Brigade
Take Fourth at ISSMA State Finals
By: Jermaine Williams
info@blackhawkbrigade.com
SV Brigade Webmaster/Instructor
Springs Valley took to the RCA Dome in
Indianapolis on Saturday as a fan favorite and came back
to French Lick with a fourth place trophy and smiles on
their faces after the ISSMA State Marching Band Finals.
Saturday was a day to celebrate for the
Brigade as they marched in the RCA Dome for the first time
since 1994. Over 30,000 attended the State Finals. "We
were thrilled to death to be a state finalist. Everyone
from the students to the staff and parents were just thrilled
to have the opportunity again to compete at the state level,"
stated Luke Aylsworth, Director of Bands at Springs Valley.
The fourth place finish was a great testament
to how hard Springs Valley has worked this season, starting
at camp in June and July. Being a state finalist in itself
is attributed to the past bands that have helped restore
the marching band tradition at Springs Valley. Aylsworth
said, "Being in the top five is a major accomplishment.
Only three years ago, we were struggling to make it out
of District. To be at this level so quickly is an awesome
achievement."
Back in 1994, the Brigade placed fourth
at the State Finals. That was the last year the Brigade
marched in the RCA Dome. "It took us twelve years to
get back to the level we were in 1994. The last time we
made it to state finals we were fourth place. I think it
is fitting that it now seems we have taken up where we left
off. The mission now becomes maintaining this level of achievement.
We have approximately three hundred students in the Springs
Valley Band Program. The future looks promising and we must
continue to push for musical excellence while developing
our student leaders," Aylsworth said.
On Friday afternoon, the Brigade held a
“Sticker Ceremony” to add the year “2006”
to the Brigade’s semi. "One of the neatest things
about this week was our semi trailer sticker ceremony. We
received a semi trailer a few years ago and we placed decals
on the side of the trailer to signify each state finals
appearance. We started a new tradition of lining up next
to the semi before a performance and patting our years before
we performed. Friday we put the 2006 decal on and the students
got to pat their own year. That was a very special moment.
They are now forever a part of the storied Blackhawk Brigade
legacy."
Springs Valley does not end their season
with State Finals. They will travel to Beavercreek, Ohio
for the Mid-States Marching Finals, where they will compete
with bands from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan. "We
now have two weeks to hone our skills and perfect the show
some more. We can travel to Mid States knowing that the
final time this group performs together will be on our terms.
It will be fun and exciting to work more on our state finals
show. It is great to be able to send off our seniors with
such a positive experience,” Aylsworth concluded.
NOTE: Article published in the Springs
Valley Herald and Bedford Times-Mail.
Contest Results can be found at:
Indiana
Marching.com and/or
Simply
Instrumental.com
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