2024 BOA Grand National Championships (Nov. 14-16)

[Nny14]

  On 11/10/2024 at 10:55 PM, lost said:

Honestly maybe. I forgot they were going when I posted that. After how they performed at San Antonio I’m not really sure they have that third performance in them. They look tired.

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Cedar Park is absolutely making National Finals lol

[tubapop]

  On 11/11/2024 at 3:43 AM, ruben_f said:

Hey yall! If u going to grands nats I’m really curious if your flying or driving to Indianapolis? 
 

also good luck to all the Texas bands going to grands nats ❤️

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Flying. Driving to San Antonio is bad enough!

[bassclarinetplayer]

  On 11/13/2023 at 5:56 PM, ChristopherRoden said:

Curious who else is headed that way, either rumored or based on rotation? 
I feel like Reagan, Vista Ridge, Marcus, Flower Mound, LD Bell, Tarpon Springs, Wakeland, Leander, Vandegrift, Keller Central, Dobbyns Bennet, Wando, and Broken Arrow are due for a return.

Schools like Coppell, Timber Creek, Forney, Bridgeland, Cy Fair, Seven Lakes, Lonestar, Waxahachie, Westlake, Westwood, and Rouse all should consider going!

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As a former Marcus student (not graduated haha, transferred schools), I talked to some of the other people (and I believe that the directors said something similar to what I heard when I was a freshman), but I think it was every 4 years I believe (any Marcus alumni or band parents please correct me if I am wrong) that Marcus goes to Grand Nationals.

[TWHSParent]

Now that I live about 1.5 hours from Indianapolis, I'll be driving there on Thursday and will be cheering on all the bands!

[utee94]

  On 11/11/2024 at 3:43 AM, ruben_f said:

Hey yall! If u going to grands nats I’m really curious if your flying or driving to Indianapolis? 
 

also good luck to all the Texas bands going to grands nats ❤️

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Flying Thursday, prelims Friday, then wait and see for Saturday.  Flying back Sunday on an early flight.

[TWHSParent]

  On 11/11/2024 at 1:18 PM, utee94 said:

Flying Thursday, prelims Friday, then wait and see for Saturday.  Flying back Sunday on an early flight.

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Be aware that Sunday morning at the Indianapolis airport tends to be VERY busy, so plan accordingly!

[utee94]

  On 11/11/2024 at 1:29 PM, TWHSParent said:

Be aware that Sunday morning at the Indianapolis airport tends to be VERY busy, so plan accordingly!

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Thanks for the advice it's appreciated.

After Finals and the retreat and awards ceremony, which should run pretty late, it's highly likely we won't even sleep at our hotel rooms. Just grab a quick shower and head to the airport.  It's already been a crazy past 8 days and it's not going to slow down for another week. 

[TWHSParent]

  On 11/11/2024 at 1:47 PM, utee94 said:

Thanks for the advice it's appreciated.

After Finals and the retreat and awards ceremony, which should run pretty late, it's highly likely we won't even sleep at our hotel rooms. Just grab a quick shower and head to the airport.  It's already been a crazy past 8 days and it's not going to slow down for another week. 

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Yep - the retreat and awards ceremony is extra long for Grand Nationals, so somewhere around 1 am for completion would be about right. Then the walk back, etc. Sleep will be in short supply that night! (I remember those trips - I'm going to watch the bands then head back to my hotel and watch the awards from bed.)

[Ben55]

I think Walled lake is a lock for Semi Finals

[MidwestBest]

  On 11/11/2024 at 4:40 PM, Ben55 said:

I think Walled lake is a lock for Semi Finals

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Think so too.

It’ll be interesting to see how they’ll do vs Plymouth-Canton and Jenison.

[LeanderMomma]

  On 11/11/2024 at 2:12 PM, TWHSParent said:

Yep - the retreat and awards ceremony is extra long for Grand Nationals, so somewhere around 1 am for completion would be about right. Then the walk back, etc. Sleep will be in short supply that night! (I remember those trips - I'm going to watch the bands then head back to my hotel and watch the awards from bed.)

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Ha remember when we ended up directly across from each other on the first leg of our flights back to Texas?!  I think it was in 2019. 

[LeanderMomma]

  On 11/11/2024 at 3:43 AM, ruben_f said:

Hey yall! If u going to grands nats I’m really curious if your flying or driving to Indianapolis? 
 

also good luck to all the Texas bands going to grands nats ❤️

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I have done both. Driving is exhausting but it’s nice to have a vehicle for exploring the area. Flying is awesome if you can stay in downtown Indy in a hotel connected to the stadium and just Uber from and to the airport.  Now that we live in NW Arkansas it’s only a 10 hour drive so that makes it far more doable!

