This past weekend, the Pride of Washington marching band closed out their season with the highest score and placement in the program’s history. The band scored a 78.2 and 21st out of the 66 bands that attended the St. Louis BOA Super Regional.
“This year BOA was super cool,” sophomore Ella Raeker said. “The energy at the end of our show was so cool, I couldn’t stop smiling.”
The St. Louis Super Regional attracted many different bands, some from right here in Missouri, some from as far away as Texas. This allows for students to be exposed to those from many different backgrounds.
“BOA is a really big learning moment to just take everything in and understand what you did during the season was for,” senior Shawn Tidwell said. “You get to see bands of all different demographics and watch how they perform.”
The band has had an extremely successful season, placing first in the preliminary contest at Fort Zumwalt North’s River City Showcase.
“My favorite memory this season was probably at Fort Zumwalt North, finding out that we beat [our competition],” Raeker said.
Though band competitions are incredibly competitive, the community found in those school parking lots is like no other.
“Everyone at competitions is super nice to each other,” Tidwell said. “All the bands really congratulate and cheer each other on.”
Raeker shares a similar sentiment, attributing her love of band to the diversity of band competitions.
“It’s [cool to see] a lot of people from different schools bond while playing the same instrument,” Raeker said.
The bond that band students share with one another is something that is passed down from family member to family member, and the experience of marching band will continue to be passed down through generations to come.
“I joined because my sister was in it and I followed her into everything,” Tidwell said. “I stayed because of all the friendships and the feeling you get after a run.”
