What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word 'team?' You probably imagine a soccer field or a basketball court. When thinking of the word 'team,' our minds automatically go to the idea of sports, although sports does not fully support the meaning of that word.

Living in a sports-driven town and playing sports myself, I have realized that being a part of a team is a key aspect if you want to succeed at what you are doing. I recently found out that being part of a team doesn’t mean you have to be playing on a court or field. This team, the high school band, probably acts more like a team than some of the athletic teams in my high school. Everyone should realize that being part of an ensemble or band means that you are part of a team.

Just like any other team, a band cannot perform its best without their players. Like in soccer, you need an offensive and defensive line and a goalkeeper. The offense is like the brass section, and the defensive line is the woodwinds. And the goalkeeper is the percussion, which ties the whole team together. To perform in a band takes total concentration and an insane amount of teamwork, which I think says a lot about being bound together as a team.

Being part of a team doesn't have to be a physical activity. Especially in my town, where lacrosse, soccer, and football take the stage, the only teams recognized are the ones with the games you can watch and the practices athletes go to every day. Contrary to popular belief, an ensemble is the same thing: every day we have rehearsals and, instead of a game, we have our concert. Being an athlete and a band member, you feel the same rush after your field hockey teams scores the winning goal that you do when you have just finished the last song in your concert set. Although a wind ensemble doesn't play with a ball or a lacrosse stick, an ensemble has the same mindset as an athletic team during their season.

Whether you're on the field or on stage, as an incoming freshman, your first high school friends are your teammates during preseason. Although, there is no preseason in a wind ensemble, on the first day of rehearsals, the friendship that is made is everlasting. Being part of a concert band or ensemble is the epitome of a team.