If you were able to go to Indianapolis for Grand Nationals, then you understand the level of competition we face every year. So, how does Jenison fare against nearly 100 other schools from around the country? This year, we scored our very best show and were able to place 26th overall. More details on the 2019 competition are mentioned later. First, let’s look at Jenison’s history at Grand Nationals under the direction of Mr. Zamborsky. I've tried my best to represent this history accurately. It wasn't quite as straight forward as the MCBA history.
 
Prelims Organized by Highest Score to Lowest
                                                                                             CLASS                  DAY                    OVERALL                   SEMI-
YEAR      TITLE                                  SCORE      DAY       RANK                  RANK                  RANKING                FINALS?
2019       Urban Canvas                    84.35       Thu         4th AA                 16th                         26th                         …yes
2011       Tempest’s Fury                  82.40       Thu         2nd AA                13th                         29th                         …yes
2015       Cold Hearted                     82.30       Thu         1st AA                  11th                         24th                         …yes
2017       On the Fence                     81.30       Thu         2nd AA                 20th                         35th                         …yes
2008       Seize the Night                  80.80        Fri           3rd AA                 13th                         26th                         …yes
2012       Joan                                     80.60        Fri           4th AA                 9th                           27th                         …yes
2010       Pipes                                   80.55        Fri           3rd AA                 17th                         31st                         no
2006       Enigma Variations            80.50        Thu         2nd AA                16th                         29th                         …yes
2007       A Time for War                  80.05        Thu         2nd AA                12th                         26th                         …yes
2013       The Path                             79.75        Fri           4th AA                 21st                         35th                         no
2014       Tales of Arabia                  79.55        Thu         5th AA                 18th                         36th                         no
2004       Progression                       79.25        Thu         3rd AA                 13th                         29th                         …yes
2005       Fearful Symmetries         77.55        Thu          8th AA                 25th                         42nd                        no
2018       Under the Surface            77.30        Thu         10th AA               28th                         49th                         no
2003       Blueprint                            76.45        Thu         7th AA                 20th                         35th                         no
2016       Valkyries                            76.00        Thu          6th AA                 28th                         53rd                        no
2002       New Beginnings               75.45        Fri            4th AA                  20th                         40th                        no
2009       Framed                              did not attend
 
If I have interpreted the online archives correctly, the Class Rank is listed for our performance day only. It is not combined with the other preliminary performances. The same applies to the Day Rank. As an example, Cold Hearted placed Jenison as 1st in AA Class and 11th overall for Thursday’s performances. When combined with Friday’s performances, Cold Hearted fell to 24th overall in the rankings. When “overall” is used, it includes all classes (A, AA, AAA, AAAA).
 
What can be learned from the scores, rankings, and day’s performed? Really, very little. Scoring is indicative of Jenison’s performance, yes, but it is also completely controlled by the panel of judges. If one group of adjudicators is more restrictive with their scoring and another group is not, then the final placement of anyone can dramatically change when the two days of competition are combined. Since scores are not publicly shared until after the entire competition concludes, there is no way to predict the outcome. Let’s move on to the Semi-Final’s analysis.
 
Semi-Finals Organized by Highest Score to Lowest
                                                                                         SCORE                   CLASS                  FINAL                     RANK
YEAR      TITLE                                 SCORE                CHANGE                  RANK               RANKING                CHANGE
2019       Urban Canvas                    81.90                     -2.45                      4th AA                    26th                         0
2008       Seize the Night                  80.25                     -0.55                      4th AA                    26th                         0
2007       A Time for War                  79.90                     -0.15                      4th AA                    25th                         1
2015       Cold Hearted                     79.55                     -2.75                      4th AA                    28th                        -4
2011       Tempest’s Fury                 79.35                     -3.05                       4th AA                    27th                         2
2006       Enigma Variations            78.40                     -2.10                      3rd AA                    28th                         1
2012       Joan                                     77.55                     -3.05                      7th AA                    27th                         0
2017       On the Fence                     77.25                     -4.05                      4th AA                    32nd                        3
2004       Progression                       76.45                     -2.80                       8th AA                    31st                        -2
 
Can anything be learned from this set of stats? Yes! Notice how our score drops every single time, but also notice how our final ranking does not. Usually, we move up the ranking ever so slightly. This means that the other schools still competing have also suffered some point losses. Now, can you imagine if we were able to keep our score more consistent? We might not make finals, but we sure would walk up the rankings a bit further. As it is, we tend to hang out in the mid-to-high 20’s. That’s pretty satisfying.
 
