The bigger the school, the bigger the band usually. ICE sized 3A/4A schools will have energized bands, but usually not very big. Herscher has a very good marching band - as the instrumental music program has always been very significant part of the Herscher schools.
Wilmington has a small but dedicated band. But the sign of the strength of the Marching Wildcats is that several have gone on to be leaders of the Marching Illini...and the boosters have brought those Marching Illini bands to perform at Becker Field...Wilmington Loyalty is to the tune of Illinois Loyalty...There is nothing as impressive as a 350 member Big Ten marching band playing in a 3A stadium...
Manteno had marching band uniforms when I was in school in the mid-80's, but no football or marching band? I have been able to see the Marching Panthers built from scratch - until about five years ago the music dept. had no interest in anything more than taking the basketball pep band and putting it in the bleachers. The new band instructor was brought in specifically with a goal of the marching band … and has done a marvelous job. They went from polo shirts to marching band uniforms last year as a result of the music boosters fundraising for them. They have come a long way...
My first experience with a marching band was the Marching Illini...when I went to SIU, the difference in quality & size of the bands was stunning - almost as stunning as the difference between 70,000 fans for Illini games and the less than 2000 the Salukis drew my first year there...
