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A marching band kicked out of a football game for playing music? Grimsley Senior High School's band was escorted out of a game against Varina in Virginia following a disagreement about playing while the ball was in play. Ashlee Amos, Bill “Woody” Woodward, Bobbey Biddle and Hayley Harrington discuss what happened and where the line falls between football rules and band traditions. In more marching arts news: a West Jordan police officer helps Tooele High School's marching band after an equipment trailer breaks down on I-80; Blessed Sacrament celebrates its 90th anniversary; and Music for All names Holly Blake, Matthew B. Carter, Cheryl Floyd and Dan Potter to its 2027 Hall of Fame class. 60-Second Tech Block: Woody tackles program coordinators, staff responsibilities, communication, budgets and program leadership. Water We Doing?! Why aren't more contests under the lights? Why so much Phantom of the Opera? Is fluttering replacing traditional drill? And are educators juggling too many teaching seasons? Plus Gush & Go. Chapters00:00 Preview00:56 Welcome01:45 Tooele Band Trailer Breakdown04:14 Grimsley Band Removed from Football Game11:47 Blessed Sacrament Turns 9015:10 Music for All Hall of Fame16:37 Previously on OAWB18:09 Guard Closet19:47 60-Second Tech Block21:50 What Does a Program Coordinator Do?23:55 Leadership & Accountability28:29 Budgets & Staff31:34 Communication34:57 Mentorship & Hiring41:50 Water We Doing?!42:23 Performing Under the Lights52:32 Phantom of the Opera58:49 Fluttering vs. Traditional Drill1:05:52 Teaching Multiple Seasons1:13:45 Gush & Go1:13:58 Bobbey1:20:18 Hayley1:25:07 Woody1:28:26 Ashlee1:31:19 Close Hosts: Ashlee Amos (@famousamossss_), Bill “Woody” Woodward (@remoking100), Bobbey Biddle (@bobbey107), Hayley Harrington (@h_harrington14). Sources:Grimsley — FOX8/WGHP syndicated report: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/grimsley-marching-band-kicked-high-150524211.htmlTooele — original KJZZ URL pending verification.Blessed Sacrament — https://www.wgi.org/blessedsacrament90/Music for All — https://musicforall.org/2027-hall-of-fame-inductees/ Presented by Guard Closet: https://www.guardcloset.com/ (@guardcloset) On A Water Break: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/ | Listen: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/links | News: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/news | Team: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/team | Join: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/join-us | @onawaterbreak Related: S4EP40 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtQreB75ItY

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts. DCI’s 2027 World Class field is getting bigger. Chris Rutt, Grantis Peranda and Jeremy Svoboda break down the Mandarins’ approved return after a one-year hiatus and Gold and The Battalion moving from Open Class into DCI World Class beginning in 2027. The panel also remembers longtime Drum Corps World publisher and DCI Hall of Fame member Steve Vickers. Grantis takes the 60 Second Tech Block with practical fall color guard costuming advice: choose something that serves the show, survives the field, fits performers well and helps them feel confident. Water We Doing?! tackles recycled and overcomplicated show concepts, copyright and licensing frustrations, and performing in extreme weather. CHAPTERS00:00 DCI 2027 Headlines00:41 Welcome + News01:17 Mandarins Return to DCI03:08 Remembering Steve Vickers07:10 Gold + The Battalion Join World Class12:52 What You May Have Missed14:29 Guard Closet16:08 60 Second Tech Block17:17 Fall Color Guard Costuming29:23 Water We Doing?!33:04 Copyright & Marching Arts35:55 Extreme Weather + Performer Safety40:50 Gush & Go46:42 Final CTA + Closing Rehearsal PANELChris Rutt — @wildhornbrass1Grantis Peranda — @grantisimo_pJeremy Svoboda / Drum Corps Today — @drumcorpstoday NEWS & RESOURCESMandarins approved to return to the DCI Tour in 2027Remembering Steve Vickers — Drum Corps InternationalGold + The Battalion approved for DCI World Class in 2027 RELATED OAWBS4EP39 — WGI 2027 Waitlists, Percussion Changes + Practice Makes PermanentS4EP38 — Marching Arts News + Color Guard Tech Advice MORE OAWBOnAWaterBreak.com | Listen Everywhere | Marching Arts News | Meet the Team | Join Us | YouTubeInstagram / Facebook / TikTok: @onawaterbreak PRESENTED BY GUARD CLOSETGuardCloset.com | @guardcloset