I promised to return to this year’s competition with some interesting observations. Urban Canvas proved to be a very compelling show, and although we never ranked in the top 3, we didn’t realize just how close we were. Here are the scores separating our 4th place prelim finish to Marian Catholic.
 
2nd Marian Catholic          84.725   above Jenison by 0.375
3rd North Hardin               84.475   above Jenison by 0.125
4th Jenison                          84.350
 
We were right behind a second place finish! Competition is fierce and just this small amount of difference had a huge impact in our placement.
 
The semi-finals this year put our final ranking at 26th. Still, with our score, Jenison beat (3) AAA schools and (3) AAAA schools (Ben Davis, Forest Hills, Lakota West). This is a pretty good accomplishment in itself! As we have experienced so many times, it is difficult to break into the top 20 ranked bands. Reaching finals is clearly a stretch for us, but it isn’t impossible. This year, a score of 89.75 would have secured a spot in the finals.
 
This year’s Grand National Champion, Vandergrift, had a very non-traditional change in their band this year. There was no color guard. Instead, they utilized a dance team, who happened to use some flags for a short time. They scored a 97.15 for the win. Every year there is conversation about who the Grand Champion should be and usually no one agrees about the order of the top ten. Vandergrift was definitely breaking tradition, which was very risky, but the rulebook does not specify the use of a color guard. References to “color guard” or simply “guard” do not appear in the BOA rulebook. Instead, the term “performance ensemble” is used. This ensemble references singers, actors, and dancers as examples. The rulebook mentions that the use of color is “impactful”, but this is not a reference to the guard. My research revealed no minimum requirement for using flags, props, rifles, sabers, etc in the rules. In the end, it just comes down to creativity and how well it is executed.

This year’s Grand Nationals field of competition included 91 marching bands representing schools from all over the country. There were:
     29 from Ohio
     16 from Indiana
     10 from Kentucky
       6 from Texas
       5 from Michigan
       3 from Illinois, North Carolina, Virginia
       2 from Florida, Georgia, Iowa, West Virginia
       1 from Arkansas, California, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin

A couple of these schools have a special connection to Jenison. The first one is Leander High School in Texas. This AAA school from Texas added new member Josie Bowen to their color guard this year. Josie and her family relocated from Jenison to Leander this summer. I know many in our guard were eager to see her perform with her new band family. Even with their high expectations, Josie didn’t let them down. In fact, Josie has excelled in Leander and has taken her skill level to new heights. Our veteran guard girls were excited for her success and really proud of her. This is a fine example of the bond created by sharing the experiences of our program.
 
The second school might surprise you a bit. I think I’ve mentioned them in a previous post, so if you were paying attention, this school might sound familiar. You see, Jenison has a fan club named Lakota West. I don’t know if you heard them, but they did a “Jenison Chant” when we were announced during the Semi-Finals awards program. Several years ago, they saw one of our shows and loved the creativity and quality of our “little school”. I say little because Lakota is an AAAA school. Ever since that show, they have followed us closely and with excited anticipation.
 
Another really enjoyable moment was witnessing, for the very first time in BOA history, a football team come to the competition and cheer for and encourage their school’s marching band. They all wore red, sat in the first few rows along the 50-yard line, and cheered exuberantly. It was fun to watch and easy to see how much it meant to the band members.
 
There are probably more stories to tell and probably additional connections to other bands that I am not aware of. Whether you agree with everything BOA does or not, they have successfully set up an annual event that allows all of us to enjoy music and movement created by the hard work of schools from all over our nation. This year, we saw twenty states represented. Despite our differences, we still play music the same, march the same, and can enjoy the resulting performances the same.

