For the eighth year in a row, the Carrollton High School Trojan Band proudly hosted the Legacy of Champions competition at Grisham Stadium. CHS Band Director Dr. Chris Carr expressed his delight and said the competition was a resounding success.
The band began hosting the competition in 2015 under the leadership of Michael Post.
“Michael still assists us with printing the program, designing the band flags, and serves as a mentor to our staff and parents as we plan and prepare each year,” said Carr.
The competition has grown significantly over the years. The inaugural year, the school welcomed 11 competing bands to campus. This year, 24 bands competed. The University of West Georgia’s band and the Trojan Band served as the exhibition bands.
“This year, we completely filled the home side stands with spectators by the end of the evening, and even utilized overflow seating on the visitors’ side bleachers,” said Carr. “Our parking lots were filled with equipment trailers, school buses, and spectator vehicles. It was truly an outstanding event.”
Planning an event of this scale doesn’t happen overnight, Carr noted.
“My favorite thing about Legacy of Champions is the team-building aspect of the event,” he said. “Although it is a very long day, it is rewarding to see all of our staff and parents working closely together to create a memorable experience for the visiting schools.”
The Legacy of Champions Planning Committee, led by Carrollton Middle School Band Director Maria Menendez and band parent Sarah Bush, schedules monthly meetings with eight other parent coordinators who are responsible for planning the event.
On the day of the competition, the coordinators lead a team of parent volunteers to execute the event.
“I am so proud of the volunteers’ commitment to customer service,” Carr said. “They understand that it takes all of our roles working together to make the day run smoothly for our guests.”
There were more than 2,700 total participants in this year’s competition and approximately 3,000 spectators at the event.
CHS Principal Ian Lyle said he is grateful for the hard work of Carr, his team, and the parent volunteers who make it possible to host the Legacy of Champions competition on campus each year.
“We are fortunate to have amazing support and facilities so we can host events like this on our campus,” he said.
