Texas Bands Contest Schedule 2019

[abtwitch]

Nothing for Dawson is verifiable. The calendar is private only.

Maybe now, but it definitely was public earlier because I found the dates myself.

[LHSbandDad]

Leander is confirmed on our calendar for the following contests this fall:

9/28:  BOA Austin

10/12:  TMC

11/1-2:  BOA SA

11/14-16:  Grand Nats

[LeanderMomma]

Leander is confirmed on our calendar for the following contests this fall:

9/28: BOA Austin

10/12: TMC

11/1-2: BOA SA

11/14-16: Grand Nats

I’m so glad we’re headed back to the TMC. It’s been awhile!

[ctex1994]

Westlake will be attending BOA Houston and BOA San Antonio (heard this from a friend who is an alum)

[WoodlandsMom4ever]

Lone star preview has been confirmed for oct 12th. I believe the registration will open up on April 1st for it.

[DrumCorpsGeek]

Seven Lakes-

 

October 5- BOA Houston

October 12- Katy Marching Festival

October 19- BOA Waco

October 22- UIL

November 2-  USBands Spring

[gmtb617]

Interesting that Seven Lakes isn't going to SA. I think you will see an increasing number of bands skipping SA on any given year

SA was on the 7L calendar until the football schedule came out. The one Saturday game on the schedule lands on 11/2, and all of the sudden we’re not in SA anymore. Feels oddly similar to the Woodlands situation last year at BOA Conroe finals.

 

Not trying to throw shade on the football/band relationship in the district and in Texas as a whole (Actually I am trying to throw shade), but I find it interesting how quickly we pulled out after the district slapped a game on the most significant day of the contest. It’s as if the battle isn’t worth pursuing; not attending a football game is unfathomable, after all!

 

If there’s any way I could find a way to get our school on board with confronting the district about it, I’d do it (even though I’m leaving the school soon). The football/band imbalance needs to be addressed again and again and again. For one football game to eclipse our chance to participate in and perhaps score really well at arguably the most competitive HS marching band event in the entire nation...seems unjust to me.

 

This is my own personal opinion on the issue, and I don’t want my cynical attitude to reflect anyone but myself. I just hope this message reverberates somewhere.

[lost]

SA was on the 7L calendar until the football schedule came out. The one Saturday game on the schedule lands on 11/2, and all of the sudden we’re not in SA anymore. Feels oddly similar to the Woodlands situation last year at BOA Conroe finals.

 

Not trying to throw shade on the football/band relationship in the district and in Texas as a whole (Actually I am trying to throw shade), but I find it interesting how quickly we pulled out after the district slapped a game on the most significant day of the contest. It’s as if the battle isn’t worth pursuing; not attending a football game is unfathomable, after all!

 

If there’s any way I could find a way to get our school on board with confronting the district about it, I’d do it (even though I’m leaving the school soon). The football/band imbalance needs to be addressed again and again and again. For one football game to eclipse our chance to participate in and perhaps score really well at arguably the most competitive HS marching band event in the entire nation...seems unjust to me.

 

This is my own personal opinion on the issue, and I don’t want my cynical attitude to reflect anyone but myself. I just hope this message reverberates somewhere.

I say what has to happen is what happened with The Woodlands and Conroe. Show the higher-ups the most competitive marching competition in the south is not worth missing for a lousy game where their performance and weeks of hard work will be dulled by the atendees needs to buy snacks. This is an injustice to Seven Lakes

[LostChoirGuy]

I agree with you. I wish we could all come together and contact your district, but it might be harder than the woodlands situation.

[LeanderMomma]

What a terrible shame for Seven Lakes!

[TWHSParent]

SA was on the 7L calendar until the football schedule came out. The one Saturday game on the schedule lands on 11/2, and all of the sudden we’re not in SA anymore. Feels oddly similar to the Woodlands situation last year at BOA Conroe finals.

 

Not trying to throw shade on the football/band relationship in the district and in Texas as a whole (Actually I am trying to throw shade), but I find it interesting how quickly we pulled out after the district slapped a game on the most significant day of the contest. It’s as if the battle isn’t worth pursuing; not attending a football game is unfathomable, after all!

 

If there’s any way I could find a way to get our school on board with confronting the district about it, I’d do it (even though I’m leaving the school soon). The football/band imbalance needs to be addressed again and again and again. For one football game to eclipse our chance to participate in and perhaps score really well at arguably the most competitive HS marching band event in the entire nation...seems unjust to me.

