WoodlandsMom4ever

Awe, thank you! Having traveled with them for the last 4 years I know they love when they get to interact and talk to other groups at the hotels. They are the sweetest and nicest girls (as most of the colorguard groups I’ve ever encountered are!) I miss traveling with them and being with them this year since my daughter graduated last May.

In my opinion from the last few seasons of watching up close, I think the numbers just don’t fully mean anything until that week in Dayton- they do give some insight to where they are, but there are too many variables to compare them side by side through the season. Until the shows are seen by the same eyes on the same day… I don’t think comparing numbers across the nation is fully accurate. ‘22 had something special. ‘23 was great, but didn’t have that special moment to it… ‘24 I feel like it has the special piece to it that was missing last year. If the girls can clean it up, Avon might not be catchable, but everyone else is still within reach. No matter what- Dayton will be so incredible to watch!!

I’m hoping they might have the ac turned off tomorrow so we aren’t all popsicles in the stands. I’m sure the cooler temp was great for the performers… but no one else! I’m not asking for heat though- because that would make the crowded stands worse.

Cisd a little further north from cypress and Katy has been starting on Aug 9,10,11 the last 3 years… which means band camp ends the weekend before because there isn’t space at the school for it to be held with orientations and such… so they’ve only had camp with drill for a week or less. Happily next year it is going the opposite way from Aug 9th this year as a start date. Next year they start on the 14th and the following the 13th… but at least it’s the 2nd full week of August and not the first full week.

The way the south Houston bands have been growing lately I think this is great!

We’ve stayed with the band at both of the Marriotts downtown. The location is fantastic and the grilled cheese at the Marriott downtown cafe is perfect as a comfort food when you’re eating quick between semis and finals! being on the walkways means you only have a few minutes of being outside in the cold- you don’t have to wear 10 layers of clothes to manage those few minutes outside.

common English translation? I have similar thoughts to what has been stated. I wouldn’t want the 8 hour rule to go away. I don’t have to worry about it anymore- but I do think it’s important for kids to have time to be well rounded with multiple things they do and are interested in- and school is just one of those things. The pressure academically is so much when you have large schools. You can be smart- incredibly smart and taking advanced classes and getting a’s… and still not be in the top 30% of your class. 8 hours of practice does not mean just 8 hours of band per week. It’s 8 hours of after school practice- 5 days with about an hour of in class fundamentals (music or skills- no drill because their marching pad is covered in students cars). A football game that takes the entire day after school till almost midnight by the time they head home- sometimes on a Thursday with school the next day (sure 1 hour afterschool they are “off” but they are all at school- there’s no going home and coming back those days). Then the competition weekends thankfully are limited- because that’s the entire Saturday. The 8 hour rule is for all sports and extracurriculars in Texas. Because Texas is competitive like no other place I’ve lived. (And I’ve lived in east/south/west states- 9 total) if it were to be taken away it would only make students lives harder and harder to balance.

Woodlands will NOT be at gn 2 years in a row. ‘25 is when they’ll be back.

Now wouldn’t that be something for a “band nerd” to set up… an Ai computer given the data points of the scoring for UIL, and Boa sheets, and then have the computer AI watch videos of all the bands and see where they would score and have them ranked… off season project… and we would probably still have disagreements about the results.

While I can see how you might think booking in bulk would help- having worked with a group going I don’t think there is very much savings possibilities. Accommodations- are booked through BOA housing- there is no option to not- and bands have no say on where they get booked (can set preference only) so no discount on that. Flights- I do know one year two bands split one charter (they each had one full charter on their own and a portion on a split one) to maximize seats and not have half a charter empty- so yes some savings could possibly happen there if the numbers of seats needed work. Rehearsal- those without busses usually stay within the stadium and convention center area and the convention center rehearsals are all booked and very calculated in making sure rehearsal time is equal for all the groups. Groups are limited to how much time they are allowed to book in advance- and the price is set and not negotiated. Charter busses for practice outside of the city center- if you fly in are hard to find availability and very expensive. Those who drive in on busses do have a little more flexibility in practicing away from the city center.

Yes, at the end of finals before the retreat.

CTJ in 2021

This last year I’ve watched the bridgeland band and specifically guard- I definitely think they are one to watch and can see them climbing up the expectation ladder. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from them each year!

I agree north shore looked fantastic! I don’t know how others are managing more time to spend on drill… 🤷‍♀️ I just know it’s been a consistent announcement that the heat is too high and they will start practice inside. They even moved the practices later in the evening instead of right after school- to try and have a better chance to get outside time.

Last year- the new directors and newness definitely slowed down the show being learned. There were times the kids and directors didn’t understand each other because of different approaches to terminology and such- once they got over those speed bumps they cleaned up and did great. This year they were set to start strong- but maybe the 105 degree UIL limit on outdoor practice could be blamed for the shorter amount of drill learned!? And the fact that school started on Aug 9th giving them only less than a week of drill time before school started. They’ve had quite a few rehearsals they had to scrap being outside- and were limited to what they could do spacewise inside because of the weather- you know campus- there isn’t much space for the size of the band to do anything inside if they can’t get gym space (which is incredibly hard to get.) I have a feeling their music is getting dialed in further than what they showed us last night and we just need some consistent days under 105 degrees for them to catch up their drill to where they would normally be.

Yep the heat index made it too hot- they weren’t allowed to be outside. They’ve moved practices next week into the evening hours (instead of after school) hoping they can get some outside time- this last week they only got tiny amounts of time to work on drill with school starting.

Ok. Thanks! And totally can understand the limited response from programs. Just so many balls to keep in the air for them and you guys.

@JMR2022 I think in the past if someone mentioned which school they were affiliated with when they bought the team Texas shirts- ya’ll sent a small $ donation to those schools- are you doing that again this year? (Or am I getting things mixed up and remembering incorrectly?)

Yep TWHS homecoming is the day of the Conroe contest- so they were able to change to Katy and will do that instead. Should be a great Katy contest! Conroe will be great as well even without them.

The Lone Star Preview Contest is hosted by TWHS on October 14th at Woodforest stadium- in Shenandoah. I don’t think the list is out yet, but last I heard they have a good number of bands signed up.

For me it was getting out afterward that was horrible… literally an hour to get out of the parking lot- even after visiting with friends afterward when we thought the traffic would ease up afterwards.

For our kids attendance is mandatory for all after school practices. Any exceptions had to contact their director directly (head director for brass and winds- percussion for percussion, guard for guard) and work out the absence with them. it is strongly discouraged and mostly only happened with emergency situations or when weather caused practice times to be rescheduled.

Lone Star Preview will be hosted by The Woodlands on October 14th at Woodforest Band Stadium in Shenandoah TX. more info and sign ups can be found here: https://www.twhsband.org/2023-lone-star-preview.html

The Woodlands will be attending. Confirmed by a booster involved in planning.

I’m sorry to say I didn’t know about those circuits! Thanks for bringing them to our attention!