After another award-winning season for Goshen High School’s Crimson Marching Band, their 2016 show Over and Over has come to an end. The hours of practice and the long trips to performances are over. This year, the competitive landscape of Class A marching band competition was too much; Goshen will not be making a trip to the State Finals.

However, as you will read below, there were many, many great memories made and life lessons learned along the way. Consider this a hearty GCS thank you to the many band and guard members, directors, and family members who made this another great season for the Crimson Marching Band. Well done, CMB!

(The following words of encouragement were found on Facebook, and were directed at the Crimson Marching Band and Goshen Band Boosters.)

From Elizabeth Miller, a former band member:

As someone who graduated only two years ago, I don’t think I could tell you a single one of the numbers we got on our trophies. Literally. What I do remember are all the laughs, the groggy 24-hour band trips, and the feeling of family. I remember the friends I made and each face I’ve encountered. I remember the adrenaline of stepping out on that field each Saturday night with 170 of my friends and family members as we worked together. And I remember where I come from.

This fall I started school at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO (about 1100 miles away), and I’ll still get these looks of recognition when I say I’m from Goshen. Most of my professors all know exactly where you guys are, an average-sized town in the middle of Indiana. They know your abilities. They know to hold me to high expectations because of where I came from. I keep meeting people who have marched DCI with my high school classmates and have even competed against us in the past.

Remember who you are. You guys are Goshen! That alone is enough to be proud of. I couldn’t be more proud of you all, and I couldn’t be more proud to say that Goshen is where I come from. So please, while you’re feeling the pain of your loss, please don’t forget to feel the pride of your long-term wins. You’ll always be more than a number on a score sheet

From Sydney Cox, a former drum major:

I know I’m no longer a part of the CMB, but I wanted to leave a few thoughts for you guys. First of all- I know you’re disappointed, and that’s okay. It’s okay to be upset, but don’t blame yourselves. I graduated only a year ago, and I know for a fact that I couldn’t tell you a placing from any given competition that season. You are worth so much more than the number a judge writes on a piece of paper. They never saw the countless hours you put in under the hot sun, or the times you laughed so hard your stomach hurt. They didn’t feel the goosebumps you got when you played your favorite chart, or the blood, sweat, and tears you poured into every performance. They haven’t ridden the bus at ungodly hours of the night to some random high school, and they don’t understand the infinite amount of inside jokes you and your friends have created. I have experienced your hard work and effort first-hand, and I am SO proud of you. You have no way of knowing right now how much this program will affect you going forward in your life. Every memory and lesson you take from this experience, both the good and the bad, you will cherish forever. The things I remember from the CMB are not scores. They aren’t trophies or plaques or anything of the sort. The people you encounter on this road are what make it worth taking. Music is about creating something bigger than yourself, and how cool is it that you’ve gotten to do that with this specific group of people? Think about it: The Crimson Marching Band has existed before, and will continue to exist, but never as it is right now. Each of you bring something unique and amazing to the program, and that is something to celebrate regardless of a ranking. I love you all so much, and there is absolutely nothing that could change that. Keep your heads up- you’re amazing.

From Michele Fanfair-Steury, a band parent:

Yesterday at semi-state competition I overheard a group of adults behind me talking, it began with a little politics and then someone said, This is the best…This competition is totally what I needed, look around, there are kids from all over representing the best of Indiana. They are from different backgrounds and cultures. It’s beautiful, they’re working together and they are leaving us with the greatest message. This is what America is! So though Goshen did not place to go to State, know that you are a great gift to Goshen Community Schools, the city of Goshen, the state of Indiana and last but not least that which is truly the best of AMERICA! I for one am proud to pull the water wagon uphill, being sore for a couple of days for GHS Band! Thank you for the adult learning lesson and the reminder! Proud mom #goshensgreatgifts #andthekidsshalllead