FERRIDAY — For fans of Ferriday High School there is no good time to get popcorn and a coke during a Friday night football game.

As soon as the teams leave the field, the next show begins — the show put on by the 130-member Ferriday Band.

There are majorettes, a dance line, a flag line, mascots and of course the music.

“We are exciting all the way through the show. We never stop moving,” Ferriday Band director Kendall Damond said. “The drill flows through the whole show.”

The fifth-year band director said he thinks the “show band style” of his band is more difficult to learn than the “corps style” because students have to learn to properly play an instrument while dancing and performing.

“There is a certain way to play while you are moving so there is work that goes into that, but it is all worth it in the end,” Damond said.

Briana Morris, a 15-year-old clarinetist, agreed that the four-hour daily practices are worth the effort.

“It all pays off in the end,” Morris said.

So far the payoff has been good. Last year, the band earned all superior ratings at their competitions.

Band members are awarded with more than just a great field show and superior rankings. According to Damond, discipline and teamwork are also rewards for the hard work.

“We always say ‘one band, one sound,’” Damond said. “If one group falls short the whole band falls short.

“The kids that are dedicated to the band are the ones that are going to be successful when they get out of school because they know how to work hard,” he said.

Damond said band members are in general outstanding students who are heavily involved in other extracurricular activities.

“They are members of the library club, 4-H, Beta. And many of them play instruments or sing in the choir at church or are in the dance group at their church,” Damond said. “They use their talents.”

Lucas Washington, 17, said the band gives students something to do after school.

“Band keeps kids from getting out of school,” Washington said.

Damond is sure that returning fans won’t be disappointed with this year’s show but wouldn’t reveal many details about the show.

“It’s just us being the same Ferriday Band,” Damond said. “The same excitement, same feeling we give every year.”

But he added that one portion of the show should be a crowd pleaser.

No matter what turns out to be the most exciting portion of the show, Damond said the main focus should be the music.

“Music is the most important,” Damon said. “You have to take the music seriously.”

Damond expects a lot from this year’s group musically.

“This group is more musically mature than groups in the past,” Damond said. “This is the first year that I have students that were all started by me.”

“Everybody knows our breakdown is going to be exciting,” Damond said.

Jessica Harris disagrees a little big. The 16-year-old dance line member said her favorite part is the featured dance.

“That is our time in the spotlight,” Harris said.