Okay, so here's the results for the first half of an amazing day!

We arrived at Pulaski County High School in Somerset at approximately 12 PM CST, and got in uniform. The legs of some of our uniforms were still dirty (except mine and my sections...I made us all get together to clean them off before we left home so as to look right) from last night's football performances. The focus we usually have as a band wasn't there. Sure, we wanted to win, but we weren't "there" so to speak.

We go to warm-up, the sound is a little on the flat side from the cool, damp weather we were having yesterday. We tuned, got in our giant arc, and played through the show. Everything was going fairly well, though it wasn't setting us up for our best performance. We were doing things right - but not great. Not the level of performance we usually put forth. Ackerman was angry/excited. He called us around in a tight circle, around him, so he could tell us to be ready...The band, minus myself and my friend Ping -the only atheists in band - prayed.

While in my group tuning, I noticed Mr. McQuary was around. The substitute teacher I had a thing for my freshmen year. But, that's irrelevant.

We formed the line we go on field in, I lead one of the lines right down between the 40 and 35 yard lines. Alex gave me a good luck hug, and Lindsey, our field commander told us to get moving. So, we went. Right down to the field.

We got a good look at the field. The 50 yard line, extending both directions to the 40, were complete mudholes. It had rained the night before, and a little in the morning. Being the last band to perform, we were going to get the worst of the mud, everyone having trampeled on it before us. All of us upper-classmen reminded the younger ones that if you fall - you get right back up, and act as if it never happened, and keep marching. We also reminded them that, if they marched right, they wouldn't fall. I was a little worried about a move I have in The Rite of Spring, where I cross 2 1/2 yard lines backwords in 16 counts.

We march on. We get to our spots, Lindsey has us relax, we fix it, and she calls us up. Does her salute. "Russell County, you may now take the field in competition."

Finale starts. Everything is good until the big hit. There was a phasing problem, just a tiny one, that put us less than a count off from percussion, we quickly recorved. The woodwind side suffered the worst of it, being on the opposite side of the field from the brass, and had a devil of a time recovering. But we got it, and quickly.

Petrouchka - no problems in the first 3 moves, then, my favorite part of the whole show starts. I wish I could explain it, but it's great. The percussion and the 2 first trumpets are the only ones that have it, while my section has 8th notes from E to F sharp. The trumpet part is great! There was a problem with the woodwind step-off, however, due to another phasing problem. It was a windy day, unfortunately...

Round Dance was amazing. The big hit in Round Dance, we do a tempo change the measure before - Lindsey takes it down incredibly slow, and right on the start of the next measure, on the step off, we're at original tempo. We just put it in this week, and it's already great!

So, we're starting The Rite of Spring...That first move I was talking about earlier - where I cross 2 1/2 yard lines in 16 counts, backwards...Right across the giant mud pit that was the 45 and 50 yard lines. So, Lindsey does the step off, and I remember thinking, "Well, fuck. I'm not going to fall. Let's go." And I didn't fall I was more worried about a flag hitting me again by that point. No real problems with this song.

We left field, got our drinks, went over to wait on awards. The waiting for awards ceremony went longer than Ackerman had anticipated, and we still had to travel for the next competition to North Laurel, so Ackerman sent us all back to put up our things. We didn't get to see awards.

The entire band was gloomy on the way over - we just knew we weren't going to win - we did the worst performance we'd done this year. Our sound wasn't up to our usual standard, though it was by no means a bad sound. Just not good enough.

We get our things put away, we load on to the buses, with our uniform jackets off, but our pants and shoes still on. We were going to the park afterwards for a brief picnic, and then on to London, KY for North Laurel.

The next thing we know, there is a long line of screaming Taylor Countians. I stuck my head out the window and said, "Who won?" "WE DID!" Replies one of them. I then reported it to the rest of Bus 3, to which there was a big, "Aww.." And then, I see Daniel Emerson - one of the ex-band members who graduated 2 years ago who helps with the trumpet section, an amazing trumpet player, and a true band rat - running at us, screaming louder than all of Taylor County. He stops in front of Bus 3, and does a dance. I said, "What are you dancing about?" He wouldn't say, and ran off. Then, a man walks by. I say, "Who won?" He says, "You all did!" I was like, "What? Taylor County just said they won." "You all won, and you won a heap of other awards, too." I was like..."Okay..." So I tell the bus.

By this time, we're all confused. I see Alex coming. I say, "Alex, who won?" He has a big grin on his face. He gets on the bus. Sits down, he won't say anything. I'm like...

Then, we see Lindsey coming holding a giant trophy. One of the assistant band directors who rides our bus loads on, tells us the good news. Here's what we won:

Class 3A Awards:
Best Percussion
Best Guard
1st Place

Overall Awards:
Distinguished Rating (87...One judge gave us a 94 in music!)
Best Overall Visual
Best Overall Music - Tie with Marion County
GRAND CHAMPION...

Life is good. However, I'd be more pleased with myself, and the band, if we had given our best performance.

We left, en route for North Laurel, which I'll post about in a bit...

Edit: I forgot to mention there were 19 bands there.
[This message was edited Sun Sep 22 14:07:16 PDT 2002 by BattierBeMyDaddy]

Bravo!

GO BATTIER

Weel done Rhonda!!

yay Battier! I love hearing victory stories.

Pulaski - isn't that up by Green Bay der hey?

You guys did great! Go wit your bad clarinet! (everyone knows we clarinet players hold down the fort when it comes to marching)