The 24 bands participating in the 17th Tournament of champions are signed up for performance. Photo by the POTM Media Team
The sounds of trumpets, drums and flutes filled the Cullowhee valley on Saturday, Oct. 21 for the 17th Tournament Of Champions.
The Tournament Of Champions is a marching band competition hosted by the Pride Of The Mountains. The competition featured 24 bands from North Carolina and Tennessee traveling to WCU for one day to compete in front of a panel of judges to see who has the best band in the south.
Of course doing an event like this does not happen just like magic. All 485 members of the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band (POTM) volunteer their time to work during the event. This is because the event gives an opportunity to show upcoming high school seniors who are looking for a college to go to consider WCU and give the next generation of POTM members.
Every job from parking, concessions, warm-up areas, media, ushers etc. is covered by a WCU band member. The volunteering started as early as 6 a.m. until 10 p.m, each job with a 2-hour shift, to prepare the venue for the bands and judges and throughout the day give the bands water and made sure they showed to the field on time.
“I’ve always wanted to work at a competition just to see what its like and it was cool to see the variety in the band world,” said Daniel Cooke, a freshman trumpet player in POTM.
POTM has made a name for themselves as the best band in the southeast. This due to their performance in the 2014 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and tours to the Bands Of America Finals competition. Because of their reputation, members of POTM often experience high school students expressing their love for the band during the competition.
Manuel Espino, a freshman trumpet player in POTM who worked on TOC talked about the experience.
“It was fun to see the kids come up and ask if we were in the band and see them smile, and say oh wow you’re a trumpet too,” said Espino.
The Pride of the Mountains did two performances of their production “Take Note” as a welcome to WCU. The competition ended by 10 p.m. with Dobyns-Bennett Marching Band, a 4A band from Tennessee, took the grand championship home winning best percussion, best color guard and best visual performance.
Reporter is a member of the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band.
