This was only the 2nd year that I have had the opportunity to write for Palacios High School but I have had good relations with the directors there going back to Linda Adams, Rodney Bennett, Jim Popham, and Scott Simmons. Remembering back to 2011 when I was still in Van Vleck, after seeing them march, I told Jim that they weren’t the worst band I saw that year. I put my foot in my mouth. The kids were trying and so were their directors. They were doing the best they could.
Flash forward to 2017. Palacios had a run of first divisions and some very creative shows and that area contest, they were the alternate to go to state. I didn’t understand why; they were definitely one of the five best bands there. But, that’s how it works sometimes. Still, that show touched me and to this day, I still remember it.
A week before the 2018 UIL Region 13 contest, I got an email from Scott stating he needed a drill writer for 2019. I thought the request was unusual as the time as we were in final preparations for UIL. We first met at that contest in El Campo and he didn’t know who I was and truthfully, I didn’t know him either other than he was the new guy at Palacios.
This April, we met to discuss the show and talked about goals. State was not really a topic. We were looking for a show that would do well at region and possibly do well at area. Over the summer, I would write something and inevitably, have to change something. I thought Scott was crazy! But, as it turns out, he knew his band and what they could do and what we came up with was a very nice little show.
I saw them for the first time this year at Region UIL and thought then that they had a chance. On going to finals at area, knowing they were going to go first, I thought it was more of an outside chance. But they pulled it through and finished 4th at area which put them in the top 6 and to San Antonio.
It has been a long and winding road for Palacios over the last 10 years but they are performing in San Antonio on Wednesday at 1:15pm. To them and to the other bands performing at the State Marching Contest, best wishes.