WGI’s new Color Guard Chief Judge Denise Bonfiglio joins Trish O’Shea and Sadie Wallace for a special installment of the WGI 50th Anniversary Series — looking back at nearly 50 years of winter guard history and ahead to what comes next. Denise has been part of WGI since its earliest years as an instructor, designer, adjudicator and educator. She revisits the programs that transformed color guard, explains why WGI’s promotion system is working, discusses growing championship waitlists and venue capacity, and takes us inside the process that led to her becoming WGI Color Guard Chief Judge. She also traces her role in WGI’s adjudication philosophy, mentoring judges, and the challenge of coordinating roughly 380 judging assignments for the season. CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome — Denise Bonfiglio joins OAWB00:36 Trish, Denise & Sadie reconnect01:22 WGI’s 50th anniversary05:33 Color guards that changed WGI14:44 Could anyone have imagined 50 years?16:39 Scholastic World growth20:09 Why the promotion system works22:48 Waitlists & championship venue capacity23:58 Denise’s road to WGI Color Guard Chief Judge26:36 WGI adjudication philosophy28:58 Mentorship and training judges30:54 What the Chief Judge job requires31:24 Roughly 380 judging assignments33:39 Dale Powers & Emerald Marquis memories35:51 Looking toward WGI 202739:09 Closing GUESTDenise Bonfiglio — WGI Color Guard Chief Judge HOSTSTrish O’Shea — @trishdish1102Sadie Wallace — @m.sadiewallace WATCH MORE WITH DENISEDenise Bonfiglio’s first OAWB interview + 32 Count Life Story OFFICIAL WGI RESOURCESDenise Bonfiglio Named Color Guard Chief JudgeWGI 50th Anniversary Opening Ceremonies2027 WGI Color Guard Calendar RELATED OAWBGreg Case — includes OAWB’s earlier coverage of Denise’s appointment MORE ON A WATER BREAKWebsite | Listen Everywhere | Marching Arts News | Meet the Team | Join Us Follow @onawaterbreak on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook & TikTok. Presented by Guard Closet — uniforms, flags, costumes, consignment and design for the marching arts.

WGI 2027: waitlists already? Color guard registration is already putting championship capacity in the spotlight. Whitney Stone, Jeremy Denzer, Sadie Wallace, Trish O’Shea and Garrett Lippie break down the early WGI waitlists, WGI percussion changes, European drum corps, whether BOA should judge color guard separately, and more. Garrett’s 60 Second Tech Block is all about why practice doesn’t make perfect — Practice Makes Permanent. CHAPTERS00:00 WGI 2027 Color Guard Tea02:02 Welcome + Recent OAWB Releases08:27 Quiet Spin Flagpole Test11:28 Derek Phillips Family Thanks the Marching Community16:15 Remembering Steve Vickers19:00 WGI 2027 Color Guard Registration + Waitlists25:15 WGI Percussion 2027: Quad Panel, Audio Theater + Regionals29:59 Scholastic Open Registration Check30:49 European Drum Corps Championships32:58 Guard Closet35:43 60 Second Tech Block37:27 Practice Makes Permanent43:46 Water We Doing?!51:21 Circuit Sound Systems53:48 Should BOA Judge Color Guard Separately?57:59 What Are We Going to Do About It?58:42 Who Actually Runs the Design?59:41 Gush & Go1:07:01 Bridgeland Wins BOA North Houston1:08:11 Whitney Shares a Personal Loss1:09:21 Closing Rehearsal ON THIS EPISODEWhitney Stone — @dancerwhitJeremy Denzer — @jeremydenzerSadie Wallace — @m.sadiewallaceTrish O’Shea — @trishdish1102Garrett Lippie — @g_lippie27Executive Producer: Jeremy Williams NEWS + RESOURCESDerek Phillips family/community support: https://www.kcci.com/article/family-of-derek-phillips-thanks-community-for-support/73859683University of Iowa remembrance: https://hawkeyemarchingband.uiowa.edu/news/2026/09/message-hawkeye-marching-band-and-school-musicSteve Vickers remembrance: https://www.dci.org/news/steve-vickers-longtime-publisher-of-drum-corps-world-dies-at-77/WGI July Board recap: https://www.wgi.org/26julyboardrecap/WGI Color Guard current entries: https://www.wgi.org/currententries/cg-current-entries/WGI Percussion calendar: https://www.wgi.org/percussion/p-calendar/European Drum Corps Championships preview: https://www.dci.org/news/ensembles-from-five-countries-will-be-represented-at-2026-european-drum-corps-championships/ MORE OAWBWebsite: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/Listen everywhere: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/linksNews: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/newsMeet the team: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/teamJoin us: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/join-usYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OnawaterbreakInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/onawaterbreakTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@onawaterbreak RELATEDQuiet Spin Anchor System Quick Sip: https://youtu.be/2C5ubVbUOdkOAWB with Punk Rock Irving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY6RVI39mjc Presented by Guard Closet — https://www.guardcloset.com/ — @guardcloset

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts. Marching band season is fully underway, winter guard planning is starting, and this week Chris Rutt, Dalton Stout, Cynthia Bernard, Jeremy Svoboda and guest Monica Drohan tackle the Nimitz High School marching band shirt pulled by Aldine ISD, heat concerns at the Sullivan Marching Band Festival, Indiana’s 2027 Teacher of the Year Jason Witzigreuter, SoundSport 2027 registration and more. In this episode: Nimitz High School’s marching band shirt is pulled after complaints about its imageryNine people are treated for heat-related concerns at the Sullivan Marching Band FestivalHomestead band director Jason Witzigreuter is named Indiana’s 2027 Teacher of the YearSoundSport opens registration for the 2027 seasonMonica Drohan shares her 32 Count Life StoryCynthia Bernard breaks down count sheets, tempo, contrasting tape and rifle vs. saber techniqueWater We Doing?! takes on field entrances, soundtrack selection, asking for help, weather plans, breathing and conditioningPanel:Christopher E. Rutt — @wildhornbrass1Dalton Stout — @SaltyDaltiCynthia Bernard — @cynthiabernJeremy Svoboda / Drum Corps Today — @drumcorpstodayGuest: Monica Drohan / Evoke Performance Collective — @evoke_pc Chapters:01:34 Nimitz High School Band Shirt Pulled06:14 Sullivan Marching Festival Heat Emergency10:12 Indiana Teacher of the Year11:49 SoundSport 202718:34 32 Count Life Story22:19 60 Second Tech Block33:32 Water We Doing?!49:43 Gush & Go59:02 Closing Rehearsal Presented by Guard Closet. Uniforms, flags, costumes, consignment and design services for the marching arts. GuardCloset.com | @guardcloset Find On A Water Break: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/ | Listen Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/onawaterbreak | YouTube: @OnAWaterBreak | Instagram, Facebook & TikTok: @onawaterbreak | Be a guest: [email protected]

