News : VSHS Band ends season with 3rd place trophy director calls it 'best performance

The Vinton-Shellsburg Marching Band Regiment wrapped up its 2018 season with its best performance of the year, says director Nick Waymire. The band came home from the Waukee Invitational with the 3rd place trophy; the flag corps earned the second-highest score from the panel of judges. The evening in Waukee ended with all of the seniors from every participating band gathering on the field as fireworks celebrated their years of work, rehearsals and performances Waymire called the success at Waukee the result of the many hours that band members, including its seniors, had spent perfecting their routine during band practices as well as at Band Camp in August before school began. Here are some numbers that Waymire compiled when we asked him to quantify the effort of the band members this season: Performances: 2 Hours and 45 minutes Rehearsals: Approximately 94 hours (including 44 hours before school started) Bus Rides: 10 Hours and 30 minutes Watching Awards: 1 Hour, including a fireworks show and senior salute at Waukee Performances Cancelled due to rain: 2 Rehearsals Moved Inside due to rain: 4 (thanks to the turf field; it could have been much more) "Waukee was the perfect culmination of all of these hours," Waymire said. "For one performance, fifteen minutes on the field and eight minutes of music, the students finally put everything together and delivered their best show of the season by far. The result may have technically been a lower score, but still warranted a third place finish and a lot of praise from the audience and judges alike. The night was capped by a fireworks show and a tribute to all the seniors who have experienced similar hours of performance, rehearsal, bus rides, and everything else four years in a row, but I'm sure they will remember this last performance at Waukee as the best performance they ever delivered." See photos from band mom Angie Becker HERE.