Washington Union Preview of Champions

Saturday, October 10, 2026
John Ventura Stadium – Washington Union High School
6041 S. Elm, Fresno, CA 93706

Show lineup & times |
Ticket prices, maps & stadium information

Parent Volunteers

Pit Crew / Drum Major Podium Crew: Please arrive at CHS at 11:30 AM to learn your role on and off the field. This is important because we are timed and judged on entering and exiting. Pit Crew helpers must be in good physical condition and strong enough to carry heavy items.
Loading Crew: We need 4–5 dads who know how to use straps to help students strap in props and racks so we can load faster and get students home to rest. Please contact Mr. Baber at CameronBaber@cusd.com.
All volunteers must wear Clovis Blue gear.
All volunteers must be Raptor cleared through the CUSD Volunteer Application. If you are not cleared by the Thursday before an event, you will be removed from the list.
Need help with the process? Contact Mrs. Candice Rodriguez, Stanford Office Secretary: CandiceRodriguez@cusd.com | 559-327-1021

Saturday Itinerary – October 10, 2026

Morning Rehearsal (Clovis High School)

Time	What’s Happening
7:00 AM	Wake up, get dressed for practice, and eat a good breakfast!
7:40 AM	Band Room doors open. You should leave your house now.
7:55 AM	Arrive at CHS and begin setting up props on the track field. All hands on deck! Band reports to the WW#1 Field with all rehearsal needs Guard/Dancers report to the Dance Stage Pit and Drum Line report to the Track Field Don’t forget your sunscreen, hat, and H2O.
8:00 AM – 12:30 PM	Morning Rehearsal
8:00 – 9:15 AM	Sections work with their assigned staff for specialized, targeted instruction.
9:15 AM	Everyone fully transitions to the track field.
9:20 AM	Ensemble rehearsal begins. It’s Show Day! We need to practice getting on and off the field today.
11:50 AM	Final run of the show
12:10 PM	Begin loading equipment and props into the trucks
12:45 / 1:15 PM	Once the trucks are loaded, go home to eat lunch and shower.

Loading Assignments

After practice, everyone helps load the semi and prop trucks:

Goose: Pit, speakers, electronics, and Drum Line
Cougie (24′ x 8½’ trailer): Scaffolding props
Box Truck Rental #1 (16′): Sousaphones, drum major podiums, trombone risers, and yellow scaffolding with filled water igloos
Box Truck Rental #2 (16′): Reserved – TBA
Cubbie (6′ x 12′ enclosed trailer): Cougar Kitchen meal supplies
Bus: All other instruments and all guard equipment

Once you are done loading your assigned equipment (not leaving and dropping off), you can go home to eat lunch, shower, and get ready for tonight’s competition.

The band room will stay open from 12:45 – 3:00 PM for students who cannot get home. Please bring a lunch (microwaves are available), wipes, and personal hygiene items to clean up and reapply after practice.

Afternoon Departure

Time	What’s Happening
2:45 PM	Members begin leaving their homes. Double-check that you have everything you need.
3:00 PM	Winds & percussion are back at CHS, showered, hair fully done, and dressed in the “La Buena Vida” uniform. Bring your program jacket, letterman jacket, or sweater for when it gets cold after you perform. Wear your show shirt under your guayabera shirt. Gather your equipment/instruments and meet outside on the blacktop in lines by section. Section Leaders double-check that all members have everything. Parents chaperoning Buses #1–#4: arrive at 2:55 PM and meet Mr. Hamada by the music stands outside Mrs. Lozano’s office. He will assign you to buses and go over your roles. Once your section passes inspection, Mrs. Lozano will tell you to load the buses. Do not leave until Mrs. Lozano releases you.
3:15 PM	Winds and percussion load 4 school buses with all belongings, instruments, and equipment. Bus #1: Flutes and Clarinets Bus #2: Saxophones, Mellophones, and Drum Majors Bus #3: Trumpets and Trombones Bus #4: Tubas and Percussion Seating: on Buses #1–#3, boys sit in the middle to the back and girls in the front half. On Bus #4, boys sit behind the driver and girls have the rest. Couples are not allowed to sit together.
3:20 PM	All trailers and trucks leave CHS for Washington Union High School.
3:30 PM	Buses #1–#4 depart CHS for Washington Union.
4:00 PM	Color guard & dance team are back at CHS, showered, hair and makeup fully done, and dressed in the “La Buena Vida” uniform. Bring your program jacket, letterman jacket, or sweater. Gather your equipment and meet outside on the blacktop in lines by section. Captains double-check that all members have everything. Parents chaperoning Bus #5: arrive at 2:55 PM at the CHS Band Room to pick up everything from Mr. Hamada, then wait for the guard team to arrive. Once your section passes inspection, the chaperone will tell you to load the bus. Do not leave until the chaperone releases you.
4:15 PM	Color guard and dance team load Bus #5 with all belongings and equipment. We are trying something different. If we can give you extra time, we will. The band and percussion must leave early to unload and set up props. This won’t be the case for all shows, but for this one we can.
4:30 PM	Bus #5 departs CHS for Washington Union.

