On Nov. 9, the Mission Hills Cardinal Alliance will be competing at the Bands of America Utah Regional in their first out-of-state competition in the school’s history. All 168 band and color guard students will be leaving on Nov. 8 after first period, returning home late at night on Nov. 10 after an exhilarating three days on the road. 

   The decision to go to Utah was made by the staff and this year’s band seniors last spring. With an overwhelming majority voting yes, the staff began preparing fundraisers and scheduling. 

   “I felt like we weren’t ready, financially or skill-wise. It didn’t make sense to me to almost lose our coaches a few months before and then plan an out of state trip. Similarly, I didn’t think we were ready to compete with the schools that do go to Utah yearly,” Mercedes Howarth (12) said.

   The staff seem to disagree: they have entered the program into two new circuits, the Western Band Association (WBA) and Bands of America (BOA), both of which are held at a higher standard than the circuit the band previously competed in.

   “I think going out-of-state for the first time definitely sets a new precedent and new standard for the program. Having higher expectations each year brings bigger opportunities, which is the biggest step in the right direction,” said Joshua Vergara (12), head drum major.

   The band rehearses three times a week for multiple hours, long after everyone else has gone home for the night. For each competition, the band spends hours loading the trucks and traveling to the show site, where they are given two hours to warm up before their performance. The performance itself only takes up 15 minutes.

   The Utah Regional will be like nothing the band has experienced before. With 32 other high-class bands vying for 10 spots, the regional will be extremely competitive. The band will also have the opportunity to perform twice: once in the morning during the preliminary competition, and again in the evening for finals. The second performance depends on whether the band ranks in the top 10. 

   “Mr. Coughlin wants this program to be exposed to other programs that are the best of the best. By going to Utah, the students get the chance to see groups that are masters in their craft. We get to experience his goal for our band firsthand,” Tristan Tayag (12) said. 

  This year, the band has gotten some of their highest scores in the history of the school. Mr. Coughlin has always focused the band on improving their scores and not on the place they get. To him, the most important thing is that the band gets better every year. 

   “For us, it won’t matter if we walk away with a trophy or not. I think that for us, working for months and finally putting ourselves out on that field will be the most exciting part, and history will be made.” said Alex Guerrero (12), another drum major.

   Go Cardinal Alliance! Also, make sure to check back on this page later to see footage of the trip!