Leopard Look: Bennett Sailer

Sarah Hibberd, Staff Writer • October 27, 2021

Senior drum major Bennett Sailer recently led the band to finals at the UIL Area Marching Competition. Sailer has participated in the band shows Silent Night, Juliet, Fantasia, and Siren.

Bennett Sailer is a senior committed to his duties as a drum major in band. He’s also restoring a Mazda Miata with his best friend and is a two time Subway Surfer world champion.

At a Glance:

Favorite fast food chain: Chicken Express

Favorite video game: Subway Surfers

Favorite song: “Like Me” by Steve Lacey

Favorite hobby: Watching “How to Train Your Dragon”

Looking Deeper:

The Red Ledger: When and why did you join band?

Bennett Sailer: I joined in sixth grade. I had to choose between fine arts and I didn’t really want to do choir, so I thought I’d just give band a shot. I started doing it and then realized I loved it and here I am as a senior. I play french horn; I’m drum major, the one who conducts at the front for our show. I started on trumpet, and in eighth grade they didn’t have enough french horns so I switched.

TRL: What do you find enjoyable about being drum major?

BS: I just like leading. I think it’s really cool to be able to show, teach people, and help people figure it out if they’re struggling.

TRL: How big of a commitment is band and how do you deal with it?

BS: It can be [difficult to manage]. We just finished our marching season on Saturday and we’re done now. It’s 7:00 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. every morning. We drum majors have to be there at 6:30 a.m.. I have to be in bed early so homework will sometimes go into that and I’ll have to do it during classes or certain times in the day to make sure I get sleep.

TRL: How has band benefitted you?

BS: I’ve been on our leadership team since my sophomore year and I’ve been in three different positions, but each one has taught me different things. Drum major has taught me the most, partly with responsibility. We have the most responsibility out of anyone in the band and making sure everything gets done for rehearsals, everything is ready. We have to be perfect because if people see us, and we’re not perfect, they think that they don’t have to be. We’re held to a very high standard, so it’s taught me how to be the best I can possibly be.

TRL: Do you participate in any other extracurriculars or clubs?

BS: I’m in the automotive club, which we just created a few weeks ago. It’s a bunch of guys who like cars, talk about them, and just hang out.

TRL: What can you tell me about the car you’re restoring?

BS: Me and my best friend bought this salvaged car that was totaled from an auction. We’d been looking for this type of car for a long time and we saw this one that was a lot cheaper and thought we could fix it up. We bought it back in March, got a trailer, went and got it, and then figured out it had a lot more issues, of course. Right now it is currently in pieces with the engine out, everything’s out of it right now. But next weekend we’re putting it all back together. It’s a long process but it’s definitely very fun. Being able to have something that was broken and then fix it and think, “we did that,” is pretty cool.

TRL: What can you tell me about being the #1 Subway Surfers champion twice?

BS: Last year I got really bored and started playing it way too much. I did it for three hours straight through lang and psychology. I got ten million and I was #1 in the world for about a week. I don’t play as much anymore because I don’t have as much time, but maybe when marching season’s over I’ll get back into it. It’s just been the game I’ve always had.

About the Contributors

Sarah Hibberd, Editor-In-Chief

All good things must come to an end, but what about great things? Although she’s approaching the end of her high school career, senior Sarah Hibberd is confident her TRL adventures will last a lifetime. With one year left to make her mark, Sarah returns as an over-optimistic Editor-In-Chief eager to maintain The Red Ledger's multi-award-winning legacy. When out of the newsroom, you may find her in scrubs working towards her pharmacy technician certification, stressing over the application process or gushing over her haircare regimen. Sarah is a proud member of HOSA, the Helping Hands Club, and the National Honor Society. As a victim of the baby fever phenomenon and an aspiring healthcare professional, Sarah will stop at nothing to work with tiny humans in the NICU; she believes in speaking for those who can't speak for themselves. She loves Novo Amor music, smelling candles, making lists and laughing with family. Though fiercely independent, Sarah dreads the thought of leaving home, driving her to make this year one for the books.

Matt Bolden, Photographer

Everyone always says “third time’s the charm,” but Junior Matt Bolden finds that hard to believe. In his 16 years of life, Bolden never dreaded anything more than his third year of high school. Running solely on Starbucks and Britney Spears, Bolden somehow finds a way to juggle the responsibilities of junior year such as college applications, AP classes, TRL and marching band. Even with his busy schedule, Bolden always makes room for his friends and anyone who needs help. In his (limited) free time Bolden likes to binge Netflix, (currently “Lucifer” and “The Good Place”). He also collects “Sillybandz,”writes short stories and drinks what some would consider to be an unhealthy amount of coffee. Bolden is somewhat excited for the opportunities before him but for right now is just glad to live in the moment with the people he cares about.