Only four schools have won Milwaukee's drumline battle since 2003. Who will win this year?
Cleo KrejciOn a recent Wednesday afternoon at Riverside University High School, 10 students ran, jogged, jumped, bent and shouted in unison.
They did so while counting each other's footsteps, twirling drumsticks and supporting instruments weighing up to 20 pounds — all after the day's final school bell. Their joint efforts centered on one goal: showcasing their fall 2023 accomplishments during the 21st annual Milwaukee Public Schools Battle of the Drumlines competition.
Students from 10 teams, including Riverside's, will compete Dec. 9 for the title of the 2023 citywide champion. The competition will take place at Rufus King International High School, the school that has won the title 15 times since 2003.
But that track record hasn’t dampened other teams' spirits.
Dayaa Armon, 17, started playing drums a few months ago. She's clear about what makes her team special: "(It's) the fact that we’re small, and we can come up with a big sound."
Armon's teammate, 16-year-old Keshaun Robinson, headed straight to the band room after school ended at 3:25 p.m. Drumline practice wasn’t until 4, but he wanted to get a head-start practicing in a soundproof booth.
He said the experience has taught him consistency. As for the actual drumming, Robinson is like many of this teammates: He's new to the drumline this fall. The physical skills, he said, require good hand-eye coordination.
"Those things definitely hurt your shoulders," he said, referring to the drums. "But it's definitely worth it."
Their coach is 29-year-old Jeremy Reyes, a Riverside alumni. He also played on the drumline in high school, plus the varsity football team.
"That's something I stress to the kids: being able to do multiple things looks really, really good on college applications," Reyes said. "When it comes to scholarships, they look at it (as) you can handle a lot of pressure, you can handle a lot of different things."
Playing music in school teaches discipline and helps build friendships, Reyes said. Growing up in Milwaukee, his high school band director helped put him on the right path. Being out on the field playing drums, Reyes said, “you can’t let anything distract you.”
Besides coaching the Riverside team, Reyes is a traveling music teacher with Milwaukee Public Schools and a member of the Milwaukee Bucks drumline. He wants to teach students about the opportunities that arise from getting involved with playing music in school. People might think they need to be a "famous artist" or be "in the spotlight," to get involved.
He disagrees.
“There's a lot of different ways to success; there’s not just one path that you have to take," Reyes said.
Which team is the reigning MPS drumline champion?
Drumline teams from just four high schools have won the citywide competition since it began in 2003:
- Harold S. Vincent School of Agricultural Science: 2003, 2004
- Rufus King International High School: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022
- Milwaukee High School of the Arts: 2016
- Riverside University High School: 2018
No competition took place in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Which teams will participate in the 2023 Milwaukee Public Schools drumline competition?
Drumlines this year are made up of students from eight high schools and two middle schools:
- Lynde and Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School
- Edward A. MacDowell Montessori School
- Milwaukee Marshall High School
- Ronald Wilson Reagan College Prepratory High School
- Riverside University High School
- Rufus King International High School (junior varsity team)
- Rufus King International High School (varsity team)
- Washington High School of Information Technology
- Humboldt Park School
- Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts
Details about the 2023 drumline competition in Milwaukee
- When: Noon Saturday, Dec. 9, Doors open at 11:30 a.m.
- Where: Rufus King International High School, 1801 W. Olive St., Milwaukee
- Cost: Tickets cost $3.
Cleo Krejci covers higher education, vocational training and retraining as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci.