Bobcat Band Heads to Florida, Celebrates Record-Breaking Year

It’s been a record-breaking year of success for the San Angelo Central Bobcat Band, who will be boarding buses headed to airports to fly to Orlando, Fla. in two groups starting this evening, where they will play the half-time show at the Russell Athletic Bowl.

The excitement is growing, said Band Director Joey Ashbrook, who has led the band to incredible successes all year. Ashbrook explained that the application to play the Russell Athletic Bowl began well over a year ago, and the band was competing against 200 others for the opportunity to perform.

Photos, videos and biographies of both the band and its director were put into the application package, and when Central received word that they had been selected as the main event at half-time, rigorous fundraising began to pay for travel expenses.

Months of hot sauce sales, band boosters and donation drives turned up the necessary funds for the trip, which was entirely paid for by generous donations from the community and the dedication of students and parents, who hit the streets to sell their wares.

The 240 students attending will hit the field on Dec. 29 when the Oklahoma Sooners take on the Clemson Tigers. The game begins at 4:30 p.m. and will air on ESPN2.

The band will play several songs during the half-time show, including a few pop songs, such as Pharrell Williams’ “Happy”, and a collection of others, Ashbrook said. The International University of Florida’s Director of Bands, Dr. Barry Bernhardt, “a big, big name in band,” Ashbrook said.

Following their performance, the band will remain in Orlando until Dec. 31, and will have the opportunity to get to know other students at a private Christmas party/dance. The remainder of the schedule includes two days at Universal Studios, tours of NASA and exploring the city of Orlando.

Making History

The band has been moving non-stop all year, advancing through UIL marching competitions and becoming the first San Angelo band to advance to state in 37 years when they marched out onto the field of the Alamodome on Nov. 4.

Following a brief break from the state competition, 83 students took a trip to Midland on Dec. 8 to compete head-to-head against bands from Midland, Odessa, Abilene, San Angelo and all the small schools in between for a spot in the All Region Band.

Of the 83 that attended, 47 made the All Region Band, and 15 San Angelo students took top spots in first or second chair, automatically placing them in the Area Band.

Some 600 students competed for All Region slots, Ashbrook explained, and there were only 22 top spaces available for students that would make the Area Band. That San Angelo Central High School Students took 15 of those spots is no only impressive, he said, it’s a school record, beating out their record of 11 last year.

“It’s a big honor because they have to go up in head-to-head competition with all the kids in the competition,” Ashbrook said.

The All Region band will hold rehearsals in Midland on Jan. 15-16, culminating in a performance on Dec. 17 at 4 p.m. at Midland Lee High School.

The students will again face hard competition on Jan. 10 in Odessa, as they play against 1,400 students for a spot on the Area Band, which includes schools from Denton to Fort Worth, Lubbock, El Paso, Midland and everything in between.

The top 26 in the Area band will join top students in Texas’ other five areas to form the All State band. Students who make All State are guaranteed a four-year scholarship to a Texas University, Ashbrook explained.

San Angelo has never had a member of the band make All State.

“It’s going to be a good semester,” Ashbrook said proudly. "I think they've got a shot."