Sisterly Love

Ronald Reagan High School is our biggest rival in marching band. Reagan is also the only band we are happy to see beat us.

At BOA Arlington, when all the bands have competed, all the finalists line up, side by side and a selected drumline plays a few 'songs' so we can all march in in style. This year L.D. Bell's drumline was chosen. We, of course, didn't find this out until 5 minutes before we marched on. Reagan was on our left, and I don't remember who was on our right, but no one was talking to them anyway. A flute player standing next to me was showing me her new uniform and I was showing her mine, we both has mirrors and really cool cords. My shako was solid white and she loved it and hers was pretty cool looking. She was amazed that we were allowed to touch our plumes. Plumes are these foot and a half long sticks that are covered in feathers. We wear them on the top of our heads. Reagan had 3 boy flute players this year, so did we, it was a first for both bands.

Our drumline started taps and Bell stopped talking to Reagan, all at once, some of us in mid sentance. We stapped to attention and began to mark time, that was what we were trained to do. I could hear the Reagan flute line whispering, they had stopped talking because, well its creepy to see 286 kids all stop what they are doing and start doing the same thing. I heard the girls next to me saying "I didn't believe you... wow, they really do freak you out when they do that..." I had to try real hard not to smile.

I'm told that as the bands come onto the field it looks really cool, I wouldn't I've never seen it. All I know is that by the end of it, my feet hurt from standing in the same place and being still for so long.

The announcer comes over the loud speaker and everyone in the stands is silent. You can hear a pin drop. He goes on the explain that the event is sponsered by yamaha and a few other companies and tells us to "Remember, because of eveything these kids do on a daily basis to even be standing on the field before you makes them all winners at life." he tells the crowd that "if you enjoyed watching these shows today, let these amazing kids hear it!". And boy do they. Everyone stands up and starts screaming. At this point, I can't wait to get to Grand Nationals and hear they crowd screaming in the dome, it echoes in a dome. The crowd settles down a little bit and he starts talking some more.

We won the caption for best music.

We won the caption for best visual.

The announcer waited. He knows exactly how to make us hold our breath.

"And for best General Effect... the L.D. Bell High School Marching Band!"
Our parents stood up and we were so excited, we had won all three captions. But we still had to just stand there at attention.

Dan Potter, the announcer began announcing the placements all the way up from 10. He announced number three and I started holding my breath.
"And in Second place, with a score of ##.##... The Ronald Reagan High School Marching Band!!"

If you have ever won anything really big, you know what it feels like, if you haven't, it's the best feeling in the world, but to know you have won something and not be able to show how happy you are about it is the most painful feeling in the world.

"And in First place.... with a score of ##.##......... The L.D. Bell High School Marching Band!!!!"
The crowd went wild, and still we had to just stand at attention, we aren't allowed to smile.

"In keeping with Bands Of America Tradition, when I give the signal, the bands before you will be allowed to Break Ranks and congradulate each other. Remember, we are winners at life! BOA Arlington Finalists, you may now Break Ranks!!"

My mom told me that when he said that, she could hear our band let out a collective breath and Bell's Blue uniform mixed with Reagan's Green one and the two bands merged into one.

As soon as I was allowed to, I broke ranks and was immediatly taken into the arms of the entire flute line, Bell's and Reagan's. We were crying and they were crying for us.

Reagan is our sister school, we want to beat them, and they are our rivals, but if anyone beats us we want it to be them, and if anyone beats them, they want it to be us. We hope they come in second only to us, and even at life, even if we cant all be winners, we hope that we at least come in second.