Centex_band_mom

The situation I was referring to was what a gentleman or two in the concession area said after prelims, not what you said online on this forum. I am sorry for any confusion there. At the time (at the stadium), I and others were trying to be sympathetic to the Round Rock situation and give them some space but these guys were letting it all out and claiming how they had beaten all the other bands. If that was true and mattered for future competitions, why would everyone need to show up and perform again. Different competitions can have different levels of show performance (even within a band), different judging criteria and different results - these young people are human. Everyone just hopes that even when it's not their best show that it is good enough to get to the next round and show their best and sometimes it doesn't happen. I understand that different people have different ways of dealing with things and this was definitely an extremely disappointing situation for Round Rock, Anderson, Pflugerville, and others (and then Westwood, etc. in finals). I just don't agree with assuming the judges or a judge didn't know what they were talking about. Maybe they saw things that not everyone watching saw. Either way I am still sorry for the disappointments and wishing great performances for the bands going to BOA and the Area D bands at state!

I was asking about the schedule for BOA San Antonio but I see it on another thread now for BOA predictions. All set - thanks!

I don't think that UIL is broken and I don't think it's fair to expect the judge's all to have the same or similar scores - maybe more so on music but I don't see how on marching. I know I am a layman but I can watch a marching show and see 2 or 3 problems that the people sitting right next to me don't see (and vice versa). When they see the problems and I watch the show I thought was near perfect back on a video of the show, I see the issues they mentioned but obviously I was watching another area at the time. That is why all of the marching needs to be good and consistent because two people viewing the show don't see the same thing. If it's all good I would imagine less variation in the score. I don't know if that is what happened or not but I think it is too easy to fault the judge unless you know their specific comments and details on what they saw. I also don't agree with equating Westlake performances and scores with UIL Area competition - just because one result happens at one competition doesn't mean it will for another competition and Area is a bigger, more packed competition than Westlake. I heard some very graceful Round Rock people and some not so. One man was claiming that Round Rock had beaten all the bands out there in previous competitions and yet they didn't get to move on. First of all that's not true, but more importantly each competition is a new chance for bands to give their best and maybe the others that made finals really had great performances. Maybe the others marched cleaner or marched and played more. The judges were the only ones who really watched every performance with full attention and I have to believe they cared and were attentive or why else would they be there for 11-12 hours. They all know how hard all these bands and kids work and I don't think they would purposely diminish someone's performance over another without good cause. Anyway, sorry for those with hurt feelings - it feels bad for all those who missed moving on as all have hopes and dreams and believe in their show. Congratulations to bands moving on as well. Hope you have great performances next Tuesday!!

Thanks! Very good to know.

When I first saw someone said CTJ was now 4A I was shocked and dismayed because I have really enjoyed their band since their 2010 show and am/was looking forward to seeing them at Area D. I was relieved to see another say it was a mistake, but I don't see them listed with the other bands that are not Region 18 bands on the AreaD 5A schedule. Maybe my eyes have deceived me. Can someone clarify. http://www.uilmusicregion18.com/pdfs/2012_...Preliminary.pdf

Is there a way to go back and look at these shows? Also, what does it mean saying the one performance was "tricked up"? Thanks!

Thanks for the replies on how the cancelled finals process works and what's happened in the past. It makes sense! Hope everyone was able to dry out and salvage uniforms and equipment!

I don't have experience with this but I can share what I heard from my son when he started out and was vying for a spot as a freshman and then preparing for his first marching season. The things that Danpod mentioned ring true for our experience, but also in my son's experience their leadership and just upper classman did such a good job of drawing them in by sharing their stories of their struggles and rivalries and progress in improving their scores and rankings at the various competitions in the past years. By making it personal to them (the newbies) and making them part of the overall mission to achieve excellence they felt like they as freshman were part of that fight/mission to meet the goals of the band. The older marchers did a good job of expressing that each dot was as important as any other and so the freshman seemed very committed in knowing that they were key to the success of the band. But it was including them in the past stories, struggles and achievements that made them feel more included and that they were being depended upon to continue the progress which led to a good level of dedication in practices and performance. Also, they have an awesome director who makes them think about what they want to get out of their efforts - again making it more personal than just leaderships wishes.

I am only in my 3rd year as a marching band parent so I don't have a long stretch of experience in following various BOA events. I am curious how many times they have cancelled finals and if anyone knows why this BOA finals was cancelled? I know it was wet and we all got wet as well (despite the ponchos and umbrellas), but there didn't seem to be any lightning, and my understanding (based more on hearsay than fact) is that many of the finalist bands and directors were willing and eager to proceed. Was it because a band or two left after their performance or would they have gone on without them? I only got to see bands from about Coppell on and just want to say that all did a great job in the rain and still gave GREAT performances! Thanks for persevering.

Really like it!! Looking forward to seeing/hearing it in the Fall. Good luck to Pflugerville!

Just need to get a few things off my chest so I appreciate this forum and the ability to do that. First, I feel badly for Marcus because although I would not have put them in first, it seemed like they were scored lower than what it seemed like their performance deservered. A number have people have mentioned something wonky (love that term by the way) with some of the scores and I agree. The most disappointing score or ranking to me is Bowie in the music category. I believe they got a 7th and 5th or something like that when they had some very beautiful and difficult music. It is one of the big things that everyone seemed to love so much about Bowie was the music and I believe if the music scores had been higher (or even closer to what they got in prelims or other performances) and had better reflected their performance, they would have got 2nd or possibly 1st. This final show was definitely one of their best with lots of beautiful warmth and emotion. Also, I am a big fan of CTJ although I liked the music from last year's show better. And I think Reagan should have scored higher in finals than they did. I did not like their show much last year, but I was mesmerized by some of the marching this year. Finally, I am the farthest thing from a band expert. I'm just a mom who loves watching these great bands so I know there are likely plenty of things that the judges saw and heard that I did not, and they definitely have the expertise. Thanks to all those students and parents involved with all of the bands at this BOA. We all know the extreme hours and effort they put into this great thing called marching band, and they all deserve to know how entertained and moved all of us were by their shows!

I think you did a beautiful job of summing things up and showing respect and appreciation for all of these great bands and shows. Thank you for the time and careful thought you put into personalizing each comment and tribute!!!

Sounds good!! Looking forward to it.

Is there another possible indoor venue that would be more central to everyone? Something in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, or Nebraska?

Are you coming to BOA or just San Antonio? My son would be so excited to know if you all are attending/supporting BOA.