The Marching Coalers have had a busy season so far this year. Following the end of summer two week band camp, the students have had weekly evening rehearsals and recently added a new prop to the field show that was acquired from a professional marching band, and on top of all of that they have performed at three home football games.
Last weekend marked the first of three competitions for the season as they traveled to downstate O'Fallon for the Metro East Marching Classic. This weekend, the band will travel north to Plainfield South for its marching competition and later this month the band will make its way to Eastern Illinois University for the 46th Annual Panther Marching Band Festival.
The Marching Coalers will also appear in the Dwight Harvest Days parade on Sunday, Sept. 24, Grundy County Corn Festival parade on Sunday, Oct. 1 and the Coal City High School Homecoming parade on Friday, Oct. 6.
One event of the marching season that is that is always a joy for band members is eighth grade step up night. According to Director Hope Connelly, over 20 eighth graders participated in the step up night with the high school band. "They got to do pregame and pep events with the band. The band and eighth graders did an amazing job," the director said.