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As part of the Ohio Honor Band, Lakota West High School field director Robert Armsttrong has marched on some big stages.

He's lead the Marching Firebirds — and played the tuba in others — in countless competitions, special events, even the 2006 Macy's Day Parade. But none of them even held a note to Tuesday's Tournament of Roses Parade.

"When you saw the TV stands and the lights (on Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena, Calif.), I thought, man, this is it."

Armstrong is also a senior, making the trip out west — for the world's most prominent event for marching bands — his last hurrah as a high schooler.

"That's the last time I'll ever march with them," Armstrong said while munching on an In-N-Out burger, his brow still moist from the 5.5-mile jaunt

down Colorado Boulevard in front of 1 million people.

"It's really sad. There's nothing like leading that ensemble. They're just awesome. And I got to go to extra months with them, so I'm fortunate."

Dining with Armstrong on the lawn at Victory Park on the north east side of Pasadena was Al Schmidt, Lakota's junior high band director and voice of the Marching Firebirds.Like Armstrong, Schmidt has been dreaming of the Rose Parade since he was a child. In 1989 he finally had the chance to see the event live. That feeling sufficed ... until November 2006 when he found out he would march alongside

dozens of his former students and wave from the other side of the street.

"I always used to think that it would be great to be in the Rose Parade," Schmidt said. "It went way beyond (expectations). Being in it is awesome ...it's awesome."

Band director Greg Snyder was all smiles and high fives as his students hugged one another, savoring the experience.

"Wow, I've never seen so many people excited about the band," Snyder said.

"And it was a perfect day, you can't even imagine. I can't believe we marched seven miles and it's over already. We're ready to do it again."

Throughout the route, some spectators flashed handmade signs of approval, including ratings for the quality of floats they saw and the sounds they heard.

As the Marching Firebirds made their way through Pasadena on New Years Day 2008, the sun gleaming off freshly shined instruments, the only number they saw was 10.

Contact this reporter at

(513) 820-2112 or dgreber@coxohio.com.