By Brannigan Watson|Web Managing Editor

It’s a hot summer day and it’s hour one of a 12-hour rehearsal day and you’re already sweating. This will be senior Breanna Mader’s life until August. She is marching as a part of the color guard for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps. Drum Corps International hosts a number of competitions for corps all around the country throughout the summer culminating into world championships held in Indianapolis. Mader’s previous experience includes the Avon Marching Black and Gold and Avon World Guard every year of high school. Mader said the experiences she has had at Avon are what have set her up for the next few months.

“I can not wait to spend 85 days on the road and travel to new places,” Mader said. “I could not be a member of Boston Crusaders without the Avon guard program.”

The Boston Crusaders started in 1940 as a founding member of DCI. They are from Boston, Massachusetts and complete in world class, the highest level of Drum Corps. Before the 2017 season began the group had a switch of color guard staff and the guard has been thriving ever since. In the 2018 season, the group won the George Zingali Award for Best Color Guard. A number of members marched Pride of Cincinnati this winter that won World Class Champion. Mader said marching with a group that has won the Zingali confirms that she’ll be performing with the best of the best.

“I am really excited because I know I’m marching with the best kids in the country under the direction of a very talented staff,” Mader said.

Mader has spent time over the past few months attending multiple camps for the group for auditions and practicing on her own. She attended camps in November and April as a part of the audition process. In April the group learned some of their show choreography which Mader found to be the most taxing part.

“[The most difficult part is] the time in which you learn the choreo[graphy],” Mader said. “They want to teach you the difficult show work but you have to learn the whole piece in a four-hour block.”

The group starts gearing up for their competitive tour in just a few days. Most of the members are currently college students or are not attending school, but Mader will have to miss a little bit over a week due to the remainder of the semester.

“I was supposed to leave for spring training on the 22 of May, but because of the upcoming dance recital, finals, and graduation I am not leaving until the 31 of May. So, I will be behind in things they are learning, but I have people sending me videos so I can learn here,” Mader said.

Mader chose Boston because of her familiarity with the corps, it’s members, and staff. Though she plans on continuing her career, Mader isn’t exactly sure what she’ll do when the summer is over.

“I don’t have anything planned, but I do plan to stay in the color guard world with whatever I do,” Mader said.

If you are interested in seeing Mader and the Boston Crusaders this summer they will be in Evansville on June 24 and Indianapolis from Aug. 8 to Aug. 10 for world championships.