on the deaths of things, and their life

I used to be a colorguard director. I used to be a very good colorguard director. I've taken kids to Indy and Dayton (iykyk). I've won awards. I've trained champions. Normally, I'd be busy as heck for the next couple weeks, preparing for band camp at the start of August. But I'm not. Because for the first time in over 15 years and over 25 seasons, I do not have a program to direct this fall. The implications of that are only just starting to sink in. Today, though, what's hitting me is that I don't lack a program because of anything I did or failed to do. I lack a program because the band director killed it. marching band is a team sport NASA calls space exploration "the ultimate team sport." I'll submit the marching arts as a contender for that title. Absolutely NOTHING we achieve is achieved individually. I've been telling kids that for years, but I didn't realize how deep that went until last fall - which is the first and only of my coaching seasons I will ever describe to anyone…