The Hoover Tornado Marching Band (HTMB) competed in its competition of the season with their show called “The Crow” on Saturday. The competition took place at Glen A. Wilson High School.
HTMB had an amazing performance that day and received a score of 73.1000, receiving top scores in percussion, visual performance, and music effects.
However, due to miscommunications with the competition handbook, HTMB went over the limit of performers for its division.
HTMB has used Toll Middle School for help with props during its shows for years. HTMB did not know the prop movers were considered performers during the show.
HTMB received a 10-point penalty resulting in its score going from 73.100 to 63.100 for going over the limit of performers in their division.
HTMB Director Melissa Campbell had to decide to either take a 10-point penalty or to change divisions but HTMB would not get a score for its performance that day. Campbell decided to take the 10-point penalty and did what was best for HTMB.
“We got a penalty on what I believe is a wording error in the handbook,” Campbell said. “I am very thorough, I like to read the handbook and make sure that were organized and were prepared and ready to go.
Hoover has always used prop movers from Toll Middle School, it’s something that we used as a recruitment tool and something that we use to enhance our show with props and having them move throughout the show rather than just be stationary or force performers to step out of the performance to move them.
“The penalty we got was based on having an excessive number of performers on the field and you know it is what it is, at the end of the day I’m not super upset about it because the students still had a really great performance, I believe the wording in the handbook just needs to be changed and I spoke with the judge about it and they’re going to change it for the future other bands don’t get penalized.”
At the end of the day, HTMB left the competition with third place out of four bands in Division 2A. High percussion had a score of 86.00 points.
