A sophomore from Lisbon High School is always on his feet.

Riley Dolan loves to run cross country and track and enjoys navigating the field during marching band.

He picked up the trumpet on the heels of his brother.

“My brother played trumpet and I just kind of followed in his footsteps,” he said.

He plays the same trumpet his brother used to play. His band director, Ryan Swedean, took note of Dolan’s passion to play.

“I got an email from the lady who runs Colts and I said to Riley, hey, this might be a good experience for you because he really seemed to enjoy marching band,” Swedean said.

Swedean gave Dolan a flyer for the Dubuque Colt Cadets. The group welcomes anyone who wants to learn about drum corps, with or without experience. Dolan signed up for the group, which has months of practice in Dubuque and a spring training camp. He spent the summer traveling and performing around the country.

"We went to Michigan City, Indianapolis, Minnesota; we got to see some really cool places," Dolan said.

"He got back and he was all giddy about it; he was really excited,” Swedean said. “He was really bummed he had to be back home."

Thanks to the Colt Cadets, Dolan brought confidence to his home turf this fall.

"The difference between him at this time last year and now is drastic,” Swedean said.

From practice to performance, Dolan hopes to keep growing as a marcher and a musician.

He’s thinking about auditioning for the Colts this fall, which is a larger drum corps in Dubuque.