WORTHINGTON -- Worthington High School Marching Band Director Jon Loy ran through rows of students, adjusting improperly bended knees and making sure each of the 100-plus students in the band stayed in step with the group.
"We're at the point of pickiness," he told them, "How great is that?"
Pretty darn great if you ask Loy, whose band has been called the underdog of this Saturday's Youth in Music Marching Band Championship at the Metrodome.
It's the group's first trip to the competition, which features more than 20 of the Midwest's best high school marching bands in an all-day competition.
"This is only their second year of competitive marching. I am so proud of them," he said as the group rehearsed in the MC Fitness gym Thursday morning. The group was practicing in a large, echo-prone facility to prepare for the acoustic challenges they will face in the Metrodome.
ADVERTISEMENT
"We've done other things to get ready like play against a brick wall, play in a gymnasium, play in a smaller room that's very echo-y," said Loy.
Senior Color Guard member Amanda Reif continues the list. "We've been working on our marching a little bit, lines, footstep sizes, posture, eyes and where our chins need to be," she explained, "At the beginning of the week we kind of started over. We went back to the basics."
The band is playing a trio of songs by the Foo Fighters to match their "Where's Waldo?" theme.
"The three songs are supposed to represent a little journey that Waldo is going through," explained Deann Naab, co-section leader of the drum line. "The first song is kind of more rock-ish, kind of getting you started, the second is a ballad, just getting a lot of energy pumped up in the crowd. It's just a really fun show."
Loy also hopes performing alongside such highly regarded bands will serve as inspiration.
"The by-product of the whole weekend is we're going to see some really outstanding bands," he said. "You can learn so much by watching."
One of the bands to watch may be the Pipestone Arrows Marching Band, which will make its third trip to the Metrodome this year.
Director Mike Hench said the Arrows take an opposite approach to that of Worthington, relaxing instead of buckling down.
ADVERTISEMENT
"It's kind of a burnout point for kids, it's late in the season," he said, "Our band performs better if they get a little bit of time off the week before."
He explained that this competition is different than most in that bands are classed by school size, band size and band experience. Worthington is class A, while Pipestone is AA. Class AAA is reserved for the largest and most competitive bands.
"We're the smallest school there by half," said Hench. "We do really well for the size school and band we are. To the kids it's important that they give a good show to the audience. You let the judges take care of everything else."
The Pipestone Arrows show revolves around a Film Noir theme, with pieces locally produced by Jeremy Hegg of Sioux Falls, S.D.
Following a preliminary competition, one band from each division (Exhibition, A, AA and AAA) earns a spot in the finals. The remainder of the 10 finals spots are filled by the highest preliminary scorers regardless of class.
Ultimately though, band members say it's not about the awards they bring home. They're just excited about the opportunity.
"I don't think I've ever had a bad time there, it's always been a great experience," said Brianna Slinger, a junior clarinet player with the Pipestone Arrows.
"I love marching band," said WHS senior commander Connor Tripp. "If I could I'd be a super senior and I'd come back every single year and be in the band."
