Drive by the practice fields at Buford High School during the summer and you will find the football players hard at work going through play after play. You can find the softball players working on their swing. You will also find a tuba player, a saxophonist, a drummer…. Wait! Why are those on the practice fields? That is because they belong to the Buford Band of Wolves. Buford’s marching band can be found practicing their routines just as diligently as the athletes work on their plays on neighboring fields.
This dedication to perfecting their craft is to be commended. Their routines and the perfecting of said routines is about more than just their halftime show during Friday night football games. The Band of Wolves competes at competitions as well as performs several shows for the community during the school year.
The BHS Band of Wolves traveled to Powder Springs, Georgia on Saturday, October 6, 2018 to compete in the McEachern Marching Invitational. The Band of Wolves has a long history of doing well at such competitions but this one will forever go down in BHS history.
They were one of only four bands to earn straight superior ratings from every single judge in all categories. The Band of Wolves were awarded first in their class in drum major, percussion, colorguard, visual, music, general effect, and overall band. The second time they swept their division this season.
If those accomplishments were not enough, the band brought home the Grand Champion Trophy, scoring the highest overall score out of all competing bands, regardless of class or size. This is the first time in Buford High School history that the marching band has earned the title of Grand Champion and completely swept a competition. The 2018-2019 Buford High School Marching Band of Wolves have cemented their place in the history books of the school.
Band director, Matt Young is beyond proud of his students and says that his students are determined to do better than the day before. “They are the reason I do what I do every day. I am truly blessed to work in a school and in a community that supports the arts as much as they do. It’s a great day to be in Buford,” exclaims Young.
With more competitions still to go, the accolades will no doubt continue to roll in for this extraordinary group of young musicians and dancers. Go Wolves!
