You just described every athlete who is also training all summer or playing on a traveling team. Those parents spend a lot of $$ and spend a lot of time evenings and weekends at tournaments (Baseball, Softball, Volleyball). Some of those athletes are also smart kids taking the AP classes and such. We sometimes want to talk about dumb athletes but some sports, (tennis, golf, swimming) often attract the same smart kids that band does.

When school starts up remember some of your band kids are also athletes so not only are they doing everything you described they also have other things, (volleyball kids playing on Tuesdays, Basketball kids playing on Tuesdays and Fridays).

Yes, band is very hard and one of the best compliments I ever got from an AP was when he realized band never had an off-season, just a different season. Football ends. Band transitions and he was amazed. In that regard, yes, it is absolutely one of the hardest activities on campus but don't doubt those kids that get athletic scholarships are working just as hard sometimes, it just looks different.

At times I think band was harder on me than the kids because I transitioned, they sometimes slowed down. Marching band ends. Unless the kids are in Winter Drumline or Winter Guard their schedule eases up. But the band director's doesn't because we are doing 4 days a week of sectionals. Sure, we were doing 4 days a week of marching band but now the kids are doing 1 day instead of 4 with us.