BENTONVILLE (KFSM) -- The Bentonville Pride High School Marching Band kicked off their season Monday (July 23).
Marching band members met in the parking lot behind the Tiger Arena to start their sometimes grueling rehearsals. They had necessities such as sunscreen and water bottles to help combat the heat.
Band director Tim Hendrix said more than 220 members are at camp to begin preparing for the year. While they're practicing to take the field during cooler fall temperatures, practice is under the summer sun.
"Right now, what we kind of do is acclimate them, so like this first day we only spend two hours outside, and then each day we increase the amount of time they are exposed to the sun outside," Hendrix said. "By the time they are six to eight hours in the sun, they don't know it."
The band will head to Indianapolis in November for the Bands of America Grand Nationals Championship. Its first football marching performance will be at the season opener on Aug. 25 in Bentonville.