NEOSHO, Mo. — The air swirling around the football stadium Thursday night was heavy with misting rain.
Fans were excited, players were ready; the only thing missing was the band. The possibility of severe weather for the final home game of the season forced the band to not play.
From atop the press box, the game announcer prodded the crowd to make some extra noise. “Come on everyone!” he cheered. “You’re going to have to yell extra loud tonight to make noise for the band.”
Throughout the football season, Neosho fans had enjoyed watching the Wildcat marching band’s field performance come together and expand into a halftime event.
“Every year we have pushed our students a little harder, gone a little further, and grown musically because of it,” said Elizabeth Rogers, high school band director. “This year has been no exception.”
“We are doing a different style of competition show this year using electronics along with our acoustic instruments, doing more drill than ever, doing more visual moves, and increasing the difficulty level of the music,” she said.
Rogers is one of four band directors, with over 500 students in the school system’s band program from sixth through 12th grade. The other directors are Ryan Lovell, Jonna Ditto and Darren Cordray. As with any public school program of this size, Rogers credits the many parents who have become part of the extended musical family, assisting through the competition season.
High school band students have a 50-minute class during the day but do the majority of their rehearsals outside normal school hours. The full band rehearses every Thursday night, using the three-hour block of time to polish the music and drill on the field.
According to Rogers, rehearsals are “pretty intense.” Band members also have individual section rehearsals before school, and some after school. Each section meets at least once a week and many meet more than that. Percussion section members rehearse five days a week before school.
“I was very involved when I was in high school and in college,” Rogers said. “I had to learn early how to handle the many responsibilities I had, to be very organized and to communicate effectively. I want my students to be involved in different activities and to do well in school. This is the time in their life where they start finding out what they love, what they are good at, and how to handle the stresses life throws at us.”
In addition to their performances during halftime of each home football game, the Wildcat marching band participated in a five-festival competition season, which wrapped up last weekend at the University of Central Missouri Festival of Champions in Warrensburg. During the annual Carthage Maple Leaf Marching Band Festival, the Wildcat band earned first place in Class C competition as well as top honors in auxiliary and horn line.
“As a band parent, when I see the band take the field in competition, the chills run wild with excitement, pride and accomplishment for the kids marching,” Melissa Collins said.
“To be standing around strangers and listen to the great compliments they have for the Neosho Wildcat Band, it makes me think of what Coach Stewart always says: ‘Whoa baby, it’s a GREAT day to be a Wildcat.’”
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