This year’s Jaguar Pride is looking to build on previous years’ successes with a new, unique show and a competitive competition schedule.

The theme for the show this year is “Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue.”

Senior Ashley Chambers explains what the idea behind the theme is.

“It is a colorful, jazzy representation of Rhapsody in Blue, a very famous piece. Our show designers have worked very hard for people to notice that Blue Springs South is on the next level, and they definitely achieved that,” Chambers said.

The band is lead by three drum majors, senior Nicole Tattershall, and juniors Emily Johnson and Michaela Ross. During the summer, the band practices every day for seven hours in what they call band camp. This time is spent learning not only how to play the show; but also learning how to march it. Tattershall said this year’s band camp differed from previous years in many ways.

“Band camp was very long hours and the schedule changed day to day due to weather. This made it difficult for people to focus, but we were able to and we got a lot accomplished,” Tattershall said.

So far, the band has competed at two competitions, as well as hosting a home competition. As well as participating in competitions, they perform at home football games. Senior Taran Canady says the band has not yet reached its full potential, but hopes to towards the end of the season.

“The season has been going well, but we aren’t as far as we would like to be, however we are still a good band. If we finish the rest of the season strong, this will be the best band to come through South thus far,” Canady said.

The competition schedule is a bit different than in years past. In the past, the band has attended a Bands of America Regional early on in the season. Last year, it was the very first competition the band attended. Bands of America Regional competitions are some of the biggest high school band competitions in the nation, aside from Super Regionals and Grand Nationals. This year, the band will attend a BOA Super Regional; however, this year it will be at the end of the season. Chambers says that makes this season different.

“This season, instead of competing in an early-season BOA, all of our competitions are leading up to the Indianapolis Super Regional,” Chambers said.

Other changes include how physically demanding the show is. The show is one of the longer shows in recent years, and definitely longer than last year’s show The Power of One. Canady says this year the instructors demand more from them than before.

“The instructors expect us to do a lot more this year than last year; the whole show is hard and more physically taxing. It’s more challenging and I think it will really impress some people,” Canady said.

Last year, their show, “The Power of One,” grabbed a lot of attention because of the meaning behind it. Chambers does not think that this year’s show has the ability to do that.

“I like the way that this show isn’t like the others, but I definitely have to say that my favorite marching show out of my four years is The Power of One, just because it turned into something meaningful, and touched the audience in a way that this year’s show simply cannot,” Chambers said.

Participating in marching band can take up a lot of time. After school practices, a class during the day, sectional practices, and weekend competitions are just a few of the things band kids do. Tattershall says that in the end, it is all worth it.

“Band takes up a lot of time and energy but the end result is always fantastic. There’s not a better feeling than to get on the field and perform your best show,” Tattershall said.