Friday Night Lights

[Mad Scientist]

I officiate High School Football in southern New Mexico. This past Friday night I worked a game between the Onate Knights of Las Cruces NM and the Bel Air Highlanders of El Paso Texas.

Before the game gets started, Bel Air's band files in behind us, the Color Guard are wearing tartan skirts and PC type jackets. I think this is pretty cool and nice to see then use some Scottish type clothing; they are the Highlanders after all. About half way through the first quarter of the game I hear the faint of sound of Pipes (usually I don’t hear much except the game and coaches yelling) I figured they had a sound system set up on the visitors side or something. I do a quick search of the field and I find 3 pipers and 2 drums playing to the home stands student section. All 5 are kilted, in the school's tartan) and being cheered on rather feverishly by the home team’s fans. I could catch the sounds of the pipes on and off for most of the game that I could see and hear (My attention was on the field).

Very unexpected out of an El Paso Texas school but also a very welcome surprise.

[george7]

There are lots of Scots in Texas.

[Jack Daw]

St. Thomas Episcopal School, Houston, Texas (a private grade school), has a pipe and drum band that are three-time world champions.

[Bruno]

St. Thomas Episcopal School, Houston, Texas (a private grade school), has a pipe and drum band that are three-time world champions.

Not being funny when I say this. When you say 3 times world champion is that all the world or as the Americans are so fond of saying"world champions" when its just a event for them (like the world series baseball where its only americans involved)

As I have heard scots band claim they are world champions several times! It can be confusing like with American football, where they claim world champion games when its pretty much football (soccer to you lot) every where else.

I do get confused with this and never get the sub text. Is it world champion highland band or some American school thing?

I am waiting eagerly to be impressed.

[Mad Scientist]

There are lots of Scots in Texas.

Far West Texas as it is refered to, is not like the rest of Texas, trust me. there is only two cultures here, Hispanic and the rest of us.

Not that there is anything wrong with that...

[BEEDEE]

Not being funny when I say this. When you say 3 times world champion is that all the world or as the Americans are so fond of saying"world champions" when its just a event for them (like the world series baseball where its only americans involved)

I am waiting eagerly to be impressed.

Their website appears to be down, but from the Wikipedia article on the band:

Under the leadership of Mike Cusack, the band won its first Juvenile category World Championship in 1985 and its second in 1995. They have since competed in the World Championships periodically, winning in 1998, 2004 and 2006. In competitions outside the Juvenile category, the band will compete in Grade 2 or 3. Its most recent accomplishment was winning the North American Championships in Grade 3 in Maxville, Ontario, in 2008.

Looks like five world championships in juvenile category. As far as I know, there is no other World Piping Championship, other than the one in Glasgow this month.

Brian

[Zardoz]

I am waiting eagerly to be impressed.

Wait no longer

http://www.stespb.org/PHOTOS.html#7

[Bruno]

Wait no longer

http://www.stespb.org/PHOTOS.html#7

Consider me impressed. I just wondered as sometimes half a story can mislead. Thanks.

[McFarkus]

I'm impressed both by the Highlanders in El Paso and by the St. Thomas Episcopal School pipes and drums.

BTW the Episcopal Church has strong ties to Scotland. When the new Episcopal Church in Connecticut decided they needed a bishop and elected Samuel Seabury. The English bishops refused to consecrate a bishop for the former colony (Connecticut in this case). But the Scottish bishops (who at the time refused to recognize the authority of George III) went ahead and consecrated Seabury. This is the reason there is a saltire cross in the Episcopal Church flag.

[Tiny]

Not being funny when I say this. When you say 3 times world champion is that all the world or as the Americans are so fond of saying"world champions" when its just a event for them (like the world series baseball where its only americans involved)

As I have heard scots band claim they are world champions several times! It can be confusing like with American football, where they claim world champion games when its pretty much football (soccer to you lot) every where else.

I do get confused with this and never get the sub text. Is it world champion highland band or some American school thing?

I am waiting eagerly to be impressed.

In regards to "world champions" where American sports are concerned the rest of the world doesn't seem very interested in playing. They have all the right to claim world champions if the rest of the world doesn't feel inclined to compete they cant win.
As far as football (soccer to us) we field an ok team but not enough attention is on it so we will never really be the best possible. So same goes to the US we don't feel inclined to put our best into it.

Played a lot of football (soccer) in HS and really loved the game but i can never really get into watching sports.