Area marching bands prepare for season, despite COVID-19 pandemic
Football teams at high schools throughout Potter and Randall Counties are at work preparing for the 2020 season, in the midst of the unknowns brought to the forefront because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
But a group of students who contribute to that eventual football game atmosphere also recently began their preparation: marching bands.
While marching bands usually develop a show to perform at contests hosted by the University Interscholastic League (UIL), some districts, and schools, depending on their size, have chosen to forgo that competition because of the pandemic this season.
But one thing is the same across the board: As long as there is a football season, there will be marching bands supporting the football team during games, which will have some sort of performance at halftime.
Amarillo Independent School District
In late July, Chris Reidlinger, the director of music education for the Amarillo Independent School District, released a letter to marching band students and their families, letting them know that all four high schools, including Amarillo High, Caprock, Palo Duro and Tascosa, will “forgo participation in the UIL marching band contest for the 2020/2021 school year.”
In a conversation with the Amarillo Globe-News, Reidlinger said this decision gives each program the chance to focus on student and staff safety during the ongoing pandemic, while giving students the chance to still have that marching experience.
Students will have to participate in a daily COVID-19 screener during rehearsal days, Reidlinger said, and directors will split rehearsals up into smaller groups. The marching shows themselves, which each band will perform at halftime, will also look different visually.
“Our directors are readjusting their drills that they will present for halftime shows,” he said. “They will probably be a little shorter in length, and you’ll clearly see that social distancing element work into the show.”
Justin Nuckols, the director of bands at Tascosa, said the music for the 2020 marching band show was already written and completed. Because the district chose not to pursue competition, the school chose to save the show for the 2021 season, relieving some of the planning for next year.
Because of that change, Nuckols said the band will be performing prearranged movie music from Danny Elfman scores for this year’s marching show.
Kyle McDonald, the director of bands at Caprock, said forgoing the UIL competition has also given his band the flexibility to have easier music and drill, as well as the possibility of doing more than one marching show during the season.
While the nuts and bolts of marching band remain the same, McDonald said Caprock will focus on more of the culture surrounding the band this season.
“This year, we are definitely focusing more on a positive, family culture,” McDonald said. “The kids that are here are loving it, and they are ready to go. They are working hard, but we just have to make exception and understand that there are going to be times that kids aren’t allowed to come for whatever reason.”
But no matter what they are playing, Nuckols said his students are just glad to be back.
“They are dealing with a lot just to be here, but their attitude while they are here is so good because this is their identity,” he said. “It’s who they are, and for them to come back and do this again, I think means a lot to them.”
Other area districts
Because Canyon Independent School District consists of two high schools, Randall, which is a 5A school and Canyon, which is a 4A school, Marc Hamil, the director of secondary education for the district, said the school’s decision on UIL competition was different between the two schools.
Because it is a year where 4A schools can advance to the state competition, Canyon High School will plan to compete in UIL competition for the potential opportunity to advance like they did in 2018, Hamil said.
“If it’s safe, and we feel like we can do it. We want to compete and try to advance,” he said. “For these kids, it’s like taking away the football season from a football player. Canyon, they want to go down to the state championship and defend.”
For Randall High School, Hamil said its band will continue to create a marching show performance, which will just be performed at football games.
Both high school bands will participate in home games, as well as the games in Amarillo, he said. For games that are farther than the city, the district is tossing around the idea of taking a pep band.
In addition, 3A high schools across the region, including Highland Park and River Road, are planning on competing in the UIL marching competition, even though it will not be a year where they can advance to the state competition.
Dustin Olson, the band director for River Road High School, said he is currently in the process of rewriting the marching drill formations to accommodate social distancing for the competition, having wider step intervals between students.
Both schools also plan on attending as many football games as they can. Jimmy Hannon, the superintendent of Highland Park Independent School District, said they are pondering having the bands on the track next to the football team during games, to maximize the number of individuals that can be in the stands.
Even with all the changes that have occurred because of the pandemic, Olson said the students’ attitudes continue to be positive.
“The kids, after having their world just turned upside down … are definitely craving something that’s a little bit more normal, just playing music together, supporting the football team and having a good time doing that,” Olson said. “I think just having something that’s somewhat close to normal is going to be a positive for those kids.”
Why marching band remains important
Reidlinger believes students learn many skills through being in marching band, which is why it is important for students to participate in the activity this semester.
“What we hear from students and parents is that much of what they miss about school is the social/emotional bonds that they make, with each other, with the teachers,” he said. “Marching band is one of those organizations which has such a strong bond between students and the students and the teachers. It’s vital for our students that they continue to have the experience, not only for the musical education that’s a part of it, but for the social/emotional well-being of everyone.”
But as all the bands throughout the area continue to prepare for the upcoming football and marching season, Hamil said the football coaches in Canyon see the value in what the band brings to the overall football game atmosphere.
“Our football coaches told us that they can’t have football season without the band, so we are going to be there,” he said. “We are going to do it, and we are going to do it safely.”
For more information about how each district is preparing for the 2020-21 school year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, visit their respective websites: www.amaisd.net, www.canyonisd.net, www.rrisd.net, https://www.hpisd.net/.