The Mighty Cougar Marching Band
The Marching Band is an award-winning musical ensemble consisting of students from grades 9 – 12. The marching band is one of the most visible groups on campus performing at most major school events.
Benefits of Marching Band
For many, band becomes a second family, where there is a support system in place to help students deal with the stresses of high school life. For incoming freshmen this provides an instant group of friends and recognizable faces in every classroom. Younger students receive help and wisdom from older members, and older members receive the opportunity to become strong leaders, preparing them for the future. The students form strong bonds that come from facing challenges together.
Additional benefits of Marching Band:
- Good exercise
- Attend all of the school football games
- Fun band trips to away games
- Fun performances (Football games, pep rallies, San Antonio Fiesta Parade)
- Time with friends
- Being part of a competitive team that works together
Band Camp
Summer Band Camp is mandatory training session (typically three to four-weeks) for all band members new and returning. During camp new band members will be taught the fundamentals of marching and will get to know their student Drill Instructors (DI). All band members will learn the music and marching show routine for the upcoming season.
Although band camp is hard work it is also a time when students make new friends and create strong bonds. For freshmen students this allows them to develop a comfort level with the school campus and create friendships that will ease the transition from middle school.
Typical Band Camp Schedule
Camp days go from 7:00am until 3:00pm. Students spend the morning hours outside on the marching pad learning drills and marching the show. In the afternoon they will move indoors to learn and practice the music. Students go home at the end of each day.
Band Camp Requirements
The student must have a school physical on record to participate in band camp. There will be an opportunity before the start of band camp to have this physical done at the school.
- Black shorts and white t-shirts. These will be worn every day.
- Tennis Shoes
- Baseball Cap (or other type of hat)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Water Jug (comes with band fees)
- Basic Instrument Paraphernalia (reeds, oils, etc.)
- Marching Lyre / Flip Folder
- Knee Pads
Practice Schedules
Students will be required to attend 3-4 practice sessions outside of school hours during the marching season. Practice time is limited to 8 hours of rehearsal outside of the school day per week. We do a combination of before and after school rehearsals to put together football games and marching productions. Although this keeps students very busy it also teaches time management and are kept on a rigorous schedule.
Football Games
The Clark Band plays at all the Varsity Football games, both home and away. Students will leave directly from school and travel by bus to the location of the football game. Our home stadium is the Dub Farris Stadium and Athletic Complex located at 1604 Bandera Rd (view map). In addition to football games the band is asked to perform at all pep rallies including the beginning of the year “Back in Black” rally.
Competitions
The Marching band competes in at least three competitions and UIL Assessment. Competition days begin early and will last the whole day with students competing in preliminaries and then possibly final rounds and awards. Students will be bussed to the location of the competition with many of the contests taking place outside of the San Antonio area. These competitions are usually held on the Saturdays in October.
San Antonio Fiesta
Every other year the Clark Marching Band is honored to be included in the March of the Flowers parade as well as the Battle of the Bands. Tickets will be made available. Family and friends are encouraged to attend.
