TexasStrangers

I think it will go up a little maybe +20 but nothing drastic. I know 4A as of right now is the smallest division in Texas. I guess the numbers are going to depend on how many new schools make their debuts.

I don't see any big changes from last year. Yes, there is always a school or two who could slip in but I don't see any dark horses entering the contest. I am more curious how this area is going to look after this coming year with realignment. Are any of these schools on the verge of 5A? Also, if Celina doesn't go 5A next year I could see them getting moved back to Area B.

The last realignment cutoff for 4A was 545. So, if you were 544 you were 3A. Hitchcock was at 526. Atlanta was 504. Raymondville 516, Winnsboro 496. I don't expect the number for 3A/4A to move very much this coming season. It's just a question of which way. I think there are some schools that will possibly move up to 4A but I don't think those schools are known for their band programs.

I don't know what the numbers are at Hitchcock. A good majority of the good programs in 3A are Division 2 schools. I think the closest school to the cutoff was Raymondville who could maybe move back up. I don't really know of any 2A's that could jump up to 3A. It seems like when realignment happens it's usually the big schools that go up and go down.

Oh no doubt, a solid program for many years I think the last 6 State Titles have been Whitesboro/Mineola/Mineola/Mineola/Whitesboro/Mineola. I would like to see Whitesboro pushed more in Area B. There isn't much there besides Howe and Holliday (had them 2nd at State 2 yrs ago) who are both pretty good programs. Area C is a gauntlet with Mineola/Redwater/Atlanta/Winnsboro/Commerce/Queen City and an up and coming Quitman who has missed out on state by 1 slot 2 yrs in a row.

So, that is 2 new directors in 2 years? I know Whitesboro got beat by Mineola last year at Melissa in the "Sounds of the Fall" and they also got beat by Commerce at BOA Prosper. But Whitesboro was able to correct some things and was able to finish in the Top 5 at State.

I think you will see all the usual suspects at State again this year. I predicted last year it was going to be a 3-Team Race between Mineola/Atlanta/Redwater and it was at Area/State Prelims and State Finals. All three schools were very capable of winning last year. I predicted Mineola to win last year and it was really close and when the finals was announced you could have made an argument for Mineola, Atlanta or Redwater because their shows were just on another level. I think it will once again be the Big 3 battling for State again this year. However, Raymondville was a program that debuted last year dropping down from 4A and did very well and could be a dark horse this year. Whitesboro could also be on the outside looking in as well with their new director they got last year. I have not heard what any of the 3A shows reveals are yet though.

I think if you add DCI then I think you need to have 2 contests. A DCI contest and then the High School Contest I do not think they need to be grouped together since they are also scored different.

If I remember, I think the argument against a 7A is that there wouldn't be enough schools and some of the districts would be insane travel time. I remember seeing what a possible 7A district looked like and you had schools traveling like over 4-5 hours for a district game. No matter what happens there is going to be some schools for it and against it simply because of travel and other things. I don't think we will get a 7A this realignment. I just think UIL will move the numbers a little bit to try and keep 90-95% of schools where they are at now, put the new schools were they fall and try and adjust the districts to make them more even. I know there are several districts out there that have like 6-7 schools compared to some that are 8-9-10 schools in them. I think probably what you will end up seeing all games will end up being districts games eventually instead of the usual 2-3 nondistrict games at the beginning of the season in football.

I don't think we will see a 7A this coming realignment. I think we will see a 6A Division 3 created before a 7A happens. As far as the 3A schools go, the cutoff was 545 at last realignment and all the big contenders were nowhere near it. I expect the cutoffs numbers to probably go up a little bit. The only big name that dropped from 4A down to 3A was Raymondville and I think this past season they were sitting at around 514. I expect Raymondville will return to state again this year along with all the usual contenders. The other big contenders like Whitesboro was around 510, Mineola was 479, Atlanta I think was 504, Redwater was in the 300's. Sure, there will probably be a few jumping up and jumping down but those schools typically are not known for their band programs so I don't really see much of any change unless the cutoff numbers goes down (which I doubt) or a school like Whitesboro/Atlanta/Raymondville has a huge increase in enrollment this year.

Unless there is any real big changes, I don't see a lot of movement compared to last years results. There is just a small handful of schools that for some reason have that magical formula that equal success and it's up to the other schools to try and close the gaps.

Yeah, best thing I did to learn more about a lot of these schools is to go a competition every weekend that I know has several of the big known schools that compete at the State Level every year. I also make it a point to try and go to a couple of Regionals, Areas and I went to the 3A and 4A State Competition last year. I don't know a lot about the 5A's and 6A's I am more of a fan of the smaller schools and I have several friends who all have bands kids at several 3A and 4A schools as well.

North Lamar has a pretty good program and has had several state appearances recently not to mention they finished 10th at State. Farmersville probably had their best year last year and finally made it to state and finished 13th in Prelims 1 spot ahead of Aubrey who finished 14th. 4A Area C is a beast to compete in.

Dang, this festival isn't playing around. Yes, it's not a big band event but several big name 4A's, 3A's and 2A's state finalists mixed in. Good job whoever put this together.

I don't really like to speculate unless I know for sure. I have not heard back from some of my friends. I know sometimes calendars change over the summer and issues happen during the year where schools might drop a contest then add a contest or get added at the last minute.

Yup, there seems to be more and more schools starting to host their own competitions and the some schools just don't have the budget to compete in a lot of contests every year now that state is a yearly thing (smaller schools) and not to mention so many band programs that are up and down year to year. I know there were a couple of competitions last year where lots of schools dropped to go somewhere else that in their eyes was more competitive.

That's because the State Contest flipped this year. This year 2A/4A/6A are the first week and 1A/3A/5A are the 2nd week which could affect several contests like it did last year

A friend of mine said that Mineola has this on their schedule but not sure. I heard there were some others but waiting to hear back. Also, not sure how the contest will be ran. I know one year they did a 2A/3A/4A Finals and then after that late in the night they did a 5A/6A finals. I think last year they just did one because there was a lot less bands due to many of them having Regionals that week.

I think I saw some other bands that had this competition on their calendars. Not sure though.

Yup, most bands especially bands that plan on competing in events usually have their contests selected before summer starts. Yes, sometimes there are issues during the summer and during the school year where bands have to drop scheduled contests and contests go out and try to find bands to fill spots.

Most good programs from what I gather have an idea in Jan/Feb what they want to do just have to do all the other things to start putting it together.

Yeah there are several schools out there that are very competitive and are pretty tight lipped about their shows to the public. I mean it probably makes sense, if you are a good program why do you want your competition to know all summer long what you are doing and who you are using.

I'm sure it will be a full event. I am curious to see how they run it. I know one year they had a Finals for 1A/2A/3A/4A and another Finals for 5A/6A. I think last year they didn't do it like that because not as many bands were there due to other competitions.

Princeton, right off Highway 380. You can't miss it.

Any new update on this?