Relative experience

Kelly Smeltzer can’t remember a drum major who led the Marching Patriots for three years. He can’t remember ever having siblings who conducted together either.

This year, Jay County High School has both.

Kaitlyn Dow is in her third season as a drum major for the Marching Patriots. She’s joined in the role by her sister, Ashlyn, a sophomore.

There have been plenty of two-year drum majors, including Alex Huey, Serrena McCaffery, Kelsie Adkins, Sammi Compton, Kelsey Louth and Heather Corle in just the last decade. But Kaitlyn took the leadership position as a sophomore in 2016 and has held it ever since.

“She truly has the best interests of the group in mind,” said Smeltzer of the clarinet player’s ability to take on the drum major role at a young age. “She is always encouraging these kids. She is always ready. She has a plan. She takes instructions all with a positive attitude. She’s a great liaison between the staff and the students. I just can’t say enough about her.”

She spent her sophomore year working with Huey. They were joined by Emma Morgan last season.

This year, Kaitlyn gets to stand alongside her sister, Ashlyn, who is also a drum major as a sophomore.

“I think it just starts with their core values,” said Huey, a 2018 JCHS graduate who is continuing to march with the Patriots this year. “They’re very mature.”

What’s it like to work together leading a band with a sibling?

The sisters agree they sometimes argue at home. But, when it comes to the Marching Patriots, they mesh well.

“I’m glad they get along,” said Smeltzer. “I think they’re very good friends.

“They just get along well. They communicate with each other. I think it’s great to have that. … It’s pretty exciting.”

Kaitlyn remembers when she first became a drum major during her sophomore year. At the time, her mom mentioned to Ashlyn that joining her sister might be a possibility.

Ashlyn was not interested at the time. That obviously changed.

“Just the way Kaitlyn always talked about seeing the show from a different perspective,” Ashlyn said of what made her want to try out to be a drum major. “It sounded cool.”

And for someone brand new to the leadership role, having a drum major with Kaitlyn’s experience has been a benefit.

“I started out pretty nervous, but having Kaitlyn with me has helped a lot,” said Ashlyn. “And when I’m struggling … it’s nice to have her with me and ask her for her advice.”

On the field, fans see the Dow sisters, and fellow drum major Katelyn Harris, conducting from their perches atop ladders. But there’s much more to it than that.

As drum majors, they are members of the leadership team. They act as liaisons between the staff and band members. They help plan team-building activities through the year and they organize service projects.

Above all of that, the sisters, independently, agreed on what their most important leadership role is — shepherding morale.

“The band can get down when it’s just a hard practice,” said Ashlyn. “You have to make sure everybody stays positive.”

“Even though we may be having a rough rehearsal, it’s my job to just stay positive and keep reassuring people,” said Kaitlyn.

This will be Kaitlyn’s final year at the helm as she will graduate in the spring. But Ashlyn wants to continue in the role and is looking forward to the possibility of following in her sister’s footsteps as a three-year drum major.

From the perspective of the director, that’s a real possibility.

“I’ve just enjoyed working with those young ladies,” said Smeltzer. “They’re going to do great things in the future. They’ve got great heads on their shoulders. They know how to set goals. They’ve got such a positive outlook on life. And that’s why they’re going to go far.”