The sun shone brightly reflecting off the instruments as students walked from the warm-up area to the performance area, where they would wait “patiently” until the band before them finished.  

“Keep those instruments warm, and remain in lockdown.”  

This played on repeat in the minds of the band members as they listened for their name to be called. 

Five minutes before their performance this was the Ranger Regiment; they were waiting to perform at the Birdville Stadium for the UIL Area competition.  

This was it. 

Their chance to go to the State marching competition. 

They had qualified for the competition by achieving a “sweepstakes” at the UIL marching contest. Two years before the Ranger Regiment won Area with their show “A Royal Tapestry” and qualified to compete for State at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. This year they had hoped to do the same. 

Despite their best effort, the Ranger Regiment missed a finals performance by one band. 

The result at the Area competition was felt throughout the band; freshman clarinet player Alexis Hamlin said she felt “robbed” by the loss. She said she felt confident in the show even before the performance had begun. 

“I was excited. I didn’t feel nervous,” Alexis said. “I was feeling good. In my head I was saying we got this.” 

When she found out the results she, like others, was surprised and disappointed.  

“I was…. I didn’t believe it at first I tried to hold back my tears,”  Alexis said. “I lost it when I saw my parents. I was confused. I knew everyone put in 110 percent, and I was wondering why we didn’t make it.” 

Even though she was upset by the results, she says this is a great band and that the Ranger Regiment will keep moving forward. 

Trumpet section leader senior Auri Asay said that even though the Ranger Regiment did not continue on to State he feels proud of what the trumpets and the band have accomplished this marching season. 

“The fact that we didn’t go to State isn’t a huge deal,” Auri said. “Each marching season is about playing with the group, playing your instrument, and making the band stronger.” 

Auri said that he was shocked by the results, but to him going to State was more about giving the people who wanted to return to State and who wanted go to State for the first time the opportunity to have the same experience he had when the Ranger Regiment went to state his sophomore year.  

“This season as a whole it felt like it was my last chance to make an impact on friends,” Auri said. “And make that bond with them stronger.” 

Head Band Director John Canfield said that despite the results he felt that it was a good performance, and he had been anxious to get back to the other directors and the band and tell them how well they had done.  

“I was surprised, I thought that we would’ve been in finals. Obviously, I was hoping to be in finals,” Canfield said. “I thought our performance warranted a finals performance.” 

Though the Ranger Regiment didn’t make finals Regiment members all say the season was not about State; it was about being a group and being a family.  

Canfield said he has tried to teach that it isn’t about how good you do at a competition,  it is about how well you learn to be a group and a family. 

“If the only thing about this season was just going to State and doing good at State and it wasn’t about the people within the organization themselves, then probably the season wasn’t a good season; however if we find out at the end that the most important thing is each other then the loss at the contest is just an event that happens during the season,” Canfield said. 

Regiment members agree that the season ending is more upsetting than not going to State. 

“Even though we didn’t make State I am more upset that the band won’t be together any more.” Alexis said.