Today our marching band embarks on a long bus ride to Indianapolis for the BOA Grand Nationals. This is the last big competition of the season and we are competing against some very good bands. Despite achieving so many state championships, we are considered an underdog in this arena. That is not to say we don’t have a fighting chance to advance in the competition because we most definitely do. So, let’s break down this multi-day trip and lay out what you need to know.
 
SCHEDULE
The marching band schedule is posted for you to refer to. Link:
ttps://static1.squarespace.com/static/501bc84fc4aa651f100e4fff/t/5dc6df5e94d2ca4234aa3b2e/1573314398408/BOA+Nationals+week+2019.pdf
 
LEAVING JENISON
Every year is a little different. When the band leaves is greatly dependent on what time they perform. Will it be Thursday or Friday? Will it be in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Once that is all worked out and announced by BOA, the schools will pass on everything the parents will need to know for planning purposes. The drive is about 4-1/4 hours using US-31, 4-1/2 hours using I-65, or 5 hours using I-69. For 2019, Jenison performs early afternoon on Thursday so they will spend Wednesday night in a hotel.
 
LODGING
The marching band will stay in a different hotel nearly every year. It is not recommended that the parents stay in the same hotel. Parents may stay anywhere else in town they feel suits them the best. There is lodging all over the place, including right downtown within walking distance to Lucas Oil Stadium. These hotels are pretty pricey and book up fairly quickly. It is recommended to make reservations about 10-11 months in advance of the competition.

PARKING
Lucas Oil is surrounded by businesses. Over the course of the event, they open up their parking lots for $10-20 (prices may vary). The prelim’s are not jam packed with people, but it is a normal business workday. That means there are only a few businesses available to park at. The big parking lot behind Lucas Oil is reserved for buses and equipment trucks. South of that lot (just north of I-70) are a bunch of businesses that have pretty decent parking areas. The map used in this posting has the parking areas highlighted in red. If you are going to attend their performance on Thursday, make sure you are in the area and parking at least an hour early. The stadium is large and, as you can see, the parking is kind of crazy. You need to allow time to walk to the stadium, purchase tickets, make you way inside (muss pass through security), and find a seat.

TICKETS
All tickets can be purchased in the northeast corner of the building or the southeast corner of the building. These areas are marked with a yellow arrow on the map in this blog. I can’t remember if these ticket windows are both open all of the time or if they close one during certain hours, but I have purchased tickets at both locations before.
 
Tickets can be purchased online, as well. Go to the Ticketmaster website for what sections cost what. Remember, all ticket purchases will have fees - even the tickets bought at Lucas Oil.
Link: https://www.ticketmaster.com/bands-of-america-tickets/artist/834336
 
Preliminary performances will take up all of Thursday and Friday. All seats are general admission. You can purchase a one day ticket ($27) or a two-day ticket ($39). All tickets have additional fees but I don’t know how much they add to the ticket prices.
 
Semi-Finals occur on Saturday morning (6:30 am) through the late afternoon. General admission tickets can be purchased ($42) but seating will be limited to a certain area. You can also purchase a ticket for a specific section and row ($50), but not seat.
 
Finals are Saturday evening (7:00 pm). There are no general admission tickets available. Everything is sold by section and row ($15 - $135).
 
FOOD
Again, being a large bustling city, there are restaurants all over. Spend a little time researching the downtown layout online to pick your destinations. Many of the competing bands will also eat downtown and there are occasions that a restaurant has been closed for these private parties. Lucas Oil also has many food vendors, but prices will be your typical arena price gouging amounts. Also, it might be a good idea to bring a pop bottle cap or water bottle cap in case they do not provide that to you. Many arenas are keeping the cap so you can’t seal off your drink. I think they secretly hope you spill it so you have to buy another one.
 
FREE TIME
In case you are wondering, the band is kept very busy. They are given some free time, but it is scheduled and somewhat controlled. Even though their performance is short when compared to the length of their stay, additional rehearsals are scheduled. Meals are scheduled at venues allowing them to remain together. Their visit to the mall is your best option for seeing your student. There is one main rule, here, though. They may not leave the mall to go anywhere, even with you. Likewise, when they are given free time at the hotel, they must remain at the hotel.
 
