Thank you for your flexibility with last week, both in terms of rehearsal adjustments and the heat and humidity. We are just 6 days away from our first competitive performance. Here is this week's update.
Rehearsal - Monday/Thursday - 6-9
This week's goal is to get the entire show on the field and get us comfortable with our performance going into this weekend. Flexibility and focus are the two primary elements that will allow us to succeed.
Friday - Football - Away vs. Boiling Springs
Here is Friday's schedule:
3:15 - Rehearsal in the Band Room (outside the band room for Guard)
4:15 - Eat/Change/Load
- Student leaders have a checklist and will be assisting to ensure everything is packed
- Everyone MUST pack a dinner and eat it. Proper nutrition is vital
5:30 - Depart for Boiling Springs
6:00 - Arrive at Boiling Springs and unload
6:30 - In stands for pregame performance
7:00 - Game begins
8:00ish - Halftime Performance
9:00ish - Game ends
10:00 - ETA to Big Spring
Saturday - Opening Knight Competition - Hempfield HS
Saturday is our first competition. Here is our day of events
11:15 - Rehearsal in the Stadium
2:15 - Rehearsal ends, move to HS
2:30 - Eat/Change/Load
3:30 - Depart for Hempfield
4:30 - Arrive and Unload
5:00 - Warmup
6:50 - Depart for Gate
7:15 - Performance (3rd of 5 American Conference Bands)
9:30 - In seats for Hempfield and University of Delaware performances
10:15 - Awards
11:00 - Estimated Departure from Hempfield
MIDNIGHT - ETA to Big Spring
Competition days are very long days, but also very rewarding days. They require focus and endurance, but they can also be extremely rewarding. The Band Boosters are providing lunch, which is Mac and Cheese, Hot Dogs, and sides, along with water. Saxes and Pit - we will take your order for your special lunch in the morning.
Please bring money for concessions and souvenirs at Hempfield. Support their band boosters like we would want other bands to support ours!
For those who have never been to a competition, you are in for a very unique and rewarding experience. Ask any of the upperclassmen, and they will tell you this is a great part of our season, and the staff and leadership is excited to see this part of the season finally upon us. If you have questions about the day or what to expect, ask any of your student leaders.
Bulldog Band Brawl - 9/24
We are less than 2 weeks away from our annual competition, and I'm thrilled at how things are progressing for the show. We currently have 60+ volunteers scheduled for the day, including parents, family, alumni, and friends of the band. We are still in need of over 20 additional volunteers, and the primary area is our concession stand. For anyone who has not visited the stand, it is a major upgrade from the past, but it is also a major undertaking. Thank you to the many who have already volunteered. If you have not done so yet, please visit our signup form here: http://signup.com/go/9j3XDh To make this show the success it will be, we need EVERY family to be involved. If you have not already volunteered, members of the Band Boosters will be in touch this coming week. This is a huge fundraiser of run, but to do so, all must be involved.
In addition, thanks to those who volunteered to head up the various committees and areas within the show. There will be a Brawl meeting at 5:30 on Thursday evening in the stadium. If you are able to attend, we will be doing a walkthrough of the evening of the Brawl and what to expect and plan for. Thank you Denny Mooney for helping to arrange all of this!
Housekeeping Items
I have several other items to address. I know this past week we had a lot of heat and humidity, and it was obvious it was affecting our ability to rehearse properly. Regardless of the weather, it is absolutely vital that all members continue to stay properly hydrated and eat a well-balanced meal before rehearsals. Failing to do so has resulted in several people feeling sick. Your health and well-being is important, and our activity can be very taxing if we do not take care of ourselves.
In addition to our physical well-being, our academic well-being is very important too. This was the first week that the eligibility report was run, and three weeks in, I've already spoken to a few people who have a class reported on the list as below 60%. We need to ensure this does not become an on-going problem. School district policy states that 2 failing grades will result in loss of eligibility for extracurricular activities such as marching band or indoor colorguard. We do not have a bench of folks to fill holes due to ineligibility, so please ensure your grades are on par for success academically. Use Flex Time if need be a visit teachers if your grades are below your expectations.
Speaking of Flex Time, your student leaders and I met this weekend, and we all know there are individuals who do not know their music 100%. If you are in that boat, its not too late. Talk to your captains and sign up for Flex Time in the band room to use the time to practice. Feel free to take drum pads, your instruments, or flags, and find a corner in the band room, or a practice room, or the stage if its open, and use the 33 minute window to make progress on notes you don't know. Rehearsals on Monday and Thursday are our times to put it all together, but to ensure that, use the time between rehearsals to learn the notes first. In a band our size, everyone must contribute equally to ensure success.
The student leaders and I had a very productive Saturday this weekend. We met and discussed the season and developed plans to continue our growth and success. In addition, the leadership team took 2 hours of their own time to clean, catalog, organize, and sort our Instrument Storage Room. The room looks incredible now, and we are all proud of their hard work. Please look around tomorrow, and ensure the room continues to look this neat and clean going forward.
These next two weeks are very busy, but at the same time they will also be extremely rewarding. If you have any questions on the activities coming up this week, please speak to your captains or feel free to ask.
