I was in marching band (which turned into symphonic for spring semester) all through high school. Had a really weird start, that did. Our initial band director quit a month in, no one else could be found, so our school book clerk stepped in. Pretty much saved the band singlehandedly, he did.
We even managed to win a fairly large regional competition in my senior year, for our Irish-themed field show.
I was even first-chair clarinet starting from my sophomore year. Mainly because all of our seniors dropped, but still, held that position for two and a half years.