The American Fork High School Marching Band and Color Guard's next competition was held at LaVelle Edwards Stadium on the campus of Brigham Young University. I got off of work early and went over to watch all of the bands. I've helped our band at all of the competitions and haven't gotten to see all of the others, today was my day. I had my blanket and camera and sat back and enjoyed. ( I did sneak out during the judges break and run over to help our band for a few minutes and to have dinner with the Band Dads). Our band came early to the competition and got to sit and watch a couple of the other bands. Here is Rachael with her friends Clarissa Lowe and Amy Ostler. All made up and ready to go.
In all honesty when I watched the band practice and saw them do a complete run thru of the show, it didn't really do much for me. Last year's show had a theme ("The Greatest Generation" ) and I didn't see a theme with this show. But as the kids put on their uniforms and take the field - the show grew on me. I enjoy the enthusiasm the kids bring to this show. The expressions on their face, the bounce in their step. I look forward to watching the show every time. I enjoy watching to see what has changed from week to week. Things continue to evolve and change based on comments from the judges, something gets added here and something removed there. I like the way the ending to the show has changed. (especially when they don't drop Tabitha)
The Band Dads are amazing, you never know when one of their many talents will be needed. The drum major podium had a break and needed to be fixed, so Ernie, got out his tools and got to work. Richard is in charge of putting up the Color Guard screens - the black screens that the girls hide behind when they aren't part of the show. As they finish he is right near Rachael and they do a high five as he leaves the field.
I love all the different poses the girls do in this set. (Rachael is the one in pink , in the back)
I love the TUBA feature
I also like the yellow flag impact and when all the Color Guard is out spinning a flag
Rachael had lots of fans who came to watch her today, Grandma and Grandpa Anderson and JESSICA, was here from Arizona. Jessica played the clarinet in the band when she was in High School and it is fun for the two of them to share their love for the American Fork High School Marching Band. Jessica brought along a few of her High School friends to watch.
We have been working on creating a new BBQ area in the backyard, earlier in the summer we tore down a shed, and found under it a wonderful cement pad. We put up wood panel fencing and laid sod, added a fire pit
and now we have a fun BBQ area. The grandsons were here for the weekend so we had a BBQ and invited the Kellers over.
Richard used our dutch oven and made a peach cobbler,
The band had their first competition on September 25th. Richard has been made an "OFFICIAL" Band Dad - they gave him a card and all. There are about 10 Band Dads ( and some Mom's ) who come every week and load and unload the trailer.
It is fun getting to know lots of new people. Once the trailer is unloaded they have a Band Dad dinner.
The Color Guard has 45 mirrors that they use as props. Each mirror has a number of the back of it, the girls move the mirrors around the field, pulling off a different flag to spin, or a rifle or sabre to use. The girls know where they will find their needed mirror on the field when they need it. But before the performance the mirrors have to be put in numerical order, so they can put their equipment on them. The Band Dad help to get all of the equipment out onto the field and the show begins.
The show finishes and the band takes a seat in the bleachers to watch the other bands to perform.
After the last band performs, the American Fork High School Marching Band lined up on the track to wait for the announcement of the awards.
The Drum Majors for all the band come back onto the field and the awards are given. The girls anxiously wait for the drum majors to return to where the band is,
they do a salute to the band and then they are released to celebrate their win. Rachael has a very big smile, on the band winning all of the caption awards and FIRST PLACE in the 5A Division.
The Weber Review is a Marching Band Exhibition that is judged only for the band director to hear the good and the bad of the band. It is done prior to any competitions so that the band can improve, or change things. Richard and I went to the High School and helped to load the band's semi trailer. It is amazing how much stuff it takes to put on a marching band competition. I would never have thought we would fill a whole semi trailer full of stuff, let alone add to that a 24 foot trailer with props for the color guard. We put drums, tubas, marimbas, and xylophones, drum major platforms, uniforms, little trailers and 4 wheelers to get it all onto the field in this semi trailer. It is quite a production to get it all loaded, and takes lots of band Dads and Moms to do it. We load it all at the High School, then get in to our cars and drive to Weber State College where we unload it in time for the band to pull up in their 5 buses, then after the show we load it all up again and drive home to unload it all again. It makes for a long night. Tonight, once the trailer was unloaded I headed into the stadium to watch some of the other bands perform. I really enjoy watching all of the bands whether they have 40 band members or 250 band members, they all have a show to watch.
I found a place to sit - up high in the stadium so that I could film the show.
A 5 year old girl came and sat next to me and asked if she could take pictures, I handed her my little digital camera and told her to put the strap around her wrist, showed her where to push the button and she proceded to take 0ver 100 pictures, before her Dad took her home. She talked up storm and the two of us had lots of fun taking pictures.
Over the summer I got a new Digital Camera with an extra lens and a digital video camera. I still have lots to learn about both camera's, but I had a good time using them tonight. The video camera pictures were really fuzzy, but I have since learned how to improve that.
Here a few pictures from the evening.
Richard is in the black jacket near the bottom center of the picture.
Rachael is the one in the back of the row with 7 girls.
As I said earlier - this was my first video using the new digital videocamera. I have lots to learn, but here is the show, fuzzy and all.
Every year before the American Fork High School Marching Band competes for the first time they hold a FAMILY SHOW. It is our first look at the show with all the props, uniforms, and correct flags. It is a chance for them to work out the kinks and see the show the way the judges will see the show. It is a night that we have looked forward to all summer long. The show was GREAT! I look forward to seeing it at every competition this season.
After they perform they invite a family member to come down onto the field and do a section of the show with your student. I came down onto the field and tried to follow Rachael as she moved around. I even tried to "SPIN" the flag. (Maybe by next year I will learn how to spin it for real)
Rachael is working hard with the American Fork High School Color Guard. She has a Color Guard class on "B" days, plus practice on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday's after school. I have enjoyed going over to the school after I get off work on Monday and Wednesday to watch. They practice on Thursday evenings and by the time practice is over there is quite a crowd of parents sitting in the bleachers watching their kids practice. It has been interesting to see how the show has evolved. Just as I start to think I know what will happen next, they decide to change something and it is all new again.
The Color Guard and Marching Band put a lot of time into their field show and I can't wait to see it all come together.
Here is Rachael with her friends Clarissa Lowe and Amy Ostler. All made up and ready to go.
