SOUTH MECKLENBURG SABRES MARCH TO VICTORY ONE STEP AT A TIME

All seventy four of the young men and women in The South Mecklenburg High School Band are “starters.”  There are no benchwarmers in this powerful and energetic band known as the Marching Sabres.  Band Director Richard Priode arrived this season from Radford, VA with 21 years of band experience.  His impact and attention to detail have been immediately felt as the band has given some of its top performances in years over the last two months.

The Marching Sabres rely on strong leadership from their senior class . Seniors Anna Hamlin and Caitlin Hughes are the Drum Majors and do a fantastic job of leading the band in both the Friday Night performances and in area band competitions.  Both young ladies prefer the drama and excitement of band competitions to the Friday Night football game halftime shows.

“It’s a thrill to play in competitions and step off the field knowing you gave every ounce of energy you had to the performance,” said Anna. “We call it a golden show when you walk off the field and know you have reached your peak.”

Caitlin is quick to point out the amount of teamwork that goes into the South Mecklenburg High School Band.

“Band is more of a team sport than any other sport I know. We all rely on each other and if one person makes a mistake, it stands out a lot more than in other sports. We all have to work together as a team if we want to look good in competitions.”

The Marching Sabres have competed in two band competitions this fall and will enter three more before the end of the year.  In band competitions, the schools are divided by the size of their band, much like in football and basketball. The Sabres are classified as a 2A band and also will compete on the 3A level.

In their first competition the Marching Sabres finished first in their division.  At the recent Providence Cup, The Marching Sabres claimed a third place finish.

Chuck Crofford, a Senior also enjoys the thrill of competition with other bands.

“It is such a rush to step on the field and compete against the best bands. It is a real adrenaline rush during the performance.

Logan Hughes, twin brother to Caitlin Hughes, loves the end of the performance the most.

“The feeling is so cool at the end, you hit your last note and the crowd goes wild!”

Physical conditioning has also become a large part of the band experience.  With two-three hour practices and physically challenging routines, the band members exercise and run before each practice. A demanding week of band camp is held every summer. For five straight days, the band members will practice for 12 -13 hours.

Another key component to the band experience is fundraising.  The South Mecklenburg band has over a $100,000 budget.  The annual fruit sale, along with operating a concession stand at The Panthers games, Christmas Wreath and Cookie Dough sales allow the Booster Club to raise the funds needed for success. 

Priode, the Band Director made special mention of the Booster Club.

“Our Band Booster President, Kathy Curtis and all of our band boosters are due a very large thank you for their efforts. We couldn’t do this without their help.’

As you can see, high school bands are a team effort and South Mecklenburg High School has one of the top bands in the area. These young men and women are to be commended for their dedication to competing in the sport they love.

 Next time the band marches onto the field at halftime, stand up and give the group a round of applause for all their hard work!