Marching | Lakota East Bands

Marching Thunderhawks

The Lakota East High School Marching Thunderhawks have established a tradition of excellence and showmanship earning Superior Ratings in every field competition and Superior Ratings in the OMEA State Marching Band Finals since the beginning in 1997.

With over 220 musicians and color guard, the band has a full, rich sound and rhythmic accuracy, and they march with great energy and excitement during each performance. The Marching Thunderhawks are not only one of Ohio’s finest marching ensembles, but is one of the country’s elite band programs, consistently achieving acclamation from audiences wherever it appears. Of equal importance are the musical and organizational skills of Director, William Thomas, and Associate Director, Robert Tanis.

The band is accustomed to traveling including yearly half-time performances at high school football games, national and state field competitions and national parades and festivals such as Pacific Life’s Holiday Bowl Field Show (Superior Rating, 2nd Place Internationally), Parade and Half-Time Show, San Diego, CA/ Disney World Electric Light Parade, Orlando, FL to name a few.

General Information about Contests

Classifications for an OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association) Contest are by school size:

Class C: 300 or below
Class B: 301- 475
Class A: 476- 775
Class AA: 776 or more

During an OMEA competition, adjudicators critique the bands’ performance in the following areas:

Music: (Assigned judges rate only the musical aspects of the group)

General Effect: (Assigned judges rate the band on the entire show package including music, marching, auxiliary and percussion contribution).

Visual Performance and Visual Effect: (Assigned judges rate the precision of the movement of the entire group and how the members move within the overall picture and development of form).

Percussion: (Assigned judge, on the field, rates the percussion section and how it relates to the musical ensemble.)

Field Commander: (Assigned judge, on the field, rates the direction of the band by the field commander(s).

Auxiliaries: (Assigned judges rate the entire auxiliary unit including flags, rifles and dance line on the writing of the routine, the cleanliness of the work done by the group and their placement on the field.)