The Madison Marching Dodgers have come back stronger than ever after a two-year disruption of the usual process of recruitment, practice, and competition. This year, the Marching Dodgers were named Tournament of Bands Champions in the New York metropolitan region and placed third in the New Jersey state championship.

All of these accomplishments were made in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Marching Dodgers’ band director Russ Batsch commented, “I thought the new players stepped in and did a phenomenal job. Next year is really going to be a strong year for everyone, especially if we can get [the pandemic] over by then”.

Like many of the athletics programs at Madison High School, COVID has prevented crucial fundraising and recruitment opportunities that would under normal circumstances ensure the continued success of a program. The Marching Dodgers in particular rely on these opportunities to maintain the size of the band’s membership and the condition of their equipment.

The Marching Dodgers compete in the Tournament of Bands’ “open class” bracket, reserved for schools that compete at the highest level of competition and have proven their excellence as a group over various seasons of competition. Since its inception in 1972, the Tournament of Bands has brought hundreds of high school marching bands from nine states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic coast regions to compete for various titles. Bands are divided into groups 1-4 depending on their size and into “O” and “A” classes to accommodate their desired level of competition. The Marching Dodgers had been placed in the 3-O competition for several years, but the pandemic forced the band to downsize to 2-O. Although the band continues to compete at the same high level, they are now forced to face a different set of bands in a new bracket, which has reshaped their competitive season. To return to 3-O, recruitment is a priority for the band to grow membership back to its previous level so they can compete in a familiar bracket.

Recruitment and fundraising goals are crucial for the continuation of the band.  This competitive season has shown the dedication of its members and their desire to pass down successful practices to new members and keep the tradition alive. While the pandemic affected the Marching Dodgers’ experiences this season, it could not stop their tradition of excellence.