McLane Stadium welcomes bands from across Texas for marching band competition

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Bands from Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin and South Texas all made the trek to Central Texas for the Bands of America (BOA) – Waco Regional Championship. In total, 28 bands took to McLane Stadium to take part in the marching competition.

“They’re all from Texas and we’re glad to see that,” BOA - Waco contest director Barry Morgan said. “Texas bands are very competitive and seem to enjoy coming to our competitions.”

The Waco High School band didn’t have to travel too far though for their first ever BOA appearance.

“It felt like it held a lot of meaning,” senior drum major Jordan Diaz said. “It feels like we performed the best show we’ve ever played. It’s a nice show. It’s a good feeling.”

This is the first year McLane Stadium has hosted the BOA - Waco competition. In the past, it’s been held at the Waco ISD Stadium. But for the Waco high drum majors, Diaz and fellow senior Daniel Alarcon, this is their last marching competition ever.

“Every year when the seniors leave it’s sad to see them go,” Diaz said. “Now we’re the seniors. I’m probably going to cry after this, but it is what it is.”

The marching competition gives these students the opportunity to perform in a collegiate stadium and receive professional feedback from a panel of judges.

“You know they’re here to compete for a placement but they’re really competing against themselves and the performance that they’re putting on, their responsibility,” Morgan said.

Every year, there’s a national BOA marching competition held in Indianapolis. With their first ever BOA competition now under their belt, Waco High School assistant band director Tyler Sage hopes to one day make an appearance there.

“This is kind of our first experience dipping our toes hoping to move in that direction,” he said.

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