Following his performance in Atlanta, Ga. on July 14, 20-year-old Boston Crusaders trumpet player, Adam Westervelt, talked with DCI.org's Christina Mavroudis about how his drum corps experience has influenced him to become a health and fitness major and take part in a healthy lifestyle.

Adam Westervelt
CM: Do you think the drum corps activity is a good way to get people fit? AW: Absolutely. You get at least three hours of cardio a day along with all of the exercise we get going around the field with the fast drill and marching that we do. CM: How did marching in a drum corps influence your major in school? AW: When I first started marching in a drum corps at the Magic of Orlando in 2003, I weighed 190 pounds, and I lost 30 pounds by the end of the summer. I got pretty fit that year, and I wanted to make sure I would stay that way. CM: Has your lifestyle outside of drum corps been affected by your major? AW: Most definitely. After that tour in 2003, I decided to go to the gym and really try to live a healthier lifestyle. I immediately got hooked on it and began eating right and going to the gym five days a week. CM: Do you try to influence other corps members to stay healthy on tour? AW: It's kind of hard since we don't have too many meal choices on tour, but sometimes people ask me questions about what to eat and what not to eat, and I answer them as best as I can. CM: If you could change one part of a corps' food truck, what would you change? AW: I definitely would want all the carbohydrates to be whole grain and whole wheat. They give you more energy than white breads and white potatoes. CM: What about getting carbohydrates before a show? AW: Lots of carbohydrates and lots of proteins before a performance is great. They mix very well together and you can get a lot of energy from them, so that's definitely a good idea. CM: What do you plan on doing for you career? AW: I'm going to community college right now, and I'm planning on transferring to Florida State soon to work on a bachelor's degree in exercise science. My ultimate goal is to become a professional sports trainer for a professional sports team. And if I got an offer, I would definitely come back and help out with the drum corps.