On October 14-15, the Rancho Cucamonga High School band took the field to perform in their first competition of the season at Colony High School. Their first band competition of the year was a success that ended with the Rancho Cucamonga Marching Cougars getting sweepstakes. 

“So when getting sweepstakes, it pretty much means that you win first place in all of the categories such as auxiliary, music, percussion and others,” senior Kayla Upshaw said.

The Marching Cougars have a packed schedule this season, and this was the first competition of many. 

“Standing on the sideline listening to Walnut, I thought we were done for. But after hearing we got sweepstakes, the rush of adrenaline filled the entire band and felt like as if we had just won championships,” sophomore Jason Zhang said.

The preparation leading up to a band competition doesn’t stop after practice. A typical morning on the day of a band competition starts at 8 a.m. The troupe starts their day by loading the RCMC trailers to transport their instruments, props, front ensemble, uniforms, podiums and anything else they may need to the competition site. 

“Usually we perform later at night since we have a larger size band, and so we wait until our time,” senior Autumn Gale said. “We perform and after we wait for the scores on or near the field.” 

Members of the band have been preparing for this competition since summer. 

“The work we had to put into this show since July finally being put onto the field is the greatest feeling ever!” sophomore Jason Portz said.  “The rush after the morning practice and the bus ride to thesite knowing we might not win but still pushing through. The feeling after the run makes it so worth it.”