The merging of Southfield High School with Southfield-Lathrup High School has turned out to be a good move for the newly combined marching bands, said Dr. James Charles, newly appointed director of the Southfield A&T Marching Warriors.
The newly merged band has been invited to to several competitions and college homecomings to perform, Charles said.
“The money just isn’t there for us to do everything, but it’s still an honor and a pleasure to be noticed and selected,” Charles said.
The Warriors traveled in September to Cleveland, Ohio, to the Shaw High School Battle of the Bands and took home the first place award and overall Grand Champions title.
“It was a great way to start off my senior year,” said Head Drum Major Darryl Clark. “It’s challenging, of course,” said Clark, about leading a bigger-than-usual band. He says he finds himself “having to deal with different ideas and opinions but most importantly, different attitudes.”
“Winning the (Battle of the Bands) competition really puts us on that track, but we can do so much more,” said first trombone player Klark O’Neal.
Dancer Captain Wynter Worthy said she is excited about the Warrior Marching Band season for which she had to remember dance routines and other fancy sequences. “We go over the counts plenty of times so that it’ll become second nature,” Worthy said.
With regard to merging with another school’s band, Worthy said, “It took a while to adjust because I wanted to graduate from the school I’ve been attending for most of high school, but since we’re hire (at Southfield High’s campus) it’ been good so far and I’m looking forward to what is next.”
Charles often asks his band, “Band, what’s the name of the game?” and the band responds in unison, “Enthusiasm!” That’s the attitude for the year, Charles said, and the group is looking to move forward as one and never look back as they build a new legacy.