The Champion Charger Marching Band received a perfect score at their UIL competition on Tuesday, November 17 at Tivy Stadium. Each performance was scored in three categories on a scale of 1 to 5. CHS’s marching band scored a perfect rating of 1 in every category.
“They judge you off of marching, overall effect and playing,” said senior Bailey Buie. “The rankings are superb, excellent, and stuff like that. So one is the best, meaning our marching was really good and our playing was also really good.”
Members expressed their pride in their scores and commitment to the program.
“It went really well! We got sweepstakes. We got all ones, which is the best we could get,”said Buie, the Charger Band’s head drum major. “We’ve been working our butts off for a really long time, and we definitely deserve ones.”
When asked if he felt his students received the score they deserved, Mr. Jason Younts, director of the band program, responded ‘ABSOLUTELY!!!’ (All three exclamation marks and caps are his.)
“Our students perform at a Superior Level everyday in rehearsal,” said Mr. Younts, “And that transfers to their performances.”
This is Younts’ first year with the band program at Champion.
“The Champion Charger Band is a special program that I am excited to be a part of and continue to facilitate growth and success for many years to come,” said Mr. Younts. “It’s a GREAT Day to be a Charger.”
When announcing the perfect score the band received, Mr. Younts decided to have a bit of fun with the band.
“He told us that we received a three, and a lot of people were really like, ‘Uh oh, we got a three? What the heck! I didn’t think we were that bad,’” said Buie. “And then he was like, ‘Because one plus one plus one equals three!’ So we were all really excited about that.”
Senior Anna Morris, a four year member of color guard, also commented on the way Mr. Younts shared the news.
“We all started cheering,” said Morris. “And then he said, ‘Yeah, you can only use that joke once.’”
The competition was limited due to COVID safety guidelines, and students were not allowed to watch other schools perform, but many expressed positivity about the experience.
“I’m so happy to be leaving my marching band experience on a high note,” said senior Morris.
The show the marching band performed, ‘Charger Nation,’ is the same show they perform at home football games, and will be performed Friday, November 27 at halftime when the Chargers take on the Lockhart Lions.
“This show is a celebration of our program, Boerne, and America,” said Mr. Younts. “In these unprecedented times we wanted to focus on what is the most important—the people around us.”