It's time for another uniform review! In this post, I will be discussing my thoughts on the Uniforms used by the schools in the Centennial League.
Emporia: This is one of my favorite uniforms in Kansas, let alone the Centennial League. I mentioned EHS in my top 15 uniforms, saying that I liked how the Uniforms were a big part of this past year's show, "Ronin" and coordinated well with the show theme. The combination of colors (Red, Silver, and Black) on this uniform is exciting and brings adrenaline to all show-watchers. The EHS Band also has a slick, sharp "S" running down the middle of their uniforms, which makes the uniform distinct. Grade: A
Hayden: I'm not a big fan of this uniform. It looks very traditional and has a sash with "Hayden" running down it. In my opinion, the Blue on the sash is perfect, but the letters I could do without. This uniform also has no gauntlets and no gloves, which are two things that usually make a band more cleaned-up and put together. But one thing I do like about this uniform is that there are actual buttons that the marchers button up, a homage to traditional marching bands and drum corps of the 70s, when Hayden started gaining attendance. Another thing I like about these uniforms is that HHS uses baseball caps while going on parade and in stands and Traditional-style hats when in competition. However, these uniforms fall short of expectations for a traditional-style marching band. Grade: C+
Highland Park: HP's Uniforms are traditional in every sense of the word, and the Marching band's traditional style that they show so well on the field is nothing but complimented by the uniforms. I mentioned in my previous uniform review that I am not a fan of Traditional-style uniforms, but Highland Park is one of the only exceptions. First, the color scheme that HP uses is one of the most unique in Kansas. In fact, I cannot think of another school that uses Green, Red, and Black as their school colors. These uniforms remind me of the University of Nebraska's marching band Uniforms in their frontal showing, but the sides of the buttons are decorated with a clover-esque yarn design. This uniform is visually pleasing and fit the style of HP's marching very well. Grade: A-
Junction City: These uniforms are very unique in their combination of Traditional and Semi-Corps style elements. One of the first things that I notice about the uniform is that the hat matches the jacket, which is a great look for corps-style and traditional uniforms alike. Another thing I like about the hat is that it has buttons on it, making it match the uniform even more. However, there is one thing that doesn't really click with me about the uniforms - the gauntlets. They are not shaped exactly like the traditional gauntlets for marching bands that choose to use them, and they look taped on. But other than that, JC has great uniforms that should be showcased more around the state. Grade: B
Manhattan: I like the traditional style of uniforms the "Big Blue Band" wear, despite having a slight resemblance to Highland Park and/or Seaman. The pants are a navy blue, which is surprising to see in a state that has almost all of its bands march black bibbers. The gray sleeves of the uniform are also well-showcased, and the gauntlets are appropriately shaped and visually pleasing. The hat's eagle shield is another one of the many features that make MHS's uniforms stand out to me. But my favorite thing on the uniform is the red chenille "M" that is on the upper sleeve on both the left and right side of the uniform. We don't see sleeve decoration in any other uniform other than the band's name, so this is something that makes MHS stand out. Grade: B+
Shawnee Heights: I am not a fan of this uniform. The blue stripe with the Thunderbird logo on it is not very visually pleasing, and the bright sky blue/red/black is not a visually pleasing combination. I watched a video of SHHS's Neewollah performance, but the uniforms distracted me from the music. Another thing I don't like about this uniform is that it does not have a shako on its hat, and the hat shield has "SH" on it, which pops out too much. Initials on helmets might work on flight attendant hats, but not on marching band hats, especially if it pops out too much. Credit where credit is due, though - Shawnee Heights has a really nice band facility, and I got to experience playing in their band room three weeks ago for their hosting of the Solo and Ensemble festival. But the uniform is definitely the worst in the Centennial League. Grade: C-
Seaman: The first thing that I noticed about this uniform is that it looks like a folded-down version of a traditional uniform, with the silver stripe heading from 1/3 of the way down to 2/3 of the way down. This is something that makes Seaman's uniform unique, along with the gothic "S" that is on the right chest of the uniform's jacket. But my favorite part of this uniform, which has been around for 8 years, is the hat, which matches the jacket very well, with a wave-like white stripe and a lighter blue shadow. As I mentioned earlier, the hat matching the uniform is something I am a big fan of, and Seaman knocks it out of the park. The shako is tall, and that is something that just capitalizes on the hat. Grade: A-
Topeka: These uniforms are snazzy, corps-style, and showcase the band well. Bright yellow is not a color that is shown in marching band often, yet THS completely exposes it in their uniform - maybe even too much. The reason bright yellow is not shown so much in marching band is that it does not contrast well with the green of the turfs that the Bands play on, and it is not as resonant as gold, which many schools that have yellow and black (Andale, Garden Plain, Blue Valley to name a few) use on their uniforms. But this uniform is great in every other sense. I love the bass drum decals that make the band more showcased in parades, the marcher's hat (not pictured) is tall and shows the abbreviation (THS) on it and nothing else, and I think the coolest part of all is that the Drum Majors wear actual Trojan Helmet replicas. If that's not only fitting for a school whose mascot is a Trojan, then I don't know what is. Grade: B+
Topeka West: This uniform reminds me specifically of Free State's pre-2012 uniform in many ways - same helmet, a sash with silver sequins, and gauntlets with a silver trim. However, there are some differences. Free State had their Firebird logo on the top of the left sleeve instead of on the right chest, and FS wore white gauntlets and pants (and still do today) instead of black. I'm not saying that TW blatantly copied FS, because the uniform style is very common- sashes and helmets with curved plumes is one of the most popular combinations for a band, and you see it all over the country in both high school and college bands. But Topeka West's uniform could be improved upon. First of all, on the right chest plate, there is only the "TW" in black instead of the Topeka West Charger logo, a logo that I find to be probably the best in Centennial league sports. Even then, the "TW" is barely noticeable. I would have rather had an all-black uniform with the same silver sash and a purple TW. Nevertheless, this uniform is visually pleasing, because half-purple, half-black is one of the most unique combinations in marching band. I'm also a fan of their gauntlets, which have an angled trim, a rarity in competitive marching bands like Topeka West. Grade: B
Washburn Rural: Like Hayden, the WR marching band wears hats for parades and celebrations. But the entire band wears berets and black capes for field performances, adding depth to the band. This makes WR one of the best uniforms for field showcasing in the Centennial League. These uniforms are oldies but goldies - one of the few uniforms in the state of kansas that have their back intact instead of the front. Although these uniforms are great, a little bird told me that this would be the last year that WR would be wearing them and that they would get new uniforms next year. I Can't wait to see what WR has in store for their next uniforms. Grade: A
What is your favorite Centennial League marching Uniform? Tell me in the comments below or on our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kbnks/
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