Arrival & Warm-Up at Washington Union

Time	What’s Happening
4:15 PM	Buses #1–#4 arrive at Washington Union. Upon arrival: Percussion: Unload the Goose Scaffolding Team: Unload the prop trucks and set up the scaffolding Rest of Band: Help unload the Cougar Kitchen and help parents set up for dinner Chaperones: Report to the Cougar Kitchen to help set up to feed our students
5:15 PM	Bus #5 arrives at Washington Union.
5:20 PM	Move props to the prop area by the stadium. Line up instrument cases outside sections in a designated area. Use the restroom.
5:40 PM	Dinner, provided by Cougar Kitchen. Tonight’s menu: Chicken Teriyaki and Orange Chicken Bowls with rice, veggies, and grapes, plus a PB&J station and drinks.
6:20 PM	Take instruments out of cases and put cases back on the buses. Tubas: ALWAYS line up your cases by section next to the Goose.
6:35 PM	Line up in two lines with your instrument/equipment and transition into warm-up.

Performance & Awards

Time	What’s Happening
8:00 PM	Band, Drum Line, and Guard begin transitioning to the stadium to meet up with the pit.
8:10 PM	Pit reports to the gates; band, percussion, and guard follow. Guard places their equipment behind their prop during this time.
8:25 PM	Clovis High School competes in 5A Competition.
8:40 PM	Done performing.
8:45 PM	Fast turnaround: move back out to the trucks to drop off props and put away instruments. Pit stays to start loading the semi.
8:55 PM	Line up in twos and walk back for awards.
9:00 PM	Awards
9:20 PM	Awards are done. Sing our Alma Mater!
9:30 PM	Line up. Mr. Baber and Mr. Hamada will walk you back in twos to the bus area.
9:32 PM	Staff goes to critique with the judges.

Load-Out & Return to Clovis High School

Time	What’s Happening
9:45 PM	Start breaking down props and loading them onto the trucks. No one can go home or be checked out by a parent until all props and equipment are loaded on the trucks.
10:35 PM	Finish loading all vehicles and trucks. Snack time (snacks are served only once everything is fully loaded).
10:45 PM	Load buses and depart for CHS.
11:35 PM	Arrive back at CHS. Unload buses and all equipment trucks. Everyone helps! All members clean the buses and help unload them. Chaperones and Section Leaders are the last off the bus to do a full bus inspection. All members help unload the box trucks and clean up the band room. No one can leave until dismissed.
12:00 AM	Once everything is unloaded, cleaned up, and packed up, everyone is excused. Parents: please arrive no later than 12:00 AM to pick up your child. Do not wait for them to call you. They will be done and ready for pick-up.

Checking Out Your Child Early

A completed Parent Release Form must be given to the head chaperone assigned to your child’s bus at the time of checkout. Please print and complete it ahead of time. We do not carry extra forms. No form = no checkout.
The parent must be with their child at checkout.
If you check out your child early, you are fully responsible for bringing back their instrument and all belongings. A student cannot leave until all props and trucks have been loaded.
You may check out your child only. To check out another child, you must get approval from our Learning Director before the event.

Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Take care of Clovis High School.
Sic ’em and have a great show, Cougars!!!