GRAND PARK REHEARSAL
Their rehearsal at Grand Park is like rehearsing at GVSU. If you choose to watch their rehearsal here, please respect their schedule. There is little to no time for meeting up with your student.
 
COMMUNICATION
Keep in mind that communication between cell phones may be limited by the large buildings and other signal blockers. Also, due to the amount of time away from charging stations, some phones may lose power part way through the day.
 
EXPO
Within Lucas Oil are dozens of companies, colleges, and services for music students to peruse. Items can be purchased here as well as being able to join organizations and try out some instruments.
 
STREAM IT LIVE
If you can’t make it to town, you can still watch it live on Flomarching.com. It’s not quite the same experience as being there in person, but it is a good alternative to the time and expense of going in person. It costs $12.50 a month, but you can cancel at any time. Even after the competition, you can go back and watch specific schools perform. Sign up, pay your money, and cancel it next week after your student watches their performance online.
Link:
https://www.flomarching.com/signup?redirect=%2Farticles%2F6594252-super-fan-preview-2019-boa-grand-national-championships-nov-14-16

Congratulations to our marching band, drum line, front ensemble, color guard, directors, technical staff, support staff, prop crews, and ALL of the other parent volunteers! What a win this year! Did you know that 2019’s state title marks the 8th such title awarded under Dave Zamborsky? Z began his Jenison tenure in 2002 and during those 18 seasons, Jenison has brought home 8 first place titles, 8 second place honors, and 2 third place finishes. There have been no placements below third. That is an impressive accomplishment! Let’s have a look at some of those numbers.
 
The average score from eighteen competitions calculated at 89.735 with a high of 94.050 (2015) and a low of 83.250 (2006). That’s a pretty big 10.800 point swing! I was definitely expecting it to be smaller, but I had to keep in mind that there have been scoring changes along the way so we are not really comparing apples to apples. To better understand the point swing and its effect on our placement, I dug into the research a little more. Our biggest win margin was by 5.900 points (2013) and our largest loss margin was 3.200 points (2007). That is a range of 9.100 points. You’ll notice that the years of those margins do not align with our highest and lowest scores mentioned earlier. Also, I noticed that Jenison’s biggest increase of points over the last eighteen performances at States was 4.550 (2010) but we still placed second. Our biggest drop in points was -5.600 (2006) and we placed second. This drop did correlate to the year of our lowest score.
 
We’ve also had some very tight competitions over the years. Jenison has both won and lost by 0.050 points, to the same competitor, all the while having been awarded 2 Caption Awards. In 2004, Jenison edged ahead of Reeths-Puffer for the win, capturing the Music Performance and General Effect awards. But, in 2015, with our highest score ever, Reeths-Puffer pulled out the win. This loss was unexpected because Jenison had been awarded two Caption Awards. We all thought we had locked it up and were shocked beyond belief that we had placed second. Once again, I had to remind myself that the focus of any marching band competition is music. Movement and Props are secondary, so the overall score is weighted very much on the quality of the musical ability of the band. In this case, Jenison scored highest on Visual Performance and General Effect but not by enough to outscore Reeths-Puffer’s Music Performance score. It was a bitter pill that year but completely fair.
 
That’s the thing about this competition. It’s never a sure thing. For instance, during my research I saw a band had tied with another band for the Music Performance Caption Award. Now, as we just learned, this is a very important award and indicates the level of competition that year. While one band went on to win the state title, the other band placed fourth. So the lesson here is that you can win Caption Awards and still not even place in the top two. Never take a win for granted.
 
Each year is new and fresh. Just about everything changes every year. The music changes, the drill changes, the students change, instrument mix changes, schools change flights, the judges change, the weather changes. Everything changes! Besides, what fun is the competition if there isn’t any drive to improve? If you don’t anticipate a tight competition, then there is much less incentive to push yourself to do better.
 
We should all be proud of what we have accomplished together. Yes, the directors and students did most of the work, but we all had a part of the outcome. I have never witnessed greater support for a marching band than at Jenison Public Schools. We appreciate an administration that also supports the musical and performance arts so well.
 
For those that want to walk down memory lane a little bit, below the picture are the names of the shows that have been performed over the last 18 seasons, their State Finals score, and competition placement result.