COAL GROVE —Logan Zerkle, a senior at Dawson-Bryant High School, spent a lot of time playing his euphonium as he prepared for his audition for the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band.

There were “many months of preparing for one audition,” said Logan.

For the audition process, Logan was required to prepare a solo music piece recorded on video in addition to sending in a video about himself.

Logan’s efforts paid off when he was selected as one of the 125 students to play in the band out of over 1,000 who auditioned.

“It’s a huge honor,” said Tom Zerkle, Logan’s father and band director at Dawson-Bryant. “He’s the only student from our school (to be selected).”

In January, Logan will head to San Antonio, Texas where he and the other members of the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band will perform for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Logan will be assigned music by the marching band that he must be ready to perform by the time he travels to San Antonio in January, said Zerkle.

Once he arrives in San Antonio, Logan and the other band members will spend five days getting ready for the All-American Bowl on Jan. 9.

Logan, who hopes to play in the President’s Own United States Marine Band someday, will be able to interact with Army band members while performing with the All-American marching band.

“I’ll get to play with the U.S. Army Field Band,” said Logan. “They are a premier band.”

Although the band performance is several months away, Logan already has hopes for what the experience will be like.

“I hope that it will expand my horizons,” said Logan.