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts. Joey Montes III, Jeremy Denzer and Courtney Coffey check in on the fall marching season, then break down the Hawkeye Marching Band’s tribute to Derek Phillips and what it means for marching-band heat safety; Penn State’s Blue Band and Morgan State’s Magnificent Marching Machine bringing Hamilton to MetLife Stadium; the NCCU Sound Machine altercation with North Carolina A&T staff over “breaking ranks”; and DCI’s record 1,000-student INpact + BANDtastic! Indy honors bands. Jeremy’s 60 Second Tech Block explains how to listen to judge commentary twice, identify repeated themes and walk into critique ready for a real conversation. Water We Doing?! takes on velvet costumes, color guard designers being left off design-team announcements and staffs that refuse to delegate. Gush & Go spotlights Color Guard Tea Break, Simply Colorguard Spin School and the start of fall competition season. CHAPTERS00:00 Where Is Your Marching Season?08:03 Welcome to On A Water Break08:34 Hawkeye Band Honors Derek Phillips09:07 Marching Band Heat Safety + WBGT16:31 Penn State + Morgan State Bring Hamilton to MetLife18:12 HBCU Band Altercation + Breaking Ranks22:36 DCI’s 1,000 Middle School Performers27:24 Guard Closet29:02 60 Second Tech Block31:10 How to Use Judge Commentary Before Critique40:11 Water We Doing?!40:32 Velvet Costumes43:02 Why Color Guard Designers Belong on the Design Team45:14 Delegate to Your Staff47:59 Gush & Go52:27 Closing Rehearsal PANELJoey Montes III — @marchingbymontesJeremy Denzer — @jeremydenzerCourtney Coffey — Simply Colorguard PRODUCTIONExecutive Producer: Jeremy WilliamsAssociate Producer: Devin Rossey NEWS & RESOURCESHawkeye Marching Band tribute to Derek PhillipsWet Bulb Globe Temperature / heat safetyHamilton halftime with Penn State + Morgan StateNCCU / NC A&T band altercationDCI INpact + BANDtastic! IndyNOAA El Niño update MORE OAWBOnAWaterBreak.com | Episodes | News | Listen Everywhere | Team | Join Us RELATEDS4EP36 — Derek Phillips, WGI jobs, JD Shaw + recruitingS4EP29 — marching band heat rules + WBGT PRESENTED BY GUARD CLOSETUniforms, flags, costumes, consignment and design for the marching arts. GuardCloset.com | @guardcloset Subscribe, follow, review and share. We’ll see you at the next rehearsal — On A Water Break.

WGI Jobs, JD Shaw Retires & Marching Band Recruiting | OAWB S4EP36Haley Harrington welcomes new OAWB team members Garrett Lippie and Devin Rossey for WGI opportunities, DCI offseason changes, marching band and color guard recruiting, JD Shaw’s Phantom Regiment retirement and Garrett’s 60 Second Tech Block on staying engaged through every hold. The panel also remembers Hawkeye Marching Band member Derek Phillips and asks why students still struggle to find a clear path into marching band.CHAPTERS00:00 Haley Takes the Host Chair00:34 Meet Garrett Lippie & Devin Rossey01:04 32 Count Life Stories06:23 Melanin Mosaic NYC Color Guard Casting08:18 Remembering Derek Phillips11:28 WGI Color Guard Event Manager12:54 WGI 2027 Judge Applications14:39 Blue Devils Percussion Staff Discussion17:23 JD Shaw Retires from Phantom Regiment20:12 Guard Closet21:51 60 Second Tech Block24:47 Stay Off Your Heels & Stay Engaged28:00 Water We Doing?!28:35 Why Is Marching Band So Hard to Join?32:02 Put the Sticks in Their Hands33:56 Color Guard Recruiting & Open Gyms34:56 Bringing Drum Corps Back to the Big Screen38:16 Stay Humble as Educators44:01 Gush & Go44:23 Jeremy Welcomes the New OAWB Team46:12 Garrett’s Gush & Go47:59 Devin Teases What’s Coming Next48:44 Haley’s Gush & Go50:59 Closing RehearsalPANELHaley Harrington — @h_harrington14Garrett Lippie — @g_lippie27Devin Rossey — @devvvie96Executive Producer: Jeremy WilliamsNEWS & RESOURCESMelanin Mosaic NYC castingRemembering Derek PhillipsWGI Color Guard Event ManagerWGI 2027 Judge ApplicationsBlue Devils StaffPhantom RegimentMORE OAWBOnAWaterBreak.com | Episodes | News | Listen Everywhere | Team | Join Us | BlogYouTube, Instagram, Facebook & TikTok: @onawaterbreakRELATEDQuietSpin Quick Sip: Spotify | YouTubePRESENTED BY GUARD CLOSETUniforms, flags, costumes, consignment & design for the marching arts. GuardCloset.com | @guardclosetEDITOR’S NOTE: The episode describes John Mapes as replacing Scott Johnson as Blue Devils percussion caption head. The current Blue Devils staff listing identifies Scott Johnson as Arranger/Caption Head and John Mapes as Arranger/Caption Manager.Subscribe, follow, review and share. We’ll see you at the next rehearsal—On A Water Break.

