, we can have fun in competitive marching band. It was just, it's a different type of fun, I think sometimes. So what I did was I developed my band in South Florida to be more of a traditional show style band. And I really did have to educate myself because that was not what I always knew how to teach.
01:00:50
Speaker
So the band that I teach in Dallas ISD is also a traditional show band. However, we were one of three schools in our ISD that advanced to area competition for marching band. So even as a high stepping, no show style band, we were able to receive our ones. We went to area marching, which is a great accomplishment for UIL in Texas bands. Yeah. What's a huge accomplishment?
01:01:20
Speaker
Yeah. So, and at the end of the day, we also have two very high level performing concert bands and a jazz program as well. And of course our auxiliaries. We do it all for the kids.
Support for Moms in Marching Arts
01:01:36
Speaker
So we have a segment that we're gonna do now on our show called, what are we doing? Basically, this is our moment to ask ourselves and each other and the marching arts community at large, what are we doing with anything? What are we doing? I love it.
01:02:05
Speaker
What are we doing without changing tables in some of our public concert halls? Yes. I can't tell you as a band director mom how many interesting places I've had to change my poor babies. Yes. Wow. Crazy.
01:02:23
Speaker
Like in high school gyms, like I know high schoolers probably shouldn't need changing tables, but like in the gym, that's where the basketball games are. That's where the public comes to watch. That's where the spectators are. Changing tables in there. Oh yes. I know we even, or public stadiums. Yeah. Public stadiums. We went to DCI show in July in Texas and in the football stadium trying to find a place to
01:02:53
Speaker
You know, to change the babies. It's like, what are we doing? A mom and you do not come up with those plans. I'll tell you that. Obviously. It's true. Cindy, what are we doing? So if you guys know Nikki, the real drum corps teen Nikki, she had something on Instagram that really I thought was a great idea.
01:03:22
Speaker
Van Moms in DCI, why is there not a resident van mom in DCI at camp? I mean, these kids need a mom, you know, because they're mom's camp. So I volunteered to, you know, there's a group out there that needs a resident van mom on site during summer van camp. There you go. I'm your girl. I'm your girl.
01:03:52
Speaker
Everybody needs a good band mom. That's right. DCI included. Some of those kids are still 16, you know, they need their mom. We have 14-year-olds. Wow. Wow, yeah. Yeah. Even down to us as band directors, every time I carried one of my babies, I had a band mom for me.
01:04:17
Speaker
Yeah, you know. Cynthia, what are we doing? I kind of feel bad because it's going to be moms, but maybe it's more of a tip then, but what are we doing not protecting our kids' ears?
01:04:33
Speaker
Oh, yeah. I was at WGI. Sarah was at hers. It was her second time at WGI. First, she was like a couple of weeks old. Now she was six. And I saw so little kids, and yet again, with those, they're really easy to find. They're comfortable for the kids. And I brought, and even your ears as an adult, like we're around bands and color guard, those high-pitched boys at WGI World Class is intense.
01:05:01
Speaker
please look into it. And there are now earphones that just cut the kind of the, I don't want to add, maybe you guys can say, but the wrong sounds. Like it just cuts the high pitch sounds that you hear really well, everything else. Yeah. And they're not extensive. They're like $20. Even as an educator, you should have your earphone. So yeah, so protect your kid's ears because they're so young and around the noise.
01:05:27
Speaker
infant hearing is so sensitive and those tiny little bones in their ear are just so, so, so sensitive. Yeah. So yeah. I love it. Ashley, what are we doing? What are we doing?
01:05:46
Speaker
wins and percussionists who are not wearing dance belts. Thank you. Thank you.
01:05:58
Speaker
Can somebody tell them that's what we do? Please, please. Well, hopefully they're listening to this episode. They're listening to their moms. I think moms feel that more than anything because you see that and you're like, and you just feel for those boys. You just like, oh my word, somebody please. Yeah.
01:06:20
Speaker
Well, my question to that effect is, why is it not just understood that that happens in our world when you go to sports, when you go to play baseball or you go to play football? Absolutely. You're going to get protection. Yeah. It seems like a no-brainer. Yeah, it seems like it's a no-brainer. In ballet.
01:06:45
Speaker
Because they're wearing, you know, costumes that kind of feel like pajamas sometimes that they're wearing pajamas. So why would I wear pajamas? Hello. What are we doing wearing pajamas for costume? Oh, right.
01:07:13
Speaker
We literally need a whole episode. Okay. Okay. Okay. Enough complaining. Uh, it's time for our gushing ghosts. Great job, everyone.
01:07:33
Speaker
Cindy, do you want to start us off? Well, I do because I had the coolest experience when, like I said, we just got back from California from visiting my daughter and we drove back and we went through Utah. And after we left Salt Lake City, I saw a sign for American Fork. And I was like, oh, American Fork. They have a great band. They have a great guard. And I was telling my husband this. And I'm like, we have to go there and let me get my picture made in front of their school.
