Congrats at Hoover!

Congratulations on a job well done!

Each competition this year had led to more and more improvement as a group and individually. I am very proud of the work and dedication that you showed last week, which led to an improved performance, no doubt.

It has been great to see each of you grow and improve along the way. Get a good rest during spring break so that we can come back and have a good run of rehearsals before championships.

You just never know what will happen at championships. It all depends on the day and the performance that comes from each group. I am very excited to see how things go and am looking forward to the trip with you guys. I hope that you are too!

NOTICE>>> REHEARSAL>>>CHANGE>>>

We will not have practice on Monday as usual... we will move that practice to TUESDAY. It will be at Zora Ellis and will be immediatly following school until 6:00pm. This will be our only long rehearsal. We will also have rehearsal on Thursday immediatly following school until 5:00pm.

I should have the performance times for Nashville on Thursday. As soon as I get them I will post them on here and on http://www.degaband.com/. I will also post an updated itinerary on the band website.

Have a great spring break!

More Hoover Info

Please check http://www.degaband.com/ often for rehearsal info.

Click here for the Hoover Itinerary.

We will have regular Monday practice, in addition to Thursday(3:00-5:00) and Friday for run throughs (5:30-6:30). On friday the Ellis Emeralds will be right after school until 4:30 and dega Darlins will be from 4:30-5:30. You are more than welcome to come before your scheduled time, but certainly are not required to do so.

Hoover contest

The hoover schedule is up. I will attempt to post it here ASAP and give you a copy at rehearsal.

We will have our regular Monday rehearsal (3/9) as soon after school as you can until 5:00. It will be at the ZEJH gym.

We will also have afterschool practice on Thursday(3/12) right after school until 5:00 at ZEJH.

We will have an hour practice/run through from 5:30-6:30.

Keep in mind that our scores at Hoover will determine where we perform at championships. We want a good spot, so be on the top of your game on Saturday. I know we always do our best, I just want you to be aware of the added importance.

In your class is Bob Jones, Tupelo, Fort Payne and of course us. Your performance time for those coming to watch is 5:44pm.

Spread the word! See you next week!

location

Practice on Monday, Feb. 23, 2009 will be held at Talladega High School from 3:30 to 5:00.

See you there!

venue Change

Mondays practice (2/23) will be at Talladega High School.

See you there!

Pictures!

There are pictures available online for viewing and purchase by Bateman photo from the Oak Grove competition. Bateman photography is the official photographer of the SCGC and will have pictures up for each event the week following the performance. There are some great pictures available. Click here to view.

Enjoy!

I am very proud of you ladies. As we move forward and prepare for our next competition, think about this; your success if powered by you. The amount of effort you put forth, the amount of attention you pay to details, the smile on your face, the postion of your hands and feet, the direction of your head, the spinning of your flag, the confidence with your rifle...... it is all powered by the person doing the work. Instruct, aid, advise, correct and clean we will do, but in the end you have to find what makes you want it. It might be the possibility of first place at Hoover, or maybe its the enjoyment of improving individually, perhaps it's the motivation of your peers, or the desire to NOT be in last place EVER, or the simple fact of success that drives you.

Whatever the driving factor is.... NOW is the time to put it into action. We cannot wait until the week of March 14th to decide that we want to be the best. For some it will take hard work in practice and pushing yourself and the ones around you. For some it will take practice at home to make sure that you understand what is being asked of you and for some of you it will be the need to work with a friend, someone you feel comfortable with that can give you tips and advice.

Realize that the power to be the best lies within each of you! We are only as good as the weakest member because in this sport EVERYONE has a very important job to do!

We have had a great start, let's have an outstanding finish!

Wow!

What a great accomplishment to take 2nd place on Saturday. The hardwork, sweat and almost, but not quite tears really paid off for you guys. To be promoted and do so well is an accomplishment that you should be proud of. I hope you are as proud of yourselves as everyone else is.

We will have regular practice at ZEJH tomorrow from 3-5. We will not be able to listen to the tapes until next week because Brian has them. We have a lot of cleaning left to do and lots of work before Hoover, so don't relax too much. Coming off of a good performance people are watching you and the competition level will be up at Hoover.

I am working on information for championships and will get that to you as soon as possible. I will also get you information about Hoover as soon as I have it.

See you tomorrow.

Performance times are finally here!

