Every year after Grand Nationals, we conduct voting to decide which bands to name the Illinois Marching Online Bands of the Year. This year’s voting consisted of 15 voters, which consisted of Illinois Marching Online Staff, as well as band directors, staff members, and judges from across the state of Illinois. Continuing this year, the users of the site had input into Bands of the Year as well. All of the bands listed below have achieved high quality compared to the other bands in their class, and are worthy of special honor.
A quick explanation of how we conduct voting: Every band that competes once in Illinois is eligible to be voted for. Each voter is asked to vote for their picks in 4 divisions. Voters are allowed to submit half-completed ballots, if they are not comfortable voting in a division. Each division has 10 bands selected, and here is how the divisions break down: Division 1: enrollment of 1600+, plus all 2012 Bands of America Grand National Semifinalists, Division 2: 900-1599, Division 3: 450-899, Division 4: < 450. Each voter this year was also asked to vote for the “most improved band” in each class, and that was determined on their performances this year as compared to years past. The points for each band are determined based on votes a band receives. For example: Band A receives a 3rd place vote in Division 1. As there are 10 bands being voted for, that band would receive 8 points towards their cumulative vote total. All ties are broken by the number of first-place votes received, if applicable. A few more fun facts:
- 21 people cast their ballots in the public vote, and their total results counted as 1 ballot in the official Bands of the Year vote.
- 15 people (not counting the public ballot) voted in the official Bands of the Year vote.
- Morton received the most first place votes, with 13.
- 109 different bands were voted for in the staff polls; 183 in the public voting.
- Marian Catholic (141 points, 12 first-place votes)
- Prospect (107 points)
- O’Fallon Township (97 points, 1 first-place vote)
- Lincoln-Way North (74 points, 1 first-place vote)
- Lockport Township (73 points)
- Lake Park (71 points)
- Plainfield North (70 points, 1 first-place vote)
- John Hersey (42 points)
- Lincoln-Way East (37 points)
- Victor J. Andrew (15 points)
- Morton (139 points, 13 first place votes)
- Normal West (112 points, 1 first-place vote)
- Bloomington (96 points, 1 first-place vote)
- Limestone (95 points)
- Lincoln-Way West (85 points)
- Lemont (47 points)
- Washington Community (43 points)
- Dunlap (35 points)
- Providence Catholic (25 points)
- Lakes Community (21 points)
- Eureka (107 points, 5 first-place vote)
- Pontiac Township (103 points, 1 first-place vote)
- Illinois Valley Central (102 points, 5 first-place votes)
- Macomb (81 points)
- Mahomet-Seymour (75 points, 1 first-place vote)
- Geneseo (64 points, 2 first-place votes)
- Monticello (56 points)
- Sandwich (27 points, 1 first-place vote)
- University (23 points)
- Evergreen Park (22 points)
- Newton (108 points, 10 first-place) votes)
- Tri-Valley (85 points, 1 first-place vote)
- Watseka Community (70 points)
- Rushville-Industry (56 points)
- Paxton-Buckley-Loda (48 points)
- Atwood-Hammond (33 points)
- Sullivan (31 points)
- ROWVA (30 points)
- Blue Ridge (27 points)
- Ridgeview (12 points)
And now, the 2013 Illinois Marching Online Bands of the Year!
| Division 1
Most Improved Bands: |
Division 2
Most Improved Band: |
| Division 3
Other Bands receiving First Place Votes: Most Improved Band: |
Division 4
Other Bands receiving First Place Votes: Most Improved Bands: |
2012 Bands of the Year
2011 Bands of the Year
2010 Bands of the Year
2009 Bands of the Year
2008 Bands of the Year
2006 Bands of the Year
2005 Bands of the Year
2004 Bands of the Year
2003 Bands of the Year
2002 Bands of the Year