At 4:15 on Nov. 1st the Southmoreland Marching Band had to beat the elements to perform at their PIMBA Championship competition at Penn Trafford. The wind blew the rain against their faces as they walked in lines of twos down the hill from the school to the stadium. Water just dripped from their shakos, their coats, their instruments, everything. But this was their time. This was their time to show everyone what they had been working for all season long.

The staff members were coming by left and right to make sure everyone was ready to go on. “Only think about the things that you can control. You can’t control the wind and the rain, so don’t think about it,” they would say.

“Southmoreland’s 2014 program is entitled “Seasons.” PIMBA is proud to present drum major Blaise Wisniewski and the Southmoreland Marching Band,” said the announcer from the press box.

It was show time.

“There was one point during the show when I just smiled at them,” said Wisniewski. “I knew all of the hard work that they put into it, and it was just so satisfying to see everything come together.”

As the band marched off the field tears started to flow from their eyes. That was the last time “Seasons” would ever be performed. That was the last competition that some of them would ever perform.

“Seeing their faces as they come off the field is the best part for me,” said band director Mr. Shawn Harris. “I would take last place at every competition as long as they were happy.”

The only thing left for them to do now was wait. Wait for the award ceremony. Wait to see what place they would be leaving that stadium with.

The band members rose in the bleachers whenever the announcer finally started the award ceremony for the Class AA bands. The only thing that was able to be heard at that point was the rain hitting off the bleachers and the wind whistling in their ears.

“And in fourth place with a score of 82.55…,” said the announcer. “The Southmoreland Marching Band.”

Disappointment swept their faces. Even though it wasn’t last place, it still wasn’t what the members had hoped for. They knew they had worked so much harder than that. They exchanges confused and disappointed glances. And in the midst of their disappointment Mr. Harris stood up and said, “Don’t ever let a score define you. Don’t let what some judges say about you determine how you feel about this performance because guys, you have nothing to be ashamed of what you left out there on that field today.”

The band had just missed third place to Fox Chapel by half of a point.

“Mr. Harris always tells us that he doesn’t care about a score, and that’s the truth,” said rookie Dylan Opalinksi, “He honestly doesn’t,” “He tells us what does matter is that feeling we get whenever we come off the field knowing that we’ve did everything we could.”

“I would say it was the best show of our season, but the kids are a better judge of that than me,” said Mr. Harris. “If you worry too much about a score then you miss all the little things about a season that makes it special.”

• About
• Latest Posts

Bailey Geehring

I am a senior and a second year editor for the Tam O'Shanter. I will attend California University of Pennsylvania in the fall to pursue a career as a Speech-Language Pathologist.
"Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud"- Maya Angelou

Latest posts by Bailey Geehring (see all)

• Opioid crisis tears apart local family - May 22, 2017
• Primary center autistic support classroom practices transition skills with high school students - May 3, 2017
• Scotties to face Avonworth Saturday in first round of WPIAL playoffs - February 15, 2017