Dynasty in Marching band

[longhornsax]

The past few weeks have brought about, or maybe exaggerated an interesting development in the marching band world. It seems that the top bands in both the state of Texas and the country have figured the system out. Look at UIL state and BOA San Antonio for the past 4 years. You have to go back to 2006 to find a state contest that LD Bell and Marcus didn't place 1-2, and even in 2006 they were 1-3. Not only are these two bands consistently finishing at the top, but they are often dominating these contests score-wise. For me personally it has removed the excitement in hearing results knowing that these two bands are simply in a league of their own. Marcus has now won 3 state contests in a row. Avon has now won 3 Grand Nationals in a row.

 

So I will ask this, for the sake of discussion in the off season. Have we come to an era in marching band in which the system is this predictable? Are these 4 years of domination by these two bands just the beginning of a long run of predictable gold/silver results? Barring a change of director, or a split in schools (both unlikely in the near future) I don't see either of these bands slowing down or any other band catching up in the near future. Is this the beginning of a dynasty?

[Xenon]

From 1986 through 1998 (until 2000), the 5A UIL State Marching Band Competition Champions only came from 2 different school districts. Duncanville ISD and Spring ISD.

[moose_eggs]

Marcus and Bell were first and 2nd in 2006. In 2004 Bell was state champion and marcus wasn't in state finals.

 

Marcus started being really good in 2004-2005 ish. Before that they were an ok band with and amazing drumline.

 

Bell has been really good since 1999-2000 ish. They have been a top competitor in the state of Texas and the country since then.

 

Both of these schools are old schools. The area around them is completely developed already and especially in bells case, there is no chance of another school opening up in that school district. They are completely surrounded by concrete.

 

We have seen the rise and fall of many schools (reagan, Hebron, Fossil Ridge, etc....) that have been suddenly very good, but then knocked out of the race by a new school opening (not yet in hebrons case, but soon im predicting a new school out there soon).

 

Bell and Marcus ( and Spring and Westfield and Duncanville..) etc. have been good (for the most part) forever because the area around them is already developed.

 

My 2 cents

[Xenon]

Bell and Marcus ( and Spring and Westfield and Duncanville..) etc. have been good (for the most part) forever because the area around them is already developed.

And all have very good staff with very low turnover rates. This has allowed them to fully develop their middle school feeder systems.

[bingogooberman]

[quote name='moose_eggs' date='Nov 15 2010, 03:13 PM' post='79028'

 

We have seen the rise and fall of many schools (reagan, Hebron, Fossil Ridge, etc....) that have been suddenly very good, but then knocked out of the race by a new school opening (not yet in hebrons case, but soon im predicting a new school out there soon).

 

Hebron, and really all of LISD, will not split anytime soon, if ever. The district has turned to opening freshman centers as opposed to opening new schools (Hebron's just opened this year). While the district continues to develop, Mostly in the Marcus, Flo Mo, Hebron areas, there probably wont be any new high schools. If anything, there might be a rezoning of Lewisville and Flower Mound High schools which are both (particularly Lewisville) overcrowded, but I doubt it. So, I'd say Hebron is here to stay.

[longhorn2190]

Yeah and it's interesting that every school that has won a 5A championship have all won it at least twice (with the exception of Laredo Nixon, the first UIL champion in 83)

[bj05johnson]

The past few weeks have brought about, or maybe exaggerated an interesting development in the marching band world. It seems that the top bands in both the state of Texas and the country have figured the system out. Look at UIL state and BOA San Antonio for the past 4 years. You have to go back to 2006 to find a state contest that LD Bell and Marcus didn't place 1-2, and even in 2006 they were 1-3. Not only are these two bands consistently finishing at the top, but they are often dominating these contests score-wise. For me personally it has removed the excitement in hearing results knowing that these two bands are simply in a league of their own. Marcus has now won 3 state contests in a row. Avon has now won 3 Grand Nationals in a row.

 

So I will ask this, for the sake of discussion in the off season. Have we come to an era in marching band in which the system is this predictable? Are these 4 years of domination by these two bands just the beginning of a long run of predictable gold/silver results? Barring a change of director, or a split in schools (both unlikely in the near future) I don't see either of these bands slowing down or any other band catching up in the near future. Is this the beginning of a dynasty?

 

Just a couple things- I think it was said but Bell won state in 2004 and was second in 2006, not third. Also, Bell did have multiple director changes as well as their head director changing in 2008/2009 and so far there's no hitch in their step. At some point they will slow down but these are two very, very strong programs.

[takigan]

Are these 4 years of domination by these two bands just the beginning of a long run of predictable gold/silver results? Barring a change of director, or a split in schools (both unlikely in the near future) I don't see either of these bands slowing down or any other band catching up in the near future. Is this the beginning of a dynasty?

 

Cedar Park came pretty darn close to challenging that dynasty when they were at their peak right before Vandegrift opened. Leander has been a district of "Phoenixes" for awhile. Leander shedding their former glory in the form of Cedar Park in the late 90s, and Cedar Park laying the egg that has become Vandegrift just recently. Vandegrift may rise to the occasion in another year or 2 to challenge the establishment. Claudia Taylor Johnson is yet another Rising Phoenix that may claim a birthright dynasty of its own in a couple years....we have yet to see what they're truly capable of.

