Saturday, September 7, 2024
Mia Guillan and her color guard comrades add pizzaz.
Caleb Sudduth appreciates the discipline being shown by this year’s band members.
Charles Bryson plays baritone euphonium.
Kate Mitchell is back to serve as head drum major.
Sean Rose returns as trombonist.
Victoria Brooks works on her steps and movements with the band at summer camp.
SPRINGTOWN – Discipline and integrity run rampant through the Sound of Springtown marching band, and that’s how Caleb Sudduth likes it.
Sudduth, who has played in band for six years, participated in two weeks of all-day band camp on July 24 to Aug. 4. He loved every minute. In previous camps, he’d noticed more horseplay and talking. This year’s group has been focused and prepared, he said.
He credited the drum majors, squad leaders, and other band members for being role models.
“They are a good group to become embedded with,” he said.
“The fun thing about it is the kids, the discipline, learning something new,” he said. “In the end, you are going to have lifelong friendships.”
Last year, the marching band qualified to compete at the state contest and earned 15th place. Many band members felt they performed well enough to score higher.
This year, the band wants to return to the state contest and do better than ever.
“I think we are going to go really far this year,” Sudduth said. “We are going to beat our highest ever (score) in history.”
Two years ago, during his freshman year, the Sound of Springtown finished in ninth place with its highest score at state.
Director Scot McPhetrige doesn’t make prognostications about contests, but he likes what he’s been seeing from the marching band this summer.
“The kids have a really great attitude,” he said. “Everybody is working hard. We don’t have a lot of discipline issues to deal with. It’s real exciting.”
Kate Mitchell, a senior, is serving as drum major for the second year in a row. She is also captain of the Showstoppers dance troupe. Helping her are assistant drum majors Luke Holtman, senior, and Tempe Wood, junior.
At camp, the band members worked on fundamentals while becoming acclimated to the outdoor heat. Some kids spent the early summer lounging indoors with air conditioning.
“We are getting them used to being in the heat,” McPhetrige said.
Victoria Brooks, a sophomore trombonist, was sweating while leaning against the band hall building after a recent practice. She was tired but wasn’t complaining.
“I like camp,” she said. “It’s been good. I like being in a big group together and doing all the fundamentals. If you're not used to the heat, it can be a little hot, but once you get used to it, it's pretty good.”
She’s been in band for four years because she appreciates “the people and the purpose,” she said. “It makes me feel good being able to put together something to perform for other people.”
Photos by Jeff Prince | Tri-County Reporter
