The Shadow Ridge High School marching band recently had their out-of-state competition in Phoenix, Arizona, where they performed at Millennium High School. The students have been putting so much effort into their show titled “Echoes of the Past, Rhythms of the Future,” so they were extremely excited for their competition. While the nerves were high and there was even some tension in the mix, that didn’t stop them from locking in. Even though those events can be pretty stressful given how there are many new marchers, and it’s a new environment for some, keeping a positive attitude when performing is the key to success.
Like any other competition day, students were expected to be in their partial uniforms before getting on the bus since they performed the same day as their arrival. They ended up departing from Shadow later than planned so when they got there, they were on a pretty tight schedule.
Band director Zach Hartley stated, “Considering the challenging circumstances that happened during the day, the performance went well for it being a 17 hour day.”
The Shadow Ridge Thundering Herd received first place in visuals, general effect, music, as well as getting an outstanding music award. This was a big accomplishment for the band but their hard work and dedication does not stop there. With only two competitions left of their season, the Arizona trip was definitely a big highlight.
Freshman Krystalyn Rosales stated, “The highlight of the trip was that we won first place and it was fun to hang out with my friends the whole time.”
For Rosales, Arizona was her first out-of-state competition so the pressure was definitely high, not only for her but for others as well.
Rosales stated, “I was nervous but I kept my cool because I knew we would do well and you have to believe in yourself.”
After the competition, they all went back to their hotel and just got to bond with each other before heading back to Vegas the next day. The band parents made sure to feed students delicious food and had many snacks on stand by. The drive home was a little chaotic for some kids but everyone was glad to be home. The Phoenix trip was definitely something they will all remember and look back on in the future.
Those band trips mean a lot to students and that wouldn’t be possible without not only the dedication and hard work from students, but also the support from staff and especially the support from Mr. Hartley himself.
