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Tiger Pride shines in St. Louis event
A competitive half-time show is made up of many small steps, but the Nevada High School Tiger Pride Marching Band has taken small steps and turned them into great strides.
The competition
The marching band decided to take their competitive season to the next level when they traveled to Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Mo., for the 2009 Bands of America Super Regional competition last weekend. The band competed against 48 other high school marching bands from the Midwest and beyond. Bands in the competition came from Missouri, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, South Dakota, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.
With this competition being the band's first exposure at the national level, expectations were not too high, according to Nevada High School Band Director Tom Meyer. He said he did not expect to place in their class; the goal was to achieve a 2 rating (on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being the highest).
"We're not at the level where we can expect to place in a national competition," Meyer said. "We're not interested in how we place ... we're interested in going out on the national stage for the first time."
Meyer was pleased with the band's performance which earned them fifth place in their class and 41st place overall.
Most importantly, the band achieved their goal in earning a 2 rating.
"That's all that really matters," Meyer said.
The Tiger Pride Band was one of 36 bands in the competition to achieve a 2 rating while only six bands achieved a 1 rating. Meyer said five of the bands which competed in St. Louis were also included in the 12 finalist bands at last year's national championship.
"The competition was very difficult," Meyer said.
Nevada's 60.65 score (on a 100 point scale) is the highest they have ever scored nationally, according to Meyer. Last year the band scored in the 50th percentile and moved up to the 60th percentile this year, he added.
"My goal with this band is to keep getting better," Meyer said.
All year, the band's goals have never changed. Meyer said he never talks about going out and beating other bands, the goal is to do their best ... every time on the field.
"Our focus is always to perform our best show," Meyer said.
The dome
The competition was the band's first experience performing in a dome. Meyer said parts of their show were designed for the band's performance in the dome.
"Performing in a dome made me nervous," Meyer said. "It was a whole new experience for the kids."
The differences between performing indoors as opposed to outdoors are great. For example, the temperature and humidity can effect the way an instrument sounds. When indoors, the climate is much more controlled which causes less problems with the overall intonation of the band as a whole. Another difference is that when performing indoors, the band had to deal with their sound bouncing around the building, causing an echo, which is something that does not normally occur when outdoors.
Chris Bogart, senior, learned first hand how performing in the dome was different during his alto saxophone solo in the band's performance of Van Morrison's "Moondance."
"I was actually a lot more concentrated," he said.
Bogart's concentration paid off as he played what he said is the best he has played in his four years of high school.
The experience
The Edward Jones Dome is by far the largest venue in which the band has competed. It's size provided a variety of emotions for the students as they took the field.
"It was a lot more awe inspiring," Bogart said.
"I was scared," sophomore Elizabeth Quitno said. "I was shaking on the field I was so scared."
"It was something I'll never forget ... I'll remember it forever," senior Drum Major Michele Geeding added.
Quitno and fellow sophomore Shelby Thorns joked about how they would tell stories of their experience to their grandchildren.
Helene "Pookie" DeCocq, chaperone and mother of Drum Major Doug DeCocq, said she was surprised to see that the band members had and understanding of what their goal was at the competition.
"The bands that were there were definitely of a much higher quality than we are used to competing with, their shows are just much more complex than what we are used to," she said. "The kids weren't going with the impression that they would even place ... they went for the experience and excitement of seeing these larger bands and competing with them."
DeCocq has been involved with the band as a parent since her daughter Melissa was a freshman in 2005. Her son, Doug, is a junior and a Drum Major. She also has a daughter who will be a freshman next fall.
"It is a life changing experience, this band program that we've got," DeCocq said. "Without it, I don't know where we'd be."
The future
The competition in St. Louis marked the end of the band's competitive season. Meyer said they will now focus on the concert band and jazz band, however plans for next year's show are already in the works.
Meyer added, the band's participation in the competition shows that program has grown a great deal in his nine years as director and is proud of the band's accomplishments.
"I'm very proud of the band's growth ... they have exceeded my expectations," he said. "It's one of the best bands I've had in Nevada."
Meyer said he plans to participate in the competition again, although it may not be every year. Getting their feet wet in the national setting should help motivate the band members to work even harder on shows in the future, he added.
"Knowing that we can compete there, knowing that we belong there means a lot to the kids' confidence," Meyer said.
DeCocq said this experience has given the band members an understanding of why Meyer, along with his wife, Nevada High School Assistant Band Director Amanda Meyer, push them to do their best.
"This is something they can strive for," DeCocq said. "They want to start performing at a higher level. Luckily for them they've got Mr. and Mrs. Meyer that are going to be there to help them reach whatever potential they are going to reach."