Ellis Emeralds 4:39
Dega Darlins Addition 5:13
Dega Darlins 6:55

We will pull each others floor again, however, the first two groups will be pretty much back to back. After the Emeralds perform, we will immediatly get things together for the Addition to perform. There will be a break before the Dega Darlins, so you may go visit family, eat, etc. We will meet back stage around 6:20 to pull their floor.

In your class the competition is: Bob jones and Pelham JV.

Oak Grove is coming quickly!

Only one rehearsal left before Oak Grove!

I am very proud of you ladies for the amount of work that you have put forth the past two rehearsals. It is hard to believe how much you have gotten done.

Don't forget the schedule for Saturday. I still don't have your exact performance time, but if I get it prior to Saturday I will let you know.

We still plan to arrive there at 3:00. We will meet at the THS bandroom at 11:30.
Reminder: Turn in your travel forms. (please review your handouts)

Practice on Friday will be as quick as you can get there after school until 5:00.... see you there!

scroll down

Scroll down to the post... Counting down and click on Comments. Angelic posted something pretty cool.

ATTENTION - TIME CHANGE!

Hey Ladies!

I am so sorry to make another change, we usually try to keep a time once it is set, but I really need to change your rehearsal time on Friday night. Your rehearsal time will now be from 5:00-7:00. Brian will not actually be there until 5:30, but we can go ahead and get started and be ready for him when he arrives.

I am sorry for the change. Several of the Ellis Emeralds will be out for a school trip, so my only solution was to switch your time with theirs. The later time gives them time to get there and you will be done earlier, which I am sure you are happy about. You are aware of how hard it is to fix work and set drill when someone is absent. This is simply the only day Brian can come.

By the way spread the word in case some people don't read the blog.
See you on Friday!

Brian will be here!

I just wanted to post the rehearsal time and location for Friday's practice. I know Mr. McDaniel talked to you in class, but I wanted to be sure to have it on here in case you needed to double check the time.

Practice will be in the ZEJH gym from 7:30p.m.-9:00p.m.

Please wear your show shoes. (no uniforms necessary)

I will make sure the rifles and flags in the flag room get to ZEJH, if you took yours home please be sure to bring it to rehearsal.

I know you will, but come to work. This will be the last time we see Brian before the next competition, which is Feb. 7th. Can you believe that is a week from Saturday. Wow! He will add more to the dead spots in the show and you never know what he might change.

Next week we will do what we did during the last competition week. We will have our regular practice on Monday as soon after school as possible until 5:00 p.m. in the ZEJH gym and then on Friday we will do a last time run before Saturdays performance. We will also try to do this run through in the gym at ZEJH until 4:30. I will let you know if that changes.

Practice on your own as well. Being in this new class is going to require a little more on everyone's part.

Keep up the good work!

Field Day Success!

Congratulations on your grand performance and taking the 3rd place trophy on Saturday. That is a great accomplishment for your first year in competition, not to mention the fact that most of those groups spin together year round and you do not.

Also, a big congratulations on the promotion to Scholastic B classification. Of course, this will mean a little more work, but in the end it will pay off. I am so proud of you guys and I hope you are too. We will schedule another day for Brian to beef up the show so that we can be competitive in our new class. I will let you know ASAP when that will be. I am looking foward to what appears to be a very exciting season.

Practice tomorrow will be after school until 5:00, in the lunchroom.

See you there! Keep up the great work!

TOMORROW

Hey ladies! GREAT job today at rehearsal. You have really come a long way and will perform well tomorrow.

I know that several of you read this and I ask that you to spread the word, but with so many rehearsals and so many announcements, I simply cannot remember if I told you we were meeting at the High School Bandroom tomorrow. Since we changed rehearsal to the high school today, that is where all of our stuff is, so that is where we will need to be.

I had this on a handout. A handout that is still on my desk! Sorry about that. In the future remind me at the last practice to give you a handout if I don't. I typically do a last minute reminder.

Also, I think you have already spread the word, but bring your black band shirt. It occured to me that it will look better with your red pants than the red one.

Get some sleep... see you tomorrow. I hope you are excited.

3 days and counting!!!!

GREAT JOB at practice on Monday. So far all three groups have been outstanding this week.

Don't forget to turn in your travel forms. You can bring them to the bandroom at the high school and leave them on my desk or give them to Mr. McDaniel.

Also, I will have another last minute reminder sheet on Friday at rehearsal and answer any questions you may have.

I am still working on getting your windsuits, earrings and gloves here. I will keep you updated.

