Beginning competition season, drumline performed in its first contest of the year at Main on Saturday, Feb. 8. After moving to the Scholastic A class, the group placed first with a score of 78.45 despite the unfamiliarity. The show they chose to present this season is titled “Rule” and depicts a game of chess symbolic of wanting power. Besides their own music, Lorde’s cover of “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” is incorporated into the performance.

“There [are] four parts,” senior drumline captain Brett Myers said. “We have two players on each side of the floor, kind of controlling us as the chess pieces and working to win the battle. The fourth part is [about] us coming together, however there is a twist ending.”

Saturday’s placement continues a winning streak lasting four years. The 78.45 they scored this competition is the second highest they’ve ever received, beating the runner up by six points. The drumline members hope to keep achieving higher scores.

“Being able to perform with everyone [is my favorite part],” Myers said. “The thrill of stepping on the floor in front of all the people and being able to express the show the way we want to, [too].”
Despite the stress, long competitions and lugging around heavy equipment, the members enjoy being able to perform in front of large groups of people. The feedback after the show motivates them to continue pushing for improvement.

“When we finish performing, there’s usually a group of people who will run up to us and be like ‘Y’all were [so] cool,’” junior Kayla Miller said. “Getting to know other people from other schools [and the feeling] after you perform is really good.”

Even though the drumline has continuously placed in first, they practice extensively. They improve skills revolved around facial expressions during the show and moving as a unit.

“[We can] focus on performing a little bit better,” sophomore Naomi Murphy said. “Just making sure we’re thinking about it as a group and not individually.”

The drumline prepares for several competitions to come in the following months, increasing their practice schedule. With the next competition being the Winter Guard International contest on Saturday, Feb. 29 in Houston at Woodlands High School, they look forward to the thrill of performance.

“It’s more interactive with the crowd because during football season, you can’t see your faces from the hats so you can’t see aggression or happiness,” Miller said. “It’s a lot easier to propose that in an indoor show, there’s more connection with the crowd. At the end of the day, someone’s not going to know your name, they’ll know [your] school.”