On A Water Break celebrates the life and legacy of Dolly Parton through her Tennessee roots, her connection to music education, and an unexpected part of her story: the marching arts. Ricardo Robinson-Shinall, Jeremy Denzer and Alicia Sharp are joined by Bri Eskenazi, Assistant Band Director with the Sevier County High School Band, Dolly Parton’s alma mater. Bri shares what Dolly’s legacy still means inside the school and Sevier County community, stories that have been passed down through generations, Dolly’s support of young people and education, and how her example continues to influence students walking the same halls where Dolly once dreamed of becoming a musician.Then it’s time for Dolly Takes the Field. Alicia brings Gates Chili Independent Winter Guard’s 2023 “Dolly,” Jeremy shares Sonnor Cadet CPEC’s unforgettable Tooth Fairy concept built around “9 to 5,” Bri revisits the University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland’s Dolly Parton halftime production, and Ricardo closes the showcase with Dobyns-Bennett Winter Guard’s 2022 “Jolene and Diane.” The episode finishes with a special Gush & Go: Dolly Edition, including Alicia’s deeply personal connection between Dolly, her grandmother and growing up in East Tennessee.CHAPTERS00:00 A Salute to Dolly Parton02:49 Meet the Panel04:55 Meet Bri Eskenazi06:55 Bri’s 32 Count Life Story09:59 Sevier County High School & Its Community12:25 Dolly’s Legacy at Her Alma Mater18:20 The SCHS Concert, Buddy Program & Local Stories22:41 Dolly’s Philanthropy & the Band Uniforms27:00 What Dolly’s Example Teaches Young Musicians28:18 Dolly Parton in 32 Counts30:35 Water Break32:40 Dolly Takes the Field34:16 Gates Chili 2023 — Dolly39:06 Sonnor Cadet CPEC — The Tooth Fairy Works 9 to 542:18 Pride of the Southland’s Dolly Show44:50 Dobyns-Bennett — Jolene and Diane48:08 Gush & Go: Dolly Edition55:50 Supporting Sevier County High School56:49 Closing RehearsalGUESTBri Eskenazi — Assistant Band Director, Sevier County High School BandInstagram: @briannachristine12Sevier County High School Band: https://www.schs.sevier.org/27479_2Sevier County High School: https://www.schs.sevier.org/PANELRicardo Robinson-Shinall — @ricardorrobinsonJeremy Denzer — @jeremydenzerAlicia Sharp — @aliciaoninsta2VIDEOS FEATURED IN DOLLY TAKES THE FIELDAlicia — Gates Chili Independent Winter Guard 2023 “Dolly”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-EpYdl84E0Jeremy — Sonnor Cadet CPEC — Tooth Fairy / “9 to 5”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3zH-9PUeH0Bri — University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland Dolly Parton Halftime Show: https://vimeopro.com/dollyparton/dollyparton/video/142027178Ricardo — Dobyns-Bennett Winter Guard 2022 “Jolene and Diane”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZsLo2HzSW4EPISODE RESOURCESDolly Parton Official Website: https://www.dollyparton.com/The Dollywood Foundation: https://dollywoodfoundation.org/Gates Chili Independent Winter Guard — WGI: https://www.wgi.org/23iareview/Dobyns-Bennett “Jolene and Diane” — WGI: https://www.wgi.org/dbfeature/ON A WATER BREAKWebsite: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/Listen Everywhere: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/linksMarching Arts News: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/newsMeet the Team: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/teamJoin Us: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/join-usYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OnawaterbreakInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/onawaterbreakTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@onawaterbreakOn A Water Break is presented by Guard Closet: https://www.guardcloset.com/

