This past weekend, the marching band performed in the Bands of America regional competition at Dayton University. A total of 27 bands preformed from places ranging from Ohio to New York. It was tough competition but everyone tried their hardest.

For a color guard member, the day started at 7:05 a.m., when they met at school, and didn’t end until around 6:30 p.m.

After getting to Dayton around 8:30 a.m, they did their warm-up and prepared mentally for the big crowd ahead of them. When the clock hit 10:45 a.m, it was their turn to enter the field.

Nerves were abundant before the starting count-off, however, it “was a great experience because the band was able to bond and learn from each other and from other bands,” sophomore Julia You said.

Not only was it a great friendship building time, it was also a “great opportunity to see other bands around the country that [they] wouldn’t normally see,” color guard coach Alison Blankenship said.

Overall, despite the disappointment of a loss, the band and color guard tried their very hardest and was glad to see some of the amazing other performances. Win or loss, it was fun to see “the variety of different shows,” junior Dahlia Rapoport said.