When most people think of competitive indoor percussion, they imagine high-energy performances backed by months of preparation, expert guidance, and polished musicianship. But what happens when a group of mostly first-time percussionists, led by a first-time coach with little percussion background, decides to dive headfirst into one of the most challenging performance arts in the marching world? Against all odds, that’s exactly what happened this season—and the results were nothing short of extraordinary.
The 2024-2025 indoor percussion season proved to be an unforgettable journey for a group of dedicated students—and Mr. Jacobetz. What began as a crash course in music with movement quickly transformed into a season of growth, creativity, and unexpected triumph.
Taking on the challenge of coaching indoor percussion for the first time, Jacobetz described the experience as both rewarding and overwhelming. “It was a learning experience for everybody,” he reflected. Only a handful of the group had prior experience, while the rest were learning new percussion instruments for the first time. Without a percussion background himself, Jacobetz faced a steep learning curve, especially with such a green group of performers.
One of the biggest challenges wasn’t just musical—it was logistical. The team practiced three days a week, for three hours at a time. Coordinating instruction and keeping everyone engaged and progressing was no small feat. “It’s hard to be in two places at once,” Jacobetz explained, noting how essential it was to rely on student leadership to maintain momentum while he worked one-on-one with students who needed extra support.
The theme of the season, “Medusa,” was born not out of a long-term plan, but out of necessity and resourcefulness. The program had received a donated floor from Dartmouth High School’s 2022 Medusa-themed show. Although the original intent was to cut it up for a fall marching band project, an alternative solution was found—and the Medusa floor remained intact. “We really decided to build around the floor,” Jacobetz explained, noting that its value and design became the foundation for their theme.
With the floor as a starting point, Jacobetz searched for music to match the mythological tone. They eventually selected “Slather and Stone” as the musical core of the show. From there, the choreography and costuming were designed to bring the Medusa story to life in a cohesive and compelling way. While it wasn’t an ideal order of operations—“It’s kind of like you’re supposed to backwards design it”—the team did the best they could with the time and resources available.
Despite starting late compared to the other teams, the group exceeded all expectations. Jacobetz admitted he hadn’t anticipated scoring as high as they did (1st place at Wayne Valley High School, 2nd place at Fair Lawn High School, and 2nd place at the Indoor Percussion Championship), especially since many competitors had already performed in multiple competitions by the time this group debuted. “I wasn’t expecting to win,” he said plainly, though their success surprised and thrilled him.
Looking forward, Jacobetz is fully committed to continuing with indoor percussion next year. With the experience and lessons learned this season, he plans to bring in more specialized instructors to better support students.
Jacobetz also stated that one of the most gratifying outcomes of the season was seeing how the experience bonded the students. “They really became like a little family,” he said, which was one of the most rewarding aspects of the journey.
From last-minute planning and unexpected leadership gaps to a floor that inspired a theme, this indoor percussion season was built on resilience, creativity, and heart. And in the process, it not only created powerful performances—it created a community.