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts.A Podcast for Marching Arts Enthusiasts — On the Field, In the Stands & Behind the Scenes. That rattling weight inside your color guard flagpole? Bob from SouthEnd Precision 3D decided there had to be a better solution. In this OAWB Quick Sip, Trish O’Shea and Nicole Younger talk with Bob about the Quiet Spin Anchor System, a flexible 3D-printed insert designed to center a standard carriage-bolt weight inside a flagpole and eliminate the metal-on-metal movement that creates that familiar rattle. Jeremy Williams puts the Quiet Spin through a real flagpole test, and Bob explains how years as a guard dad—and roughly 45 revisions, including an early prototype his daughter promptly reported had shattered—led to the finished product. They also get into electrical tape, changing flagpole weights, guard glove clips, saber tips, hair-tie holders and the other hyper-specific marching arts problems SouthEnd Precision 3D is tackling. Featuring:Bob — SouthEnd Precision 3DTrish O’Shea — @trishdish1102Nicole Younger — @o2binpjsJeremy Williams — Quiet Spin demonstration Find SouthEnd Precision 3D: https://southendprecision3d.com/Quiet Spin Anchor System: Available through Guard Closet Quiet Spin Anchor Review: Guard Closet Review Presented by Guard ClosetYour one-stop shop for color guard, marching band and the marching arts.https://www.guardcloset.com/ | @guardcloset On A Water Break:Website: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/Listen Everywhere: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/linksHosts: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/hostsMarching Arts News: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/newsYouTube: @OnAWaterBreakInstagram, Facebook & TikTok: @onawaterbreak

On A Water Break is your all-access pass to the marching arts — on the field, in the stands, and behind the scenes. Join directors, instructors, performers, designers, judges, alumni, and fans for weekly conversations about marching band, DCI drum corps, WGI, color guard, indoor percussion, baton twirling, parades, education, design, and the stories shaping the activity. Expect marching arts news, interviews, 32 Count Life Stories, 60 Second Tech Block, Water We Doing?!, Gush & Go, Quick Sips, OAWB With interviews, special coverage, and plenty of opinions from around the activity. Those recurring elements are part of the established OAWB format. New episodes every week. Website: https://www.onawaterbreak.comListen everywhere: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/linksMarching arts news: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/newsMeet the team: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/teamJoin us: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/join-us

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts. Color guard educator, choreographer and adjudicator Wanda Conway joins Whitney Stone, Sadie Wallace and Jeremy Svoboda / Drum Corps Today for a conversation connecting decades of color guard history to the activity today. Wanda shares stories from growing up near George Zingali, Quasar and the 27th Lancers to teaching the Cavaliers as a teenager, working with the Cadets, teaching marching band in Indonesia, judging across the country and her current work with Onyx. The panel also digs into color guard fundamentals, writing choreography to music and drill, women in marching arts leadership, performer safety, physical preparation and the lifelong friendships built through the activity. Marching Arts News: Southern University's Human Jukebox x Gap; BGSU's 600-member Falcon Marching Band; Barberton's Student Opportunity to Participate Fund; Cody Fry feat. The Blue Devils on “Magic in You.” Chapters:00:00 Meet Wanda Conway02:06 Welcome04:13 Human Jukebox x Gap05:04 BGSU Hits 60008:07 Barberton Participation Fund09:33 Cody Fry x Blue Devils13:14 Wanda's 32 Count Life Story17:36 Teaching the Cavaliers19:17 Teaching in Indonesia24:17 Career Highlights26:02 Choreography with Sadie31:54 Fundamentals Still Matter34:23 What Are We Doing?!34:40 Women in Leadership38:26 Writing to Music and Drill40:54 Performer Safety46:11 Physical Preparation50:11 Gush & Go54:40 Banana Ball Meets Marching Band01:04:31 Closing Rehearsal Panel: Whitney Stone @dancerwhit | Sadie Wallace @m.sadiewallace | Jeremy Svoboda / Drum Corps Today @drumcorpstoday Guest: Wanda Conway Presented by Guard Closet. Listen everywhere, explore Marching Arts News, meet the hosts and find more On A Water Break.

What happens when Phantom Regiment alumni step back onto the field for the corps’ 70th anniversary? Ricardo Robinson-Shinall talks with Jamison Williams, Dr. Taylor Clements, Nikki Brose and Megan Mbengue about returning to drum corps after years away, what their bodies remembered, how the rehearsal culture felt different as adults, and the emotional payoff of performing at DCI World Championship Semifinals in Lucas Oil Stadium. The group also gets into Water We Doing?!, Gush & Go, electronics, judging technology, alumni costuming, women in leadership and why an alumni corps can feel like finding home again. Guests: Jamison Williams — @titan_of_la Dr. Taylor Clements — @Dr.TClementsNikki Brose — @therealdrumcorpsteaMegan Mbengue — @megan_mbengue Host: Ricardo Robinson-Shinall — @ricardorrobinson. Presented by Guard Closet: GuardCloset.com. On A Water Break: Website • Listen everywhere • Join us • YouTube. Related: DCI 2026 Finals recap • DCI Finals Week. CHAPTERS 00:00 Phantom Regiment Turns 7001:06 Welcome + Meet the Alumni02:01 32 Count Life Stories09:20 Sections + Jamison’s Viral Photo13:52 Why They Said Yes to the Alumni Corps17:59 First Rehearsal Across Generations22:26 What Came Back Fast — and What Didn’t26:41 The First “This Is Phantom” Moment28:50 Guard Closet Break31:01 What Phantom Regiment Gave Them38:45 Back on the Field as Adults41:28 Rewriting Old Drum Corps Memories46:23 DCI Semifinals Night at Lucas Oil Stadium49:53 “Phantom Regiment Is…”50:59 Water We Doing?!54:45 Could Technology Make Visual Scoring More Objective?56:23 Phantomettes, Uniforms & Alumni Corps Costuming1:00:08 Women at the Decision-Making Table1:00:49 Gush & Go1:03:08 Could You March Again?1:06:16 Ricardo’s Cavaliers Challenge1:07:21 Guest Socials + Closing

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts. On this episode of On A Water Break, Jeremy Denzer welcomes Courtney Coffey to the team! Courtney shares her 32 Count Life Story before joining Jeremy and Bill “Woody” Woodward for conversations about the biggest topics happening throughout the marching arts. Courtney shares her journey from Honolulu, Hawaii, to James Madison University, teaching, choreography, and creating Simply Color Guard. In this episode: Is marching band a sport? Why technique and physical preparation matter. Building stronger rehearsal environments. Professionalism and expectations in the marching arts. How marching arts communities support students. Marching Arts News: Trump Administration Declares Brass Instruments a National Security Threat: Classic FM | Why Marching Band Isn't Exactly a Sport: USA Today | McKinney High School Band Dress Code Discussion: WFAA | Menasha Marching Band Finds Comfort and Connection After Tornado: We Are Green Bay 60 Second Tech Block: Courtney Coffey discusses why dance technique, movement fundamentals, and performer preparation create stronger performers. Water We Doing?!: The team discusses skill development, rehearsal expectations, communication, professionalism, and whether physical activity should ever be used as punishment. Gush & Go: Celebrating positive moments, new opportunities, and growth throughout the marching arts community. Referenced Episodes: DCI Finances: Jeff Gill on Drum Corps Costs, Dues & Sustainability | On A Water Break Rehearsal Block featuring Dalton Stout | DCI 2026 Finals: Bluecoats Win, Spirit Returns & Rita Moreno A Podcast for Marching Arts Enthusiasts — On the Field, In the Stands & Behind the Scenes. Find On A Water Break: Website | OAWB Links | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Be A Guest Presented by Guard Closet.