Rehearsal - Monday/Thursday - 6-9
This week's goal is to get the entire show on the field and get us comfortable with our performance going into this weekend. Flexibility and focus are the two primary elements that will allow us to succeed.
Friday - Football - Away vs. Boiling Springs
Here is Friday's schedule:
3:15 - Rehearsal in the Band Room (outside the band room for Guard)
4:15 - Eat/Change/Load
- Student leaders have a checklist and will be assisting to ensure everything is packed
- Everyone MUST pack a dinner and eat it. Proper nutrition is vital
5:30 - Depart for Boiling Springs
6:00 - Arrive at Boiling Springs and unload
6:30 - In stands for pregame performance
7:00 - Game begins
8:00ish - Halftime Performance
9:00ish - Game ends
10:00 - ETA to Big Spring
Saturday - Opening Knight Competition - Hempfield HS
Saturday is our first competition. Here is our day of events
11:15 - Rehearsal in the Stadium
2:15 - Rehearsal ends, move to HS
2:30 - Eat/Change/Load
3:30 - Depart for Hempfield
4:30 - Arrive and Unload
5:00 - Warmup
6:50 - Depart for Gate
7:15 - Performance (3rd of 5 American Conference Bands)
9:30 - In seats for Hempfield and University of Delaware performances
10:15 - Awards
11:00 - Estimated Departure from Hempfield
MIDNIGHT - ETA to Big Spring
Competition days are very long days, but also very rewarding days. They require focus and endurance, but they can also be extremely rewarding. The Band Boosters are providing lunch, which is Mac and Cheese, Hot Dogs, and sides, along with water. Saxes and Pit - we will take your order for your special lunch in the morning.
Please bring money for concessions and souvenirs at Hempfield. Support their band boosters like we would want other bands to support ours!
For those who have never been to a competition, you are in for a very unique and rewarding experience. Ask any of the upperclassmen, and they will tell you this is a great part of our season, and the staff and leadership is excited to see this part of the season finally upon us. If you have questions about the day or what to expect, ask any of your student leaders.
Bulldog Band Brawl - 9/24
We are less than 2 weeks away from our annual competition, and I'm thrilled at how things are progressing for the show. We currently have 60+ volunteers scheduled for the day, including parents, family, alumni, and friends of the band. We are still in need of over 20 additional volunteers, and the primary area is our concession stand. For anyone who has not visited the stand, it is a major upgrade from the past, but it is also a major undertaking. Thank you to the many who have already volunteered. If you have not done so yet, please visit our signup form here: http://signup.com/go/9j3XDh To make this show the success it will be, we need EVERY family to be involved. If you have not already volunteered, members of the Band Boosters will be in touch this coming week. This is a huge fundraiser of run, but to do so, all must be involved.
In addition, thanks to those who volunteered to head up the various committees and areas within the show. There will be a Brawl meeting at 5:30 on Thursday evening in the stadium. If you are able to attend, we will be doing a walkthrough of the evening of the Brawl and what to expect and plan for. Thank you Denny Mooney for helping to arrange all of this!
Housekeeping Items
I have several other items to address. I know this past week we had a lot of heat and humidity, and it was obvious it was affecting our ability to rehearse properly. Regardless of the weather, it is absolutely vital that all members continue to stay properly hydrated and eat a well-balanced meal before rehearsals. Failing to do so has resulted in several people feeling sick. Your health and well-being is important, and our activity can be very taxing if we do not take care of ourselves.
In addition to our physical well-being, our academic well-being is very important too. This was the first week that the eligibility report was run, and three weeks in, I've already spoken to a few people who have a class reported on the list as below 60%. We need to ensure this does not become an on-going problem. School district policy states that 2 failing grades will result in loss of eligibility for extracurricular activities such as marching band or indoor colorguard. We do not have a bench of folks to fill holes due to ineligibility, so please ensure your grades are on par for success academically. Use Flex Time if need be a visit teachers if your grades are below your expectations.
Speaking of Flex Time, your student leaders and I met this weekend, and we all know there are individuals who do not know their music 100%. If you are in that boat, its not too late. Talk to your captains and sign up for Flex Time in the band room to use the time to practice. Feel free to take drum pads, your instruments, or flags, and find a corner in the band room, or a practice room, or the stage if its open, and use the 33 minute window to make progress on notes you don't know. Rehearsals on Monday and Thursday are our times to put it all together, but to ensure that, use the time between rehearsals to learn the notes first. In a band our size, everyone must contribute equally to ensure success.
The student leaders and I had a very productive Saturday this weekend. We met and discussed the season and developed plans to continue our growth and success. In addition, the leadership team took 2 hours of their own time to clean, catalog, organize, and sort our Instrument Storage Room. The room looks incredible now, and we are all proud of their hard work. Please look around tomorrow, and ensure the room continues to look this neat and clean going forward.
These next two weeks are very busy, but at the same time they will also be extremely rewarding. If you have any questions on the activities coming up this week, please speak to your captains or feel free to ask.
RSS Feed