There are several factors that led to that drop. But they all add up to Covid-19.

First and foremost is a lot of very large programs simply lost membership during and post Covid. Many kids had to quit to work in lower to middle income areas.

Second, the lack of consistent engagement led to many kids choosing to move on to other activities.

Third, consider 2022.

We lost almost all of the 2020 UIL season. A few groups got to attend before everything shut down.

2021 UIL was limited - some groups went, many kids were virtual only. Many programs were adversely affected by this.

So 2022 rolls around - kids that began 6th grade band during the 19-20 year lost 9 weeks of instruction, spent all of 7th grade virtual, and then had to come in and do a UIL-level program after having literally never performed with a band since their mass beginning band - if their school even did a Christmas beginner concert! It's no wonder the number of entries dropped.

It'll tick back up, and it has - but there were significant obstacles to success those few years.