When did halftime get hijacked?

[Stu]

1 minute ago, ibexpercussion said:

I just want halftime back to let my students perform in front of a much larger, and supportive, crowd than having to do it after the game, or not at all.

I promise you, it might take a while, but I promise you that if you teach your students that Friday night is about supporting the endeavors if the football program, that Saturday contest is where the focus on the band endeavors are at,  and if you work directly with the school admin, athletic department, and community on those aspects, you all, everyone, will eventually likely have a great and wonderful experience.

[Stu]

11 minutes ago, 84BDsop said:

A band at a music contest is not the same as the football team at home.   Telling the band "yeah...go do your marching thing" at a contest us NOT the same as giving them the time to perform in front of THEIR OWN STUDENT BODY at a football game.

So the student body and members of the school community are not invited to, and is forbidden to go see, the band at contest? Friday is a football contest where the student body and school commuity go to support the football team. Saturday is the band contest where the student body and Scholl community go to support the band.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Stu

[ibexpercussion]

7 minutes ago, Stu said:

I promise you, it might take a while, but I promise you that if you teach your students that Friday night is about supporting the endeavors if the football program, that Saturday contest is where the focus on the band endeavors are at,  and if you work directly with the school admin, athletic department, and community on those aspects, you all, everyone, will eventually likely have a great and wonderful experience.

We already do this part.  You can ask any student in our band what our job is Friday night, and they will say, "To support the football team." That's not the issue. The issue is the other parties involved that worship at the altar of the oblong gods, and want to hijack halftime from us.

[84BDsop]

29 minutes ago, Stu said:

So the student body and members of the school community are not invited to, and is forbidden to go see, the band at contest? Friday is a football contest where the student body and school commuity go to support the football team. Saturday is the band contest where the student body and Scholl community go to support the band.

That's the student body going to a remote event...I'M talking about the SCHOOL ITSELF giving the band a chance to show their stuff AT HOME.

Surely you canNOT be that obtuse.

[Stu]

8 minutes ago, ibexpercussion said:

We already do this part.  You can ask any student in our band what our job is Friday night, and they will say, "To support the football team." That's not the issue. The issue is the other parties involved that worship at the altar of the oblong gods, and want to hijack halftime from us.

Your show designs for halftime and information given to the band students to support the team are great!!!  But taking a few minutes at halftime one or two games a year for the athletic alumni or athletic department to honor former football players or some other football aspect on a Friday night at a football game is supporting the football program not hijacking the halftime. You still get the opportunity to do what you are supposed to do on a Friday night, which is perform musical support for the football team spirit. Halftime at a football game is actually designed to give the players some physical rest and for the community to design activities to engage in support for the team during that physical respet. Most if the time that halftime support is in the musical performance, but on occasion the halftime support is delivered in another manner. Again, that is not a hijack because it still supports the primary function of supporting the football program.

[Stu]

4 minutes ago, 84BDsop said:

That's the student body going to a remote event...I'M talking about the SCHOOL ITSELF giving the band a chance to show their stuff AT HOME.

Surely you canNOT be that obtuse.

Then create your own contest at your own school just like the home football games. Problem solved.

[HockeyDad]

57 minutes ago, 84BDsop said:

That's the student body going to a remote event...I'M talking about the SCHOOL ITSELF giving the band a chance to show their stuff AT HOME.

Surely you canNOT be that obtuse.

Unfortunately most of the student body would rather hear pep band stuff than your typical navel gazing band competition stuff that seems to be required today. 

Edited September 22, 2017 by HockeyDad

[Tim K]

My father was a season ticket holder of the Patriots long before the current glory days when they played at the old Schaefer Stadium (later named Sullivan then Foxboro). He knew I only went for halftime which often meant seeing 27th, North Star, or Boston Crusaders. We often left afterwards since the Patriots were often wholloped. So I enjoy a good halftime show.

At one time I was a chaplain for a Catholic high school which meant I had to be part of calendar planning and scheduling for the school. In theory , football is equal to the Math Club, but in reality high schools have pecking orders. The job of the adults is to make each activity get its due and allows each young person to grow. Trying to balance all the various interests in a high school setting is never easy. The folks who claim the band deserves its day and a wider audience are correct, so too are those who claim it's about the football team. The best approach is to see it as a community event, bring all the parties involved to the table, and plan accordingly. I would also suggest working closely with the athletic director. Ultimately what happens at any athletic event from the game, other activities, crowd control, behavior, concessions, usually happens at the discretion of the AD. If the AD sees the importance of the band and integrity of the program, you'll have an important ally. Remember, whether it's the football team, the cheerleaders, or the band, it's about highlighting the kids, all the kids. Football and music are the vehicles to show off the kids.

[Lead]

23 hours ago, Stu said:

I am not assuming what halftime is designed to be; it is for the support of the school spirit and entertainment of the football crowd, not a contest show run-through stage for the band. And all I am asking is if the halftime performances of the bands here support the school spirit and football crowd as opposed to presenting the contest show of the band?

OK whoa whoa.

So you're saying Band students and their hard work exist solely for the entertainment of the football crowd?

I'd argue - staunchly so - against that notion.

In fact - my Athletic Director, and all of my school administration KNOW - that while I am a HIGHLY enthusiastic supporter of school spirit around the building... the Band's presence at halftime of a football game is 100% a dress rehearsal atmosphere for our competition show. We come over and play the Anthem pregame, then we play the school song after the coin toss and after each score. At the end of the first quarter, we leave to go do our competition warmup routine. We perform our show at halftime. Our student section and crowd - by and large - stay and watch the Band during halftime and cheer for our kids. More often than not, a large portion of the crowd leave after the Band performs - so many at times that the AD has gotten letters asking if he can somehow 'require' the crowd to stay and watch Q3 and Q4. And we have a decent (+.500ish) football team.

After halftime, we clear the field and my kids go back to the school and change out of uniform, after all, we have our REAL performance the next day and the kids don't need to be the last ones out of the school. If the kids want to go back to the game and sit in the student section, more power to them and I support that 100%. Oftentimes I will head back to the bleachers and sit and watch the rest of the game. 

At basketball... the Band is ALWAYS present in full force - I make it a requirement for every student to be at games. We stay the whole game, and it is loud as hell in our gym. Teams HATE to come here because the Band is so into games. I love school spirit and I love my school.

I may be in a lucky situation, but at the same time, I have made it clear to everyone that my kids are given a Friday night showcase for THEIR hard work, talent, and dedication. They're going to go out and burn down their competition show. And we're going to be better at our real performance the next day because of it.

Why can't school spirit be... "Hey look, we have a freaking championship-calibur band!" At some places it is, and people are very proud of their competitive marching programs.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Lead

[Lead]

25 minutes ago, HockeyDad said:

Unfortunately most of the student body would rather hear pep band stuff than your typical navel gazing band competition stuff that seems to be required today. 

I disagree, and argue that nowadays - most of the student body is happy to support their friends in other activities. High School kids these days are a lot different than they were even 10-12 years ago.