WW-P South HS Pirate band places nationally

Third place in a U.S. competition in Baltimore

By Greg Forester Staff Writer
   WEST WINDSOR — West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South’s Pirate Marching Band earned third place in its division at the United States Scholastic Band Association National Championship, held Nov. 16 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
   Competing against 10 similarly sized bands, the band showed off its program for a panel of judges, who ranked them the highest out of any New Jersey bands competing in the Group II Open Division of the competition.
   Band Director Scott Collins said he was impressed with the level of performance by the bands that the pirates competed with two weekends ago.
   ”We really respect the other bands in our category, and we know some of the directors and respect their programs,” said Mr. Collins. “To be in a division with them just brings everyone up. Every year the standard just goes up one more notch, as everyone improves.”
   Parents and other supporters were on hand for the championship, with the high school busing them to Baltimore to support the players. School activities fees that parents pay at the beginning of the school year covered the cost of the transportation.
   ”The emphasis has to always be on finding the enjoyment in what we’re doing and doing all of the little things, then big things can happen,” said Mr. Collins. “It’s one of the most rewarding things about teaching, the enjoyment of the journey, with such a great group of students or parents.”
   High School South’s band of 48 students performed in a group of bands of up to 58 players, following the championship’s method of breaking up the competitors into groups of similar sizes. Bands of different sizes would be too hard to judge equally, Mr. Collins said.
   ”I think it would be difficult to compare a band of 48 players to a show of 200 players,” said Mr. Collins. “It would be impossible to make a judgment on who was more effective or who did better or not so well.”
   Next up for the Pirate Marching Band is the Central Jersey Group IV Championship at Rutgers University, where the High School South football team will be competing against Howell. The band will be performing at the stadium during the pregame show.
   ”We are pumped,” said Mr. Collins. “We are very passionate about our football team, we feel like we are part of that because we’re always there.”