The 2025-2026 drum majors are Annabelle Rivette and Hailey Shryock, both flute players in our concert band, and both marched flute before this season. This season has been the best marching band competition season since 2018; these two superstars have built the band’s motivation to win. In the most recent competition, the band earned a score of 60.59, taking 4th overall and 1st place in the Auxiliary (Colorguard) Caption.
Our junior drum major, Annabelle Rivette, had set her sights on being drum major ever since her freshman year, which was her first year in marching band. “I joined the marching band, and it was the best time I ever had, and when I saw drum major Jakob handling things and just being in charge, I knew I wanted to be in the same position, and here we are now.”
Annabelle reflects on the progress the Cougar Marching Band has made, pointing out the fact that at the last competition, they worked to get the highest score they have had in years. She also took a moment to appreciate the progress she’s made personally, saying, “I think that my musicianship has also grown, seeing as I help everyone to the best of my abilities.”
Annabelle not only works in the marching band season, going between conducting their 1st movement to playing marimba in the 2nd, she also plays marimba in Winter Drumline. Her first winter season last year is where one of her favorite memories lies. During her Winter Drumline Championships, she was up for 22 hours straight, working hard and having fun with her bandmates.
After her time with the Sahuaro Marching Band comes to a close, Annabelle plans on going to college for film score composition or a music education major, to possibly become a band teacher herself. To close, Annabelle leaves some advice for the drum majors after her, “Don’t stress yourself out about it. You’re never gonna be perfect. There will be days you make a mistake… You got put in this position for a reason. Don’t doubt yourself.”
That leads us to our senior drum major, Hailey Shryock. “I wanted to be drum major because it’s the most prestigious position in marching band, and I had wanted to be the drum major since my sophomore year.” Hailey was originally a flute player in movement one, switching off with Annabelle to conduct movement two.
Though Hailey is all about making band fun, she’s an avid hard worker and expects her band to be just as on task. Hailey has watched the band transition from having no director to exceeding expectations in just one season. “I think the band has made incredible progress overall. We went from tenth place last year to fourth, which has been unbelievable.”
Hailey also highlights her personal growth from weakness at the beginning of the season, primarily reflecting on her conducting. She’s taken a lot of notes while watching other bands, which is where her favorite memories stem. Seeing what the band could become and working towards it has helped Hailey stay focused throughout the season.
Although Hailey is not planning to professionally pursue music, she intends to join one of the University of Arizona’s concert bands when she enrolls next fall as an education and creative writing major. Music is so important to her; the thought of joining The Pride of Arizona intrigued her at first, but since The Pride doesn’t accept flutes, the concert band is a better option for her.
To put her time as drum major into one piece of advice, Hailey says, “It’s only high school, but also to never leave a performance feeling like they could have done better.”
As the marching band season comes to an end, these two superstars have created a beautiful sound this season. They are ending their season with getting first place in colorguard 2 times in a row, getting first in percussion, and placing 2nd, 4th, and 7th in overall competition.
This season has been the best that this band has seen since before COVID-19, and none of it could have happened without these two musicians. Come out and support the marching band at their last few performances of the season, November 4th at Rincon, November 7th at our home game, and November 8th at the championships!
