Mustangs marching band reaches state finals again

With three quick steps and a mighty heave, a Lakewood Ranch High marching band member threw a tennis ball in the direction of Director Ron Lambert, who stood at the top of the football field's press box.

Lambert reached out to catch the ball, which never arrived. It lost steam well before reaching its intended target, and crashed to the bleachers instead.

The 140 other marching band members, who were enjoying a practice break Nov. 11, enjoyed a hearty laugh at the student's inability to complete the throw.

"No problem," Lambert said. "You can play the oboe."

It was the final tuneup for the Florida Marching Band Championships, in which the Mustangs reached the finals for the sixth consecutive year and the 10th time in 12 years. Lakewood Ranch finished fifth overall Nov. 12 in the competition at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

The Mustangs might not have the arm of Cubs pitcher Jon Lester, but their athleticism and precision could not be denied in another captivating performance.

"What we do is athletic," said Lambert, who is leading the bands of Lakewood Ranch High for the 14th year. "I would say our students are in as good of shape as any at the school.

"What you see on the field is like an iceberg, you just see the very tip, not what is under the water."

The Mustangs performed a show titled "12 Seconds to the Moon," which was inspired by the music of Robert Smith, the director of bands at Troy State University. It focused on the worldwide race into space.

"I've known him for years," Lambert said of Smith. "He is one of the leading composers of our time. When you are at the top of the (marching band) field, it's a small world. I was able to collaborate and work with him."

Lambert evaluates music and determines what best will fit his current students.

"The music speaks to me," he said. "Then I determine how I want the show to flow."

He said the 2016 version of his marching band has a tremendous clarinet section, and "12 Seconds to the Moon" is demanding when it comes to that section.

He chose the music in April, then collaborated with other artists to bring it all together.

The students had to embrace the project, which meant countless hours of work.

Michael McAfee, a senior who plays percussion, said the marching band has been one of the most challenging experiences of his life.

"It is an incredible amount of work," he said. "For me, it is about hitting the mallet in the right key. If I miss, the whole show can be off. It is an incredible amount of pressure."

Senior drummer Nate Russell agreed about the pressure. "You can't have a weak link," he said. "As a drummer, you are keeping the tempo. Working at it takes up a lot of your time.

"But it also creates friendships and bonds."

Senior guitarist Kevin Mendel said the finished product takes a special amount of physical and mental preparation and teaches time management skills.

"It requires over 100 high schoolers to have a level of maturity that is unheard of," he said. "If one person is off, it throws off the whole show."

Senior percussionist Ethan Wolfson said he is glad he chose to be associated with the band.

"I learned communication skills and dealing with problems," he said. "But you are spending your time productively and you are doing something you love."

Lambert told his band members not to worry about judges, but to play their hearts out for the audience.

"We covered 100 years of history in nine minutes," he said. "This was all about practice and learning and failure. We had our rough days.

"But I am so proud of them."