[KlarinetteRed_64]

I would credit both the funding each district gives to their programs and the massive amounts of effort the students and staff put in.

 

A tradition of excellence has truly developed in these schools which is why, as their seniors graduate, the former freshmen strive to be just as good, if not better than that class. L.D. Bell and Marcus are both highly competitive schools and when you provide an atmosphere like that, there is no stopping them for a long time.

 

However, the "dynasty" idea kind of already exists. One or two bands dominate for a good number of years then drop out. Then new bands rise and drop out after their run. This has been happening since the adoption of the drum corps style of marching by high schools.

[TxRaider13]

Define dynasty. Is it winning, or is it a program always performing at State or GN? If it's winning than yes, Marcus and Bell are the current dynasty. If you define it the other way, you have a ever lasting dynasty in the following schools:

 

5A

Duncanville

Bell

Marcus

Haltom

Langham Creek

Lopez

Coppell

Berkner

I'm sure theirs more in this class

 

4A

Poteet

Friendswood

Roma

Dripping Springs

Hendrickson

J.J. Pearce

Again more but can't think

 

3A

Canton

Argyle

North Lamar

Port Isabel

Same thing here

 

2A

Queen City

I don't follow close enough to name anyone

 

1A

Same

 

Put these where you wish:

Cedar Park

Dickenson

 

I would put Desoto, but the made their first 2 at Region contest. thats over 40yrs of making a 1 and able to make sweepstakes

Edited November 17, 2010 by TxRaider13

[A Parent]

It may look predictable but I feel it is far from it.

 

To many variables come into play.

 

Take Avon (IN) for instance. Would you believe roughly 35% of their band this year was either a freshman or a first time marcher? That is about 90 kids! Makes you wonder what the instructors think everytime a new season starts. I can't imagine having to do that every year and next years class will be slightly bigger

 

When Avon started winning consistently, I feel that is when the students picked themselves up and decided that this is something they want. That is also when they realized that it is harder to stay on top than to get to the top.

 

 

In some aspects having a dynasty is good. It marks a point in time where a change to a particular subject has occured, and people can look back on it, study it, learn it, understand it and what impact it had on the profession.

 

Every school with a competitive marching band will leave their mark on this sport whether or not they make it to the top.

 

Some will leave a bigger mark but not out of spite, greed or selfishness but out of the joy of doing something they love. What a way to depart!

[NewMexicoBandsman]

As for Avon doing so well, it's hard for them not to, when they combine a Marcus/Bell level of community development and support with the lack of an 8-hour rule. I don't see them losing their place at the top in the next couple of years, or losing a place in the top three for quite some time.

[mrwood69]

Yeah and it's interesting that every school that has won a 5A championship have all won it at least twice (with the exception of Laredo Nixon, the first UIL champion in 83)

 

 

Actually Round Rock High School won the first UIL state marching contest in 1980, and for a few proceeding years after that placed 2nd, 3rd, and other places until after 1987 when they stopped making it to state.

[mrwood69]

Leander shedding their former glory in the form of Cedar Park in the late 90s...

 

 

Well the current head director at Marcus was the director there during that period.

[bchorn]

wow...does Indiana have any sort of rule limiting the amount of time they can practice?

 

Also is Texas the only state that has a rule like this?

 

As for Avon doing so well, it's hard for them not to, when they combine a Marcus/Bell level of community development and support with the lack of an 8-hour rule. I don't see them losing their place at the top in the next couple of years, or losing a place in the top three for quite some time.

[A Parent]

The only rule that I know of for schools in IN is one that says they have to take 1 or 2 weeks off just before school starts in August. It applies to all school activities, not just band.

 

Avon has wonderful community as well as school administration support so in that aspect they are very lucky.

 

I know during the school year, they do roughly 15-20 hours a week of practice.

During the summer it is a little more than that but can't remember how much and yes there are some 12 hour day but not all of that is actual practice.

 

Whether that is considered fair to other bands that is a topic all on its own.

 

Personally I think Grand Nationals should be held in different states on a rotating basis, again another topic for discussion.

[takigan]

wow...does Indiana have any sort of rule limiting the amount of time they can practice?

 

Also is Texas the only state that has a rule like this?

 

(old topic, but wtv, I just saw it).

 

The 8-hour rule was created primarily for One Act Play. When they formed the rule sometime in the 90s (I can't remember exactly what year it was added....95 maybe?) a group of some of the most competitive schools were pushing their One Act Play rehearsal times into RIDICULOUS weekly schedules (like, getting out at 11pm sometimes) in order to gain an edge over each other. UIL cracked down on it, and since I think there had already been concerns raised about Football and kids getting heat exhaustion, they decided to make it an umbrella rule for all competing organizations.

 

So it's a combination of Texas heat, and the fact that UIL governs everything that made Texas adopt an 8-hour rule while other states don't.

[Xenon]

But the UIL Marching 8-Hour Rule is even more restrictive than the TEA 8-Hour Rule. This is because even after the implementation of the TEA 8-Hour Rule, marching bands were practicing their full 8-hours Mon-Thurs, doing more practice and football games on Friday, and still practicing for 8-hours on any Saturday that there wasn't a competition.