(ABC 6 News) – The winter sports season is in full swing for high schools across the country, but there are other activities students partake in from November to March that not too many people are familiar with.

Many people are familiar with a drumline’s role with the marching band but during the winter months musicians pick up their drumsticks and their mallets to put on a performance of both musical and visiual arts.

“We get a comment from judges a lot that we want to avoid being just drums in a gym,” said Andrew Scheller, Rochester Lourdes Winter Drumline director.

For decades, Lourdes High School’s winter drumline has dominated the southeast Minnesota region. The uniqueness of the program drawing in students even after the marching band season has finished.

“I played in the marching band and I really loved it so I just wanted to continue on with that into drumline,” said Eva Bergamann, an eighth grader snare player who’s in her first season with the winter drumline. “It’s just really grown on me, I love it.”

“I like it because it’s more fun,” added Conner Nation, a Junior quads player in his third year on the winter drumline. “Like every other show is unchained, like break the feeling or the emotion. I guess it’s more experimental because not a lot of shows are doing this sort of thing.”

With the season running from mid November to early April these shows are judged on music, visuals, and their effects. Students say their practices of three times a week is always a grind.

But it’s not just about the music and visuals.

“My favorite part is probably just the people I’ve gotten to be with like being with the upper classmen, making new friends their really a lot of fun and they’re always willing to help me,” said Bergmann

“Number one, community. Number two the accomplishment feeling,” added Nation.

Teenagers growing as both musicians and people from day one of practice up until their final performance at state.

“It really builds kids up and I think it helps them not only just play music but develop an awareness of listening, playing with others and putting on a theatrical show and it’s really cool to see that growth over the year for each kid,” Scheller said.

Lourdes Winter Drumline has their first performance of the season at Osseo High School on Saturday, February 17. The competition begins at 5 p.m. Lourdes season will end in Rochester for Minnesota Percussion Association’s state championship on Saturday, April 13.