This past Friday evening (8/26/11) I did something I had not done for over 10 years. I went to a high school football game. It was at Central High School and featured our Eagles vs. the Burke Bulldogs. Burke was ranked second in the state coming into the game and it was supposed to be over before it started. Burke has several Midwestern beef and corn eating young men that tip the scales near and over the 300 pound mark.

I was very nervous before the game, just as I had been when I was back in high school and taking the field of battle. In high school, the butterflies didn’t stop until that first hard hit was over. Friday night, I wasn’t sure when the butterflies would stop. I was nervous for the football team and I was nervous for my daughter. Friday night was her introduction to a real, there are people in the stands, marching band performance.

She and the rest of the marching band had spent many hours marching, sweating and working hard on becoming a band the previous couple of months. Now it was showtime and time for them to put on their performance. They weren’t wearing their marching band uniforms. They were wearing khaki shorts and their purple band t-shirts due to the potential heat. I thought they looked sharp. Of course there is room for improvement and I know they will.

The football game was pretty exciting and aggravating as well. Central had their chances to win the game, but too many interceptions (3) and a fumble at Burke’s 5 yard line were costly. Final score: Burke 14, Central 7. I look forward to the next home game in a couple of weeks.

The next day, Saturday the 27th saw the band perform in a local parade.

It was the annual Dundee Day Parade. This was the 50th time this parade has been held. The Central Marching Band led off the parade. My wife and I have been taking photos for the band this year and we both were snapping away on Saturday morning. I took one side of the street and she had the opposite side. I think we both got a decent amount of exercise while photographing the band.

We would get in front of the band and capture several images until the band had passed us. Then, with backpacks strapped on and cameras mounted on monopods, we would sprint like Olympians until we were once again in front of the band and start the process again. Everything was great for the first part of the parade. Then the crowd started getting denser and the parade path headed uphill.

Dashing through the crowd and up the hill made for a few harrowing moments and many near collisions. I am pleased to report that no one was injured.  The band sounded great and many Central alumni and band parents lined the parade route and cheered as the band passed by. It was an enjoyable way to see a parade and I look forward to more performances.

Until next time,

Mark