He Marched Our Spots

Quite a few alumni of the WJHS band, from several years older to several years younger than Craig, have already written with memories from that time. I'd like to share another one.

Middle school students can participate in the WJHS Summer Band, which marches in parades during June and July. But only ninth-graders and high school students can participate in the fall-season Marching Band, which performs the competitive field show, and which begins rehearsals during an intensive Band Camp in August.

Craig, however, had an opportunity to participate in the field show when he was just an eighth grader, if only for two weeks. A new family was moving to West Jordan from California, and their three oldest daughters would be joining the Marching Band. But they wouldn't arrive until just before the start of classes, after Band Camp had ended. The band director, Mrs. Leyva, generously provided spots for the newcomers in the formations, but it was difficult to set up and learn the formations with empty spots. So "Little" Craig Decker got to learn and march one of those spots during Band Camp that year.

My sisters and I arrived in West Jordan just in time to register and tour the school a couple of days before classes began. We immediately dove into band rehearsals, learning the Fire-themed music and drill that were already (at least somewhat) familiar to our bandmates. I don't know for sure which of our spots Craig had marched during band camp; probably Reija's, in the trumpet section. Or did Reija march horn or trombone that year? I can't keep track. Maybe he marched my spot in the sax section, next to Dan Curtis, or my sister's in the flute section.

Anyway, I remember meeting the middle school kid who had marched our spots, and whose brother was the drum major, and he was so enthusiastic about the band. It was no surprise that he became drum major himself a few years later.

--Taina (Matheson) Price