Band of the Week: Old High Coyotes

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - Before the sun even rises, Old High’s coyotes are already on the field.

“Well, they are teenagers, so early is not in their vocabulary,” grinned band director Justin Lewis. “But band kids are special, so they do get out here and work hard. They are focused and they have goals. They do a good job before the sun even comes up.”

“I think it’s very very cool to see people that are dedicated enough to get up and come before school hours to come and rehearse something that’s only 15 minutes,” said Andrea Granados, junior drum major. “15 minutes on the field but hours and hours of practice. I think it’s cool to see the dedication.”

The band is enjoying being together after a long time apart.

“This is a really good group of kids this year. It seems like they get a long real well and being kind of post-COVID, or at the back end of COVID, they are just so happy to be together and just to do anything, so it’s a really fun place to be,” said Lewis.

It’s not all fun and games -- Lewis does his best to give his students important skills to carry into the future: “One of my main goals is to teach life lessons such as showing up on time, having the equipment you need, taking care of business, so it hopefully translates into whatever they do when they graduate.”

One student elaborated on these lessons. “We have a saying, the four D’s, which are drive, determination, dedication and discipline,” said Bennett Bristo, senior drum major. “Those are really good life lessons, to just put in the due diligence and do the work.

If you’re thinking about joining the band someday, the coyotes say to give it a shot.

“Band is the coolest,” said Bristo. “There’s nothing else like it in the world.”

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