Update: On Oct. 1, the Raider band placed second in the Galena Park marching contest.
On Saturday, October 1st, the Raider band will travel to the Houston area for the Galena Park marching contest.
“We’ve been successful at Galena Park, placing both first and second in 4-A division. We’re all looking forward to taking the judges’ comments and using them on October 15th.”said Ross Boothman, head band director.
Although the band is big in numbers, a lot of the kids in band are freshmen.
“New freshman have been doing great, working hard, and doing their best. I’m really looking forward to the next 4 years with them,” Boothman said.
All upper classmen and faculty really have to get used to the new schedule. Without block scheduling Boothman said practices seem rushed.
“The biggest adjustment for me is the time adjustment. With the freshman, they’re accustomed to the eight period-a-day schedule, because that’s what they’ve been working with. The sophomores, juniors, and most of all, seniors, really have to adjust quickly, and manage their time wisely. Even though we have less time, that doesn’t lessen my expectations for the band as a whole,” Boothman said.
Band members are also having a tough time adapting.
“The biggest adjustment for me is finding time to practice, because we have so much homework,” said Raylin Hooks, freshman.
For band kids, each one of them has his or her favorite football game, and for Raylin, hers was the second. “The Barbers Hill game was definitely my favorite, because it went so well,” she said.
A lot of people would think that high school band isn’t much different from middle school band, but in reality, they differ quite a lot, band members say.
“High school band is a lot more serious and nerve-racking,” Hooks said. “But at the same time, it’s a lot more fun, because we play more, and the music is so much better.”