Keep up the good work. I hope you are excited about Saturday.

Counting down!

We are counting down the days until field day! A week from today, or at least when I posted this anyway. With that I wanted to remind you of next weeks rehearsals and some additional information.

Practice Monday will be in the Talladega High School lunchroom from 3:00-5;00. Notice we are starting at 3:00.

We will also have practice on Friday immediatly following school until 4:30... I want to use this as a chance to do some last minute run throughs of the show. We should be able to have this practice at ZEJH.... however, I will finalize that and let you know later in the week. If not, it will of course be in the lunchroom at THS.

Reminders and additional info:

• Review your handouts. Give them to your parents to review as well.
• Uniforms will be handed out at practice on Monday. Alterations have been made.
• Bags and gloves for rifles will be here sometime next week.
• I am hopeful that your windsuits will be here sometime next week, but it may be late in the weak, just to let you know about those.
• Practice, Practice, Practice.
• Don't forget to play around with your hair.
• email me or call me at the bandroom with any questions. ZEJH bandroom is 315- 5706 if you forgot, or of course ask me at school.

I am looking forward to a GREAT week and I know you are too. It's almost here! Yea!

If you have a few minutes... go to the Ellis Blog and check out their floor. Mr. McDaniel, Marcus and I worked on it today.

Rehearsal this week.

Rehearsal this week will be at the ZEJH gym. Please get there as quick as possible. We have ALOT to do. We will start as soon as you can get there and go until 5:00p.m.

Your uniforms are in, so we need to try those on tomorrow so we can get them hemmed and any alterations made. Please come prepared to do so.

Please be sure that you have a flag at home so you can practice the routine. For practice tomorrow, your flags will be taken to the gym for you.

Also this week, Brian will be here on Friday from 5-9 to work on the choreography. Please make arrangements to be there.

Keep up to date by checking the calendar on www.degaband.com. remember that sometimes there are mistakes... if you are not sure of a time..... always ask!

Field Day!

The schedule has been posted for the Pell City competition on January 24, 2009. As most of you know this competion is called 'field day' and is basicially a coming out point for all guards that are participating in Winter Guard. There is another location as well in TN.

I will give you a more detailed schedule about departure times and such at your next practice, but wanted to give you this so that you can see who is coming and the estimated times. Keep in mind that sometimes they make adjustments to the schedule. Also, go ahead and start making your travel plans; Everyone must ride with a parent, either your own or someone elses. NO students will be allowed to drive.

Click here to see the schedule that was posted on the Dega Darlin Blog.

Also feel free to go to the SCGC website and explore the other groups and circuit info.

Todays Practice.

Practice today will be held in the Lunchroom at THS from 3:00-5:00.

See you there.

Reminder!

Just a reminder that we will have practice on Monday, January 5, 2008, from 3:00-5:00.

*notice the time.... 3-5. Also, come prepared to try on uniforms... I was told they will be here and I would like to have you try them on if they are.

I will know the rehearsal location on Monday. I will post it on here if we get a gym, if not prepare to meet at the THS bandroom at 3:00.

Happy New Year!

Can you believe the first semester is over? It flew by no doubt. The second will too with all that we have going on. Congratulations on the great start for winter guard, it looks like it is going to be a great year. Keep up the good work.

Have a very Merry Christmas! Get lots of rest and enjoy your friends and family.

By the way.. we will have rehearsal on Monday, January 5, 2009, from 3:30-5:00. I will announce the location as soon as I know.

Merry Christmas!

GREAT JOB!

What a great job you did today at practice. I am so proud of the work that you got done and the year that you are going to have. Keep up the good work!

Don't forget to check the calendar on www.degaband.com and the blog often for updates on times and such for rehearsals.

See you Monday at rehearsal.

Practice those tosses and rifles.... woo hoo!

Upcoming rehearsal dates!

Hello All!

I wanted to remind you to check the calendar on www.degaband.com for rehearsal updates and such.

We do have some scheduled for this month to do more winter guard preparation.

Brian will be here on Saturday, December 13, 2008. We will rehearse from 9:00am-1:00pm. Please eat before you come. The major focus will be choreography and staging for the show.

We will also have a rehearsal on the following Monday, December 15, 2008, from 3:30-5:00 to review the work learned on Saturday.

Notice that we will not have a practice this week. Please review the work that you learned during the mini-camp including any fundamentals that you need work on.

I hope you are doing well and look forward to hearing you at the Christmas Concert!