This season marks the second time a woman has been the 138-year-old band’s drum major.

“It’s kind of neat to be able to say that or be introduced as the second female drum major of the band,” Linsmeier said, wearing a gray Spartan Marching Band T-shirt and a whistle around her neck. “But truly, I just wanted to be drum major, and now I want to do my job as best as possible.”

Although it wasn’t a goal of hers when she joined the marching band, the music education junior appears to be a natural leader. During practice, Linsmeier, 20, glided in the opposite direction of the band, observing and helping students along the way.

It’s a role, she said, that suits her.

Being the drum major

The audition process began in April, when about 15 band members tried out to be the next drum major.

The tryout consists of performing all the duties of the position — the pregame routine, including the run out into the field, the specific strut and the baton moves.

Of course, the person auditioning must be able to prove they can do the MSU drum major’s signature move — the backbend, where the drum major bends all the way backward until the plume on his or her 17-inch-tall hat touches the turf.

Marching band director John T. Madden said the final decision is made by a committee consisting of various directors and instructors as well as some former drum majors. On top of performing the various fundamentals, the auditioner must write an essay on their leadership styles and be interviewed.

“A drum major is the ultimate performer, leader, teacher (and) confidante for the students,” Madden said. “They have to have that ability to work with the staff (and) be a liaison for the director. It’s a pretty coveted thing.”

Although Linsmeier is the second female drum major in MSU’s history, that fact had no influence over the decision to make her drum major, Madden said.

“As the population of women has increased to the point where it’s about 60-40 male right now, it doesn’t surprise me at all that women like Rachel step up and earn the job,” he said. “Of course, it’s not a gender issue to me at all, she’s just the best performer. She was the best candidate.”

Linsmeier worked all summer with McNabb. This year, the two will perform the role together. She’s still perfecting her performance, and said it’s difficult to maintain the physical endurance required.

“The most nerve-wracking part is the backbend because that’s your five seconds of fame,” she said. “All eyes are on you.”

Even Madden admits he cannot teach the backbend to his drum majors — it’s a tradition passed on from one leader to the next.

“It just happens to be passed down year after year after year,” he said. “It’s such a signature style of the Michigan State drum major.”

In order to prepare to see Spartan Stadium upside down, Linsmeier said she zeros in on her strength and flexibility, figuring out which muscles need to be worked when.

“Obviously it’s not a natural human movement,” she said. “We are not meant to bend that way, which is why I think it’s exciting when you see people do it.

“Right now it’s just doing it a lot that’s getting me better at it, and understanding how to fix a problem that might feel like I’m going to fall — how do I get out of that without actually falling. Because they say if you fall the team loses. No pressure.”

When she does her first performance at the football home opener Sept. 6 against Eastern Michigan, Linsmeier predicts she will be speechless.

“I just can’t imagine right now. It’s already been such an incredible feeling to be just one of the many pouring out of that tunnel, but to be wearing the big hat and going out first, I think it will just be unforgettable every single time,” she said.

“Thinking about it right now and thinking about the sounds that will be around me sends tingles up and down my spine. It’s going to be crazy.”

Follow the leader

The Spartan Marching Band marched forward Friday afternoon, nearing the end of a long week of practices.

Against the flow of the band, Linsmeier walked into the 300-person force, looking around and evaluating the performance of her peers.

Leadership is 50 percent of the drum major’s job.

“For the drum majors, we are kind of co-teachers on the field, along with our staff, during those rehearsals for the band,” Linsmeier said. “Then we also prepare our own performance pieces for the pregame and halftime shows on top of helping the band.”

Leadership isn’t new to Linsmeier, an Okemos High School graduate. She was the drum major in her high school marching band, and also a squad leader for the trumpet section last season.

“She’s always excited about learning new things, always hustling,” said Elissa Laskey, a supply chain management junior and trumpet squad leader. “And one great thing is if you don’t understand something she’s not like, ‘No, you’re wrong, fix it.’ It’s like, ‘OK, obviously you’re not getting this so what can I do to help you get it.’”

Laskey said Linsmeier leads by example, gaining respect from the rest of the band.

“I guess I was just really lucky to have her as a squad leader because I feel like she was kind of our squad’s little drum major, kind of doing the same thing she’s doing now except for four of us,” Laskey said. “Now she’s in a more visible position so more people can benefit from her leadership and ability.”

Simon Holoweiko, a current trumpet squad leader, also was a member of Linsmeier’s squad last year, and said she taught him what he knows.

“She has a way of uplifting people,” the music performance sophomore said. “She’s very inspiring.”

McNabb said he feels Linsmeier’s previous leadership skills are benefiting her now as a Spartan Marching Band drum major.

“She picks up everything really fast,” he said. “I remember learning the series … and I took about a week and a half to learn all of the new routines and everything, and she learned the whole march to the stadium routine in three days.

“She’s a pretty rare find.”

Life in the band

The Spartan Marching Band isn’t just a one-credit class — it’s more like a lifestyle, Linsmeier said.

“One thing that happens is that band can become your social life — 300 friends. People have the idea from movies or from their high school bands that we’re band nerds, but we can be pretty cool too,” she said, laughing.

Before becoming drum major, Linsmeier played the trumpet and an E-flat cornet.

To her, one of the best parts of being in the band is the march to Spartan Stadium that takes place 45 minutes before kickoff each home football game. The march begins at Adams Field and continues to the stadium, with about 10,000 people lining the streets to watch.

“The band does this really intense march to battle and that’s the way that we see it and the way that we portray it,” she said.

And though she’s essentially given up her tailgates, and Welcome Week is more about work than play for her and the rest of the band, she said it’s “absolutely” worth it.

“I think that the experience that you can get in the Spartan Marching Band, not to offend anyone who chooses the other experience, just trumps all of that in our minds,” she said. “Obviously, we wouldn’t come year after year if not. Just to be a part of an organization that is such a machine and gets to be such an integral part of game day, of the football team, of all that stuff, it makes it totally worthwhile. It’s fun, believe it or not.”