Give 'Props' to Warriors Volunteers

When the Indian Land Warriors Marching Band takes centerfield this season, audience members will transport into a mesmerizing world where technology meets human artistry. The 2026 competition production, titled UnReal, explores a deeply captivating theme: the evolving connection between humanity and artificial intelligence. While the music and choreography will undoubtedly shine, there is another key element that sparks this vision to life—the custom-engineered props created by our very own parent volunteers.

As practice heats up for band members, the parent volunteers add sweat equity hours of labor by alchemizing plastic, wood, and metal into something … unreal. Today, we want to give well-deserved props to the incredible volunteer parents who work tirelessly behind the scenes to turn creative concepts into field-ready reality.

Here's the almost final look of the UnReal Robots.

Architects of AI Vision

This season’s production features futuristic robot mannequins mounted on smooth-rolling wheel bases. These are not static backdrops—they are interactive performance elements designed to be seamlessly manipulated by members of the Color Guard throughout the show. The props symbolize the bridge between human emotion and artificial logic, serving as dynamic partners to the performers on the field.

Transforming this concept from an initial sketch into functional, field-ready art required months of intense collaboration. Band directors and leaders presented the creative vision, but it was our parent volunteers who stepped up in their free time to solve the complex practical engineering puzzles. How do you build a mannequin frame sturdy enough to withstand high school field conditions yet light enough for a guard member to spin and maneuver mid-routine? How do you ensure high-speed mobility without sacrificing stability on thick turf?

Props in varies stages of production.

Building Through Heat, Rain, and Deadlines

Turning plastic mannequins and raw materials into futuristic androids was no small task. Over the past several weeks, volunteer parents sacrificed their free evenings and weekends to bring these props to life. Working under strict deadlines, the team faced every obstacle Mother Nature could toss at them—from scorching late-summer heatwaves to sudden pop-up rainstorms that forced them to pivot and adapt to the unpredictable conditions. 

To make the robots come to life safely and effectively, volunteers had to balance multiple critical factors:

Safety First: Every wheel, frame, and joint was built with student safety as the top priority, ensuring smooth edges, solid center-of-gravity balancing, and reliable control and maneuverability.

Ease of Use: The rolling bases went through several iterations to ensure Color Guard members could integrate prop movement and flag storage – enhancing visual choreography without physical strain or time delayed hesitations.

Futuristic Visual Polish: On to outfit draping and spray painting for the finishing touches: Volunteers paint and dress the mannequins to give them an authentic, sleek, metallic AI appearance that pops visually from any viewing position.

A Legacy of Dedication

What started as a collection of disconnected mannequin parts, wooden boards, and raw wheels has been completely transformed into props our Warriors can be proud to march alongside. Through sheer determination, technical skill, and parent pride, these mannequins have evolved into UnReal robots that add profound artistry to the production, beautifully illustrating the bridge between human expression and artificial intelligence. And the bridge between student performers and the Warrior Band family of volunteers!

To Ryan O’Gorman, Steve Metzler, Margaret Hubbard and all our volunteer prop builders, engineers, painters, and haulers: THANK YOU! Your dedication provides the foundational form and function for our student musicians and color guard members to make this UnReal dream a reality. The next time you applaud the Warriors Marching Band as those futuristic robots roll onto the field, remember to give a little extra praise to the incredible volunteers who made it happen.

If you’re interested in joining the ranks of our volunteers, please check out and sign up to join a volunteer committee.