When the marching band and dance team headed to the Indiana State Fair, they had spent the summer practicing for hours at a time for the Marching Band Day, a competition held at the fair annually. According to band director Mr. Conaway the practices were, “the same as always”, the outcome of their performance at the competition wasn’t. In previous years, the best the team had ever placed was 23^rd. This summer, the band placed 14th in the preliminary competition, which earned them a spot in “The Sweet Sixteen”, anighttime competition. At this prestigious event, they placed 12th. Both rankings are the highest the team has received in the eight years they’ve been competing. Since the results were so much different, many components must have helped in receiving such an outstanding place. Perhaps it was that the band and dance team as a whole “get along because we’re not a huge band and everyone knows everyone” says Mr. Conaway. This friendly and enjoyable environment most likely allowed for more stress-free practices , and therefore a more successful performance. Drum major Grace Harvey and SheDevils captains Melissa Freiser and Haley Arndt were all vital to the smooth performance as well. They all “helped out and are strong leaders,” nods Mr. Conaway.

The marching band’s day went amazingly – but the fate of the stage they played on was not so fortunate. On August 15th, only ten days after the marching band’s performance, the stage suffered a dramatic collapse during a concert by the popular country duo Sugarland.Where the WL marching band stood while receiving their many awards was ironically almost exactly where front row at the Sugarland concert was. The majority of injuries and deaths from the stage collapse happened to those in the front row. This means that if the stage had broken just days earlier, the marching band and SheDevils could have been seriously injured. “It was bizarre,” said Mr. Conaway, when asked how he felt about the situation. “I watched it twenty times and couldn’t believe where the bulk of metal [that fell] was exactly where the band was standing.” Thankfully, the band wasn’t standing there on the traumatic day.

The achievements at Marching Band Day, combined with the good fortune of barely missing the collapse, filled the marching band’s summer with triumph and terror. The team hopes that their success from the beginning of the year will carry on during the months to come.