 

This is my own personal opinion on the issue, and I don’t want my cynical attitude to reflect anyone but myself. I just hope this message reverberates somewhere.

 

It absolutely reverberates, and does need to be fought over and over. It is culturally driven, and Katy ISD probably has it even more deeply ingrained than Conroe ISD. If the directors have already capitulated, then there there is probably very little traction that the larger community can leverage in raising the issue with the ISD administration for 2019. However, what can be shown to the directors is that there is a community out there that supports band programs to be band programs, and not tied to football teams. The directors can start to push against the old thinking knowing that the issue will be publicized and that many people throughout Texas and even the US are watching and supportive.

[Samuel Culper]

Boy, do I appreciate being in Leander ISD.  This wouldn't be an issue here, thankfully.

[gmtb617]

It absolutely reverberates, and does need to be fought over and over. It is culturally driven, and Katy ISD probably has it even more deeply ingrained than Conroe ISD. If the directors have already capitulated, then there there is probably very little traction that the larger community can leverage in raising the issue with the ISD administration for 2019. However, what can be shown to the directors is that there is a community out there that supports band programs to be band programs, and not tied to football teams. The directors can start to push against the old thinking knowing that the issue will be publicized and that many people throughout Texas and even the US are watching and supportive.

I completely agree with you.

 

In hindsight, we’ve always had games on SA weekend, but since they were on Fridays and our band contest schedules were lighter, we could make it work. However, with 2 other BOA regionals and less district support since it’s not a UIL year, our funds were going to be stretched thin, and spending money for the transport (2 full trips to SA) wouldn’t be worth it. Our only real options would be to not go to the game (but that’s barely an option), drop contests completely, or change contests, which we did.

 

Even though we did the best we could to make up for not attending, I think this issue still reflects the long-standing tradition of football dominance in this area. This is a continuity of the norm. Missing a football game wasn’t an option, apparently, and I can easily see why given how much money our district has been shoving into football programs. I completely understand missing multiple games being an issue, as the band has ways to work around it and it is excellent support. However, missing only one game seems more than reasonable from a band student’s perspective. Oh well.

[MadisonBandMan1]

Yeah, I don’t understand. We don’t seem to have that problem here in NEISD, they are very supportive of all extra curricular activities here but are especially supportive of the five arts, even though we do have good football teams here. It’s sad that football is so much of a religion that sharing is considered a sin to some. Wow.

[TWHSParent]

Boy, do I appreciate being in Leander ISD.  This wouldn't be an issue here, thankfully.

 

Yep.

 

I think the football teams in Leander ISD dream of having the success of the band programs. In fact, the football teams in the vast majority of ISD's dream of having the success of Leander ISD's band programs.

[Samuel Culper]

Yeah, I don’t understand. We don’t seem to have that problem here in NEISD, they are very supportive of all extra curricular activities here but are especially supportive of the five arts, even though we do have good football teams here. It’s sad that football is so much of a religion that sharing is considered a sin to some. Wow.

 

It really is an interesting dynamic in Texas, and it plays out differently in different places.

 

Part of the reason marching bands in Texas are such a big deal to begin with probably has a LOT to do with what a religion high school football is to many people.  The same goes for cheerleading.  Everything that contributes to the pageantry of Friday night lights is important.  To a point.

 

But there are still corners of the state where the old mindset is firmly in place that the band is there to, effectively, serve the football team, to provide the necessary pageantry.  They would never entertain the notion of a football game without the band there to support the team.  They don't acknowledge that the band exists for its own purposes as well.

 

Thankfully, this is not the case everywhere.  As an example from a few years ago, both Vista Ridge and Leander had Friday  late afternoon/ early evening prelims times at BOA SA, and their football teams were playing one another that evening.  Neither band could make it back in time for the game, so the game went on with no bands present.  I'm sure it was weird (I wasn't there,  I was in SA, of course), but neither school's administration nor the district flinched.  This is the way it should be.

[FaultLineBlues]

I agree with you. I wish we could all come together and contact your district, but it might be harder than the woodlands situation.

In the words of a certain fish from SpongeBob, "HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO TEACH YOU THIS LESSON OLD MAN?"

 

(said old man being school districts that stop bands from competing for football games)

[LeanderMomma]

Yep.

 

I think the football teams in Leander ISD dream of having the success of the band programs. In fact, the football teams in the vast majority of ISD's dream of having the success of Leander ISD's band programs.

