Katherine Lenora Hitchcock: Performance Fit for "The King"

This past weekend was the last competition in which the WCHS Pioneer Pride Marching Band would perform our show, "Elvis." Over the weeks, we've added in fun things like dancing, leaning (that's the best word I can come up with!), horn flashes, cheering, and at the end, air guitar with a base drum pounding like a heartbeat. We had so much fun cleaning up our show for the final and most important competition. We traveled to Marietta, Georgia with our hopes nearly completely beaten down as a result of our not-so-great performances at the past two competitions in Trousdale County and Chapel Hill. At Trousdale County, we still didn't completely have our show on, and barely any of the fun stuff was there to make it enjoyable. At Chapel Hill, we did well with our completed show with more fun stuff, got good ratings (all ones!), our drum major got a trophy, but our guard and band got no plastic at all. I didn't really mind at first, standing there on the field as the awards were given, but when you're the band with the smallest and least amount of trophies, it's somewhat disappointing.
However, the excitement of going out-of-state for a big competition with big bands, we couldn't help but be pumped. We rode charter buses down to Marietta, stopping twice along the way. At the Georgia Welcome Center, my friend Zach and I ran two laps around the park next to the rest stop. We were laughing and smiling, and everyone else was too.
When we got to Sprayberry High School, we passed the time by playing EFY games that Lucy Hale and I explained to everyone: The "Wah" Game, "Ha Ha" Game, Ninja, and Ninja Tag.
Soon it came time to strap on the shakos, zip up the jackets, and assemble the instruments. We warmed up, and then, excited yet relaxed, we marched onto the field, ready to blow everyone away.
I played my heart out. I didn't care if I was too loud. The best part about being a flute is that you can pretty much play however loud you want, because you're barely heard anyway (haha). I played all the hard parts of the music I'd struggled with at the past competitions. I stayed in step, remembered all the fun things we threw in, and I just had a blast being out there doing what I love. At the end, I couldn't help but smile as we marched off the field. I knew I had done well, yet I prayed that we had done well as a whole.
We changed, came back and watched the bigger bands perform. Soon enough, it was time for leaders and seniors to go back to the buses to change for the awards. My heart seemed to have pounded louder and harder than Dylan King's base drum had during our performance. They announced awards for best overall band, field commander, and guard. Then came the placements for our class, Class AA.
" The second place band in Class AA is... Warren County!" the enthusiastic announcer said. My jaw dropped and immediately turned into triumphant grin, bursting into laughter. I looked at the leaders and seniors and I wasn't the only one.
Hearing our band screaming was the best feeling in the world. It felt even better walking back to the buses, knowing we had finished this season strong.
I know that hard work does pay off. This weekend was proof of that. I love music, in all its aspects. This year, I felt more joy in our accomplishment because I watched how we progressed. The twelve hours spent every day for a week in July were not in vain. All the hours of practice everyday at school were not a waste. Every drop of sweat, every aching muscle was worth it, and that applies to everything we do in life. By devoting our time to good things that we love doing, we will therefore become the people who will make the difference this world wants to see.