This weekend, over 50 bands from seven states will descend upon Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis to battle it out in the Bands of America Super Regional Championships. However, only 14 teams will advance to the final round.  The award winning CGHS Marching Trojans have been preparing for this event and hopes to be one of the fortunate 14.

“Our practice schedule includes practices on Tuesday and Friday from 3:15-6:15 p.m., and Thursday practice from 5:30-9 p.m. These practices consist of warmups, both visually and musically, fundamentals (focusing on something specific), isolating a specific part of the show, and going through the entire show for continuity,” band director Kevin Schuessler said.  

Also during these practices, the different sections separate in order to work on the challenging pieces of their performance. 

“Our section has been working on part four of the show, as well as the movements throughout the whole show,” sophomore clarinet player Kayla Fischer said.

In preparation for today’s performance at BOA’s Super Regional, the individual sections have been working on perfecting their parts.

“Part four has been a struggle for the keyboard section as well, because there is a certain entrance that fellow band member Andrew and I come in later, and then we have to speed up with the rest of the band, ” freshman keyboard player Bella Tran said. “We have been working through this section repeatedly; however, I am just worried that we will not be able to pull it off.”

Regardless of the fact that there are certain parts of the show that members are focused on, they are ecstatic to perform under the stadium lights of Lucas Oil.

“I am most excited about getting to see some of the other bands and being in Lucas Oil stadium to perform,” eighth grade clarinet player Kalea Salamh, who is one of the only eight graders on the marching band, said.  

As part of the final preparation for the show, members came up with goals they hope to pursue, both for themselves as well as the band as a whole. 

“My personal goal is to keep my eye on the drum majors, Derek and Andrew, and to remember the body (dance movements) for part three,” Salamh said.

Tran’s goal for her section is clear.

“To have everything come together. We all want to hold up to the name of Center Grove, since we have been known in the past to be really good,” Tran said.

If the marching band advances into the final 14, they will be invited to play in a final performance on Saturday night.

“The students and staff have worked hard to change the culture to be professional, produce quality and be enjoyable for all,” Schuessler said. “This is an ongoing process that I feel we have made positive strides with still more to achieve.”