 

Yes, our poor football team at Leander (and Vista Ridge) is pretty awful.  Those boys have heart, but they struggle competing against these big 6A schools when we are truly just BARELY 6A.  But to be honest, we struggled even when we were 5A.  OTOH, Vandy and Cedar Park have both amazing bands AND awesome football teams.  So it's definitely not just a LISD issue.  It's evidently just a Leander (and VRHS) issue.  But we did get a new coach for the fall, so hopefully he will make some great strides in improving Leander's game.  When my middle daughter was at Leander (she was/is a very gifted athlete who graduated in 09), they had an AMAZING football team, but the band was more mediocre back then.  Like a lot of Texas really.  Great football teams, but only a handful of really great bands.  I'm so glad that is changing!!

[Samuel Culper]

Yes, our poor football team at Leander (and Vista Ridge) is pretty awful.  Those boys have heart, but they struggle competing against these big 6A schools when we are truly just BARELY 6A.  But to be honest, we struggled even when we were 5A.  OTOH, Vandy and Cedar Park have both amazing bands AND awesome football teams.  So it's definitely not just a LISD issue.  It's evidently just a Leander (and VRHS) issue.  But we did get a new coach for the fall, so hopefully he will make some great strides in improving Leander's game.  When my middle daughter was at Leander (she was/is a very gifted athlete who graduated in 09), they had an AMAZING football team, but the band was more mediocre back then.  Like a lot of Texas really.  Great football teams, but only a handful of really great bands.  I'm so glad that is changing!!

 

The Vista Ridge football team did make it to the State semis a few years back (the last year in 5A), but, yeah, have been awful since.  I was hoping 1-9 last year would have been "good" enough to get the coach sacked, but no such luck.

 

My kids like to joke about how much better the band is than the football team.  At this point, the band might be able to hold their own against the football team in a game of football.  Yikes.

[CTJBandPops]

The Vista Ridge football team did make it to the State semis a few years back (the last year in 5A), but, yeah, have been awful since.  I was hoping 1-9 last year would have been "good" enough to get the coach sacked, but no such luck.

 

My kids like to joke about how much better the band is than the football team.  At this point, the band might be able to hold their own against the football team in a game of football.  Yikes.

feeling very fortunate that NEISD has always recognized that we have kids that sign up for the marching arts to do more than perform at football games - it helps to have some programs in the district that are better known for their music/marching programs than their football programs. I have always been impressed with the support that our schools provide to the band in their quest to be the best in their passion.

[gregorydf01]

Brenham will not be able to attend the VR Marching Festival as planned.  Please remove Brenham from the spreadsheet for this contest.  

 

Down to 23 bands + VR in expedition and room for 26 Bands +VR.

[CTJBandPops]

The support from Leander ISD has to be unparalleled

NEISD as well - always supportive of the marching arts and the many challenges that the programs are being challenged with 

[MadisonBandMan1]

Lake Travis HS, TX -

BOA Austin

BOA Houston

BOA  St. Louis(!!!!!)

BOA San Antonio

 

Wow quite an ambitious schedule for them, I can't wait to see what they put on the field this year!

[Majellan]

The support from Leander ISD has to be unparalleled

 

Mostly true, but there are others.  Don't forget the original LISD up north, Flower Mound uses JV band on performance weekends at football game, but Hebron, Marcus and even the resurgent Lewisville HIgh School Band are very well supported.  Frisco iSD is very good about it as well, interest in football is not strong here with 10 high schools and counting. The only other districts that comes to mind with outstanding multi school support within the district would be Birdville ISD, Keller ISD with Keller High, Timbercreek and Keller Central as regular attendees to multiple contests, 

 

Edit:  Northeast ISD also does very well with Reagan and Johnson making fairly regular trips to Grand Nats along with multiple appearance in Macy's and Rose parades.

[Tke123]

Mostly true, but there are others. Don't forget the original LISD up north, Flower Mound uses JV band on performance weekends at football game, but Hebron, Marcus and even the resurgent Lewisville HIgh School Band are very well supported. Frisco iSD is very good about it as well, interest in football is not strong here with 10 high schools and counting. The only other districts that comes to mind with outstanding multi school support within the district would be Birdville ISD, Keller ISD with Keller High, Timbercreek and Keller Central as regular attendees to multiple contests,

 

Edit: Northeast ISD also does very well with Reagan and Johnson making fairly regular trips to Grand Nats along with multiple appearance in Macy's and Rose parades.

NEISD also includes Churchill, another Grand Nationals regular as well as Macy’s participant.