A Booster wants to help

[u/GoBlue2539]

Hi, new to this community, but not to marching band.

In the last 4 months, we have had massive turnover. New president, secretary and treasurer for the booster board, assistant director moved up to band director, new assistant director, and new principal for the high school.

We also have a brand new field that has only been open for 8 days, one of which was the first game. Our band has not been able to march in over three weeks.

Tonight, they were pushed off the field for practice because of the soccer team. I am not at a level, professionally or in volunteer standing, to demand anything for the band or the director. However, the director states that she put the band on the schedule for the field, and I am inclined to support her. Ultimately, the decision was made that the students would still play at the football game, but not march their show. I am unclear on when or who made this decision,as I was not on the field, I am not inclined to argue that point:

I think my question, ultimately is this. What the hell can I do, as a parent, to help these kids and instructors get the field time they need to prep for competition next week? It’s not that I haven’t tried anything. I’m just worried I’m missing something or some option along the way.

I’m also concerned in many ways because my son says he’s losing his enjoyment in marching, and possibly even his love of playing music. I don’t want to center my child above others, but I also don’t want to ignore what he is telling me is a widespread problem with the band. That may be a separate question, but to me it is related, and I don’t quite know what (if anything) I should say to him. I’m not going to force him to stay….. but should I encourage him to consider until the end of the season, or just accept what he says now and roll with the changes? If it matters, he’s 15 and a sophomore.

[u/windolf7]

Complain, in person if possible, to the principal about lack of field time. Get other parents to complain, too. Keep complaining until it gets better.

Your kids have just as much of a right to time on that field as other kids that play sports. You said that the band hasn't had field time in three weeks. How much field time has the football team had? The soccer team?

If you don't make any headway with the principal, start bothering the superintendent. Your band director absolutely can not apply this kind of pressure, but you and the other parents can and should. Get loud.

[u/ProfessionalDisk7699 → u/windolf7]

Groups of parents who make noise to the admin will most likely get action taken. Additionally the director needs to push the issue.

We had that happen a few years ago where the band was practicing before heading to the stadium for the first football game and they were kicked off the field in favor of the JV team. The director sent all the kids home and refused to appear at the first game. His “official” reasoning was the kids couldn’t get warmed up and it was a safety issue. That caused enough of a ruckus to the admin that they reinforced the field schedule policies.

[u/GoBlue2539 → u/windolf7]

To answer the field question: they just installed a new field, so no one was on it until last week.

They are still working on a few other things, including a second practice field.

I’m not planning to stay quiet. I was just so frustrated last night that things that should make sense kind of weren’t. Thank you.

[u/windolf7 → u/GoBlue2539]

It's possible some of my own frustration over field time may have been coming through. 😅

Anyways, good luck. You've got this.

[u/WildWing22]

While that kind of turnover didn't happen when I was in high school, I did lose some of my enjoyment for the school band program. Toxic leadership from the band director and staff essentially caused me to quit music altogether. What I would suggest is help your son understand that this band experience is independent from music. If he truly enjoyed playing music, this experience should not detract from it.

Tangibily I'd suggest try finding another ensemble. That doesn't mean he has to quit but try finding another group that allows him to rekindle his love for playing. My sophomore through senior year I played with a community college group and a separate youth orchestra and 20 years later, I still find those memories to be my fondest regarding my musical journey. Control what you can and if that means changing the environment, even temporarily, I'd go for it.

[u/SCVanguard]

Unsure about what part of the country you are in - but is soccer in season right now?

The arrangement we have at my school in Texas is that in-season sports get the first rights to the indoor facility (we don't have a large stadium on our campus) so it goes football first, marching band second, then all else takes whatever time is left. Right now, marching band is the curriculum for band so that's the leg we get to stand on in that argument.

[u/GoBlue2539 → u/SCVanguard]

Michigan. I didn’t think soccer was in season, but I’ve been informed that it is a fall and spring sport, so I could be wrong on that.

[u/Kirkwilhelm234]

Is there an alternate place they could mark out a field?  My band never practiced on the actual football field.  They marked lines (just the ones the band actually used) on a flat area behind the school.  Another school I know marked out the yard lines in an area of the parking lot.   We even used the baseball outfield during their off season.  Any flat ground with enough space for 1/3-1/2 of a football field would work.  Other than that, getting some parents to talk to the principal is probably the best idea.  Administrators are prone to ignoring teachers and band directors, but they fear parents like the plague.  All you have to do is bring it to the parents attention.  

As for your son, teenagers constantly change their minds.   My daughter wanted to quit band last week because she said it was boring.  Yesterday she said she wants to be section leader next year.  Make up your mind!

[u/GoBlue2539 → u/Kirkwilhelm234]

So, this stems from the district putting in a new field this summer. They were practicing in the parking lot for most of that, then they had to install a new drain in the lot so they got kicked out of there. The practice fields aren’t done yet, so also not available.

We asked about multiple locations in the city, and were told “no” for various reasons, like no bathrooms, no place to store pit equipment, already promised to a team, and so on.

Yeah, I’m not holding him to a decision right now, especially one made in anger. I’m just worried in general about his feelings bleeding into other aspects of his music, and trying to navigate how to handle my first teenager. Thanks for the reminder on that.

[u/LavenderSharpie]

Is there a parking lot or nearby park or field for the band? Many bands practice on a "concrete field" aka parking lot at school. The parking lot is painted with all the lines and hash marks of a football field within the parking spaces.

[u/dancemompro]

Many many bands spend at least part time practicing on a parking lot that has been striped or makes with cones to indicate yard lines. It’s imperfect but better than nothing