Bands of America

The Bands of America Regional Marching Band Competition was held on Saturday.  It is a LONG day of volunteering at the event, helping our band, and watching the other bands.  Richard and I voluntered to help with the judges and staff today.  We were supposed to have a golf cart to run around the area in as we fullfilled our duties.  But the golf cart was missing.  I stayed with the judges and Richard used our car to run water, and other things around.  It was fun to be up with the judges and hear some of their comments about the different bands.  I learned a lot about how they do the judging, the things they are looking for, what is good and what is bad. 

We got invited to join the judges and staff for their catered lunch.  It was fun to listen to the stories of all of the judges, the backgrounds they bring to this event.    We teased with the judges about being "sick" at 1:00 when it would be time for us to go help our band.  We made sure that the judges and staff all had what they needed before we left to go be with our band.

It was a beautiful day for a competition, the sun was shinning, the day was warm.  The excitement begins as I see the pit arrive at the track.

The pit always comes very early.  It is hard to watch the band that is on the field performing because I keep looking for the rest of our group.   I was also keeping my eye out for the BAND DAD Hug. 

The Band Dad's surround the members of the Pit and give them a big hug before each performance.  It is something that Richard looks forward to every week.  The hug ends and everyone gets back in place to take the field.

The kids take the field and the show begins.

Here is a video from the Preliminary Competition

When all of the Bands had competed in Preliminary Competition, all of the Drum Majors are invited back onto the field and the awards are given out.

In the AAAA category American Fork got the award for BEST GENERAL EFFECT and SECOND PLACE. 

There were about 40 different schools that came to the competition and the 10 schools with the highest preliminary score get invited to perform again in a FINALS COMPETITION.  American Fork High School Marching Band and Color Guard was one of the 10. 

It was fun to watch the best of the best compete again.  They each did such a GREAT job, I am glad that I am not one of the judges, it would be so hard to rate each group. 

I thought our kids did a GREAT job!

When it is time for the awards ceremony, they bring back in all 10 of the bands to the stadium, it is really neat to watch them all march in and take their place on the field.  It was a proud moment as we watched Rachael take her place as one of th captains at the front of the group.  Then they bring all of the captains forward to accept the awards.

American Fork received the award for OUTSTANDING MUSICAL PERFORMANCE and SECOND PLACE!   The difference between first and second place was .7, so it was really close.

CONGRATULATIONS 

AMERICAN FORK HIGH SCHOOL

MARCHING BAND and COLOR GUARD

on a GREAT SEASON!