[TWHSParent]

  On 11/11/2024 at 11:34 PM, LeanderMomma said:

Ha remember when we ended up directly across from each other on the first leg of our flights back to Texas?!  I think it was in 2019. 

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Yes I do. You and your daughter as I recall. Quick flight to Detroit. Weren't we even in the same hotel? I think you mentioned seeing me at breakfast when I was talking with some band parents from Iowa.

[utee94]

  On 11/11/2024 at 1:47 PM, utee94 said:

Thanks for the advice it's appreciated.

After Finals and the retreat and awards ceremony, which should run pretty late, it's highly likely we won't even sleep at our hotel rooms. Just grab a quick shower and head to the airport.  It's already been a crazy past 8 days and it's not going to slow down for another week. 

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Yeah just saw the final itinerary for CP for the weekend, in our Mandatory Booster Club Meeting (aka, "the speech" to the kids to behave themselves and don't do any of the things I did on my high school band trips! 😃).

First buses with about 2/3 of the band leave the hotel at 2 AM Sunday morning, so I'm not sure they're even going to have time to take a shower before heading out.  Good thing I won't be on that airplane with them...  

[Baritone Legend]

Is there a way to figure out if you're going to GN in the next year's production? Our band has not gone yet but our directors want to. Apparently we are not next year though.  Probably a stupid question but I would love to go.

[Hard Core Band Fan]

  On 11/12/2024 at 2:33 PM, utee94 said:

First buses with about 2/3 of the band leave the hotel at 2 AM Sunday morning, so I'm not sure they're even going to have time to take a shower before heading out.  Good thing I won't be on that airplane with them...  

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That gives them about an hour, which is a long time for a band kid! My daughter was a guard girl and she could eat, do her makeup, do her hair, get her equipment ready, and warm up in a hour!

[LeanderMomma]

  On 11/12/2024 at 4:17 AM, TWHSParent said:

Yes I do. You and your daughter as I recall. Quick flight to Detroit. Weren't we even in the same hotel? I think you mentioned seeing me at breakfast when I was talking with some band parents from Iowa.

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Yes that’s right!  We were!  

[Samuel Culper]

  On 11/12/2024 at 3:20 PM, Baritone Legend said:

Is there a way to figure out if you're going to GN in the next year's production? Our band has not gone yet but our directors want to. Apparently we are not next year though.  Probably a stupid question but I would love to go.

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The word from the directors will always be the first indicator.

[lost]

  On 11/11/2024 at 11:37 PM, LeanderMomma said:

I have done both. Driving is exhausting but it’s nice to have a vehicle for exploring the area. Flying is awesome if you can stay in downtown Indy in a hotel connected to the stadium and just Uber from and to the airport.  Now that we live in NW Arkansas it’s only a 10 hour drive so that makes it far more doable!

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Most Texan thing ever to say "only a 10 hour drive"

[Thanos]

  On 11/12/2024 at 6:06 PM, lost said:

Most Texan thing ever to say "only a 10 hour drive"

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I can't survive a 5 hour drive to Murray😭

[LeanderMomma]

  On 11/12/2024 at 7:58 PM, Thanos said:

I can't survive a 5 hour drive to Murray😭

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That’s nothing!  🤣

[personofaperson]

Grand Nationals time!

Good luck to all the bands going to Grand Nats! There are not many Texas Bands this time so there are new opportunities for new bands to slip in!
Let us see how this contest goes!

[Sideswiperr]

  On 11/12/2024 at 7:58 PM, Thanos said:

I can't survive a 5 hour drive to Murray😭

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Pathetic 

[WILKINSON]

  On 11/13/2024 at 2:15 PM, personofaperson said:

Grand Nationals time!

Good luck to all the bands going to Grand Nats! There are not many Texas Bands this time so there are new opportunities for new bands to slip in!
Let us see how this contest goes!

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There's 6 Texas bands going. 

[RattlerDad]

  On 11/11/2024 at 8:25 AM, bassclarinetplayer said:

As a former Marcus student (not graduated haha, transferred schools), I talked to some of the other people (and I believe that the directors said something similar to what I heard when I was a freshman), but I think it was every 4 years I believe (any Marcus alumni or band parents please correct me if I am wrong) that Marcus goes to Grand Nationals.

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This is factual, at least for Reagan (NEISD).  We are going to Indy next year (2025) - Senior Year for the last of our three ninos.