Marjory Stoneman Douglas’s Eagle Regiment heads to the regional Bands of America championship competition in Orlando. The competition will take place on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Camping World Stadium. The Eagle Regiment will compete to win the title of regional champions.
At the competition, the regiment will compete in the preliminary competition at 9:45 a.m.. If they succeed, they will advance to the finals and compete to be ranked as the best team in the state of Florida.
This year, the Regiment’s show is called Harmonious World. Essentially, the band is entering their own new world for the show. Once the show ends, they are back from their new world.
The entire Eagle Regiment will be in attendance, including freshmen who are attending BOA for the first time in their high school careers. In addition to this being their first regional competition, this will also be a big difference from the crowd that they are used to performing at the football games.
“I can’t wait to see the look on all the freshman’s faces when they realize how exhilarating band can be because everyone thinks that band is just you’re there from three to seven every day, that’s so long,” senior Justin Krooks said. “I don’t think the freshman completely understand that the hard work pays off and it’s very rewarding to be in band.”
Over the past three months, the regiment has been practicing in the senior and staff parking lot from 3:00 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday. They also use football games as a way to practice their routine. The band leadership team leads their bandmates in the conduction of their performance.
“We have a lot of people in the ensemble and the organization that all have their own responsibility that needs to be carried out on and off the field,” junior and Drum Major Danielle Kokulyansky said. “If I get a change on the podium from the directors, I implement them immediately and I carry it through until they say to stop.”
The Eagle Regiment is leaving to head to the competition on Friday, Oct. 20, a day before the competition, to get last second preparation in Orlando. The Regiment has their eyes set on advancing in the tournament and taking home the BOA championship.