01:08:09
Speaker
The band, there were band kids out there practicing marching technique. So I got some pictures of the kids and you guys, their backdrop is freaking mountains, snow cat mountains. Can you imagine that you get to practice with snow cat mountains as your backdrop? I was just like amazed. I just, I can't believe it. So I put that on my Instagram and all the kids are like,
01:08:32
Speaker
What? They get to look at that when they're rehearsing? That's not fair. While the 24 Texas kids are dying in 1,000 degree each. Are you talking? Right. There's no cat mountains to look at. Go follow Cindy at Leander Mama. She has, seriously, one of the best marching band Instagrams ever. It's so fun. Cynthia, what would you like to gush and go on about this week?
01:09:02
Speaker
I'm gonna gush and go about all the village that we have as moms for our kids and I'm thinking about even me as a daughter who was born and raised. I have so many more uncles and aunts than the blood-related family that I have. I know Sara is always taken care of because there's always an eye on her everywhere I go and the supportive.
01:09:27
Speaker
Village that we have and on that I need to give a gush and go to troopers I haven't said it because I really wanted everything to be settled down, but I'm gonna be with troopers this summer
01:09:43
Speaker
Yeah, and if you're still looking for a spot and somewhere the music is gonna if you have any bad feelings in your life this music you're gonna all your rage is gonna come out like it's dancing with the devil the music is dark and I mean I wish I could perform on that music and the staff team we had our audition camp I wasn't there but It's gonna be just really really fun. But anyways, I told Chris McCarthy
01:10:09
Speaker
I can come, but if Sarah can join, I can stay even longer. So they figured it out. We're going to have, one of the staff is going to have a car, so Sarah can be in the bus or in the car. We're going to go more Airbnb than hotels, so everyone can have a room and a bathroom. And I just feel very, very welcomed as a mom and with my daughter being around.
01:10:32
Speaker
And like I said previously, you don't have to stop your career when you become a mom. There are some organizations that will support you and your value is so, I don't know, you value so much that they're going to make a round. And to a certain point, for them, it's not even making a round. They're just happy to have a six year old around. So that's my biggest question.
01:10:57
Speaker
Yeah, well, and if troopers needs a resident van mom I will keep that in mind Yeah, when you come through and do that Midwest tour, yeah Ashley what do you want to gush and go about I? Want to gush and go about my baby daddy. I Mean, you know like being this pregnant
01:11:25
Speaker
and having three other kids, I can't imagine having to do the day-to-day without him, so I'm like so terrified of what I'm gonna do when he has to go back to work. Shout out to my baby party. That's awesome.
01:11:47
Speaker
So Catherine, you kind of see how the gush and go system works now. Is there anything you would like to gush and go on about? I would. I'd love to gush and go on the amazing village that I have become a part of here since I moved into Dallas. Like I said, it was super challenging to move
01:12:08
Speaker
three children, husband. Of course, the dog had to make the trip. He was his own separate journey. Everybody else flew and Hubby had to go back and drive the dog in South Florida.
01:12:23
Speaker
But the village of band moms who are now like a mom to me and to my children, to all of the band students that on a day-to-day basis when all three of my children are with me at practice or at a performance that pitch in and really treat them like they're a little sibling.
01:12:49
Speaker
You know, I really do like to go on our villages because as a mom, like I think somebody said, it's really challenging to try to not feel guilty about when you're at work, what you might be missing with your kids versus, you know, when you have to take the day off, oh my gosh, or is my students actually practicing?
01:13:07
Speaker
without me, but shout out to our village, huge shout out, gush and go to those of us who have that village that would include, I have a wonderful assistant director and he is probably, if not one of our biggest supporters in the village.
01:13:25
Speaker
you know, gush and go to that village that helps us as mom directors. Yeah. And so, and encourage us. I have to piggyback on that for my gush and go because, you know, talking about your village and everything, I have, you know, I live in a really small community and it's fantastic. But I also work here on water break and also for guard closet. So Jeremy, who is our producer, is also my boss.
01:13:55
Speaker
And I really appreciate him and everybody else at guard closet too, because yeah, I don't think I could keep working from home and being with my kid all the time. It's just a really nice setup and it's great.
01:14:20
Speaker
Thank you guys for a great rehearsal this week. Thank you to our hosts, Cindy, Cynthia, and Ashley. Thank you to all of our guests, Jackie Yurkin, Jenny Durko, and Catherine Scott. Where can we find either your band or you on social media if our listeners want to follow?
01:14:39
Speaker
So my band Sunset High School Purple Marching Machine. You can find us on Instagram. We've got SHS.PMM underscore band.
01:14:54
Speaker
All right. We have a couple of performances coming out, so hopefully, you know, we got some good footage. Gotta be fun. One more thing, don't forget we have our YouTube channel now. It has many of our interviews coming out as full video editions. Go and subscribe, make sure you don't miss those. But before you close out of your podcast listening app, make sure you go subscribe, write us a review, share this with a friend, and follow us on all of our social media at onawaterbreak.com.
01:15:24
Speaker
and we'll see you at the next rehearsal on A Water Break. The On A Water Break podcast was produced by Jeremy Williams and Christine Reames. The intro and outro music was produced by Josh Lida. To learn more, visit ridamusic.com. And until next time, thanks for tuning in.