Punk Rock Irving Lopez is back on On A Water Break.Jackie Brown and Scott Ruiz sit down with Irving for a conversation about leaving color guard, finding himself outside of the activity, becoming a dad, and returning to the marching arts with a new perspective.Irving shares his 32 Count Life Story, from growing up in Los Angeles and discovering performance at an early age to joining color guard at 11, marching Diamante, Santa Clara Vanguard, Blue Devils, and Fantasia, becoming one of the first major color guard creators online, and building a career in entertainment marketing.This conversation goes beyond the performances and viral moments. Irving talks about the Patricia meme, working in WGI media, the pressure of being watched online, mental health, why he stepped away from color guard, and how time away helped him understand who he was beyond the activity.Now Punk Rock Irving is back with new stories to tell — sharing lessons from color guard, adulthood, fatherhood, creativity, and life outside the floor.Featuring:Jackie Brown — @spintronixguardScott Ruiz — @sdruizPunk Rock Irving Lopez — @punkrockirvingPresented by Guard ClosetYour one-stop shop for color guard, marching band, and marching arts gear.Check out the new OAWB website:https://www.onawaterbreak.com/Read the latest marching arts news:https://www.onawaterbreak.com/newsMeet the OAWB hosts:https://www.onawaterbreak.com/hostsListen everywhere:https://www.onawaterbreak.com/linksFollow Punk Rock Irving:Instagram: @punkrockirvingA Podcast for Marching Arts Enthusiasts — On the Field, In the Stands & Behind the Scenes.FOLLOW PUNK ROCK IRVING:Instagram: @punkrockirvingTikTok: @punkrockirvingYouTube: Punk Rock Irving#OnAWaterBreak #ColorGuard #WGI #DCI #MarchingArts

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts.A Podcast for Marching Arts Enthusiasts — On the Field, In the Stands & Behind the Scenes. Bluecoats finish an undefeated season as the 2026 DCI World Champions, Spirit of Atlanta returns to Finals for the first time since 2013, Carolina Crown wins the Jim Ott Award, and Rita Moreno returns to the DCI broadcast 46 years after her original appearance. Ashlee Amos is joined by Bobbey Biddle and Haley Harrington to recap championship weekend, including Blue Stars' historic sixth-place finish, the DCI All-Age Championship, Cincinnati Tradition's record score and the Phantom Regiment Alumni Corps. They also discuss the construction reshaping downtown Indianapolis and what it could mean for future DCI and BOA visitors. Bobbey takes the 60 Second Tech Block with a practical challenge for every design team: hire a drill writer who understands how the color guard contributes to the full production. The conversation continues with intentional transitions, giving designers room to create, stronger musicality in baton twirling and more collaboration across the performing arts. PanelAshlee Amos — @famousamossss_Bobbey Biddle — @bobbeyboy107Haley Harrington — @h_harrington14 Chapters00:00 DCI Championship Weekend Highlights03:47 Welcome to On A Water Break04:58 Spirit of Atlanta Returns to Finals08:13 Bluecoats, Crown and the 2026 DCI Results14:29 DCI All-Age and the Phantom Regiment Alumni Corps19:08 Downtown Indianapolis Construction23:54 Rita Moreno Returns to DCI31:07 Break33:11 60 Second Tech Block35:07 Better Drill Design for Color Guard41:50 Water We Doing?!42:34 Stop Boxing In Your Drill Writer46:31 Baton Twirling Needs More Musicality53:20 More Collaboration Across the Performing Arts59:22 Gush & Go01:11:10 Closing Rehearsal Presented by Guard ClosetUniforms, flags, costumes, consignment and design services for the marching arts.GuardCloset.com | @guardcloset Find On A Water BreakWebsite | Listen everywhere | YouTube | Be a guest or join the teamFollow @onawaterbreak on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.