Well next week is playoff time. At one school here they cut the show in half. If they are still playing at Thanksgiving the band is not required to show up. One year the band was not there at all. Last year that Friday after Thanksgiving only 40% of the band showed up. They made a little semi-circle and played some music.

So how should the playoffs be done by a good band? What does your band do?

What many folks don't understand is that band is a year round sport. There is no "off season" for band. That being said it is difficult for the public and fans to understand that there are some competitions for band members in late November/early December. Sometimes kids are involved in other activities, too! Anyway, each school is different when it comes to playoff games. I know that one time I went with all of our top/best players for a competition that they had been working on since late July. What was left was about 40% of the band. So the head director was at the game with the kids with a very simple halftime show. Hope this helps!

Isn't it the duty of the band to march at all football games?

In my opinion, absolutely. If I were to have my own band (which I hope to one of these days) we would be at every game to support our team. Holiday or not. If we don't do our part to support athletic events, we, as musicians, can't expect them to be supportive of us. I understand that people go out of town for Thanksgiving. I think that as long as I was informed ahead of time, I would be pretty forgiving. Family always comes first.

As for the halftime show, I think I would probably keep with the same show that the band has been doing. A performance is a performance, and probably more people will see what you do at playoff games than any other game all season, so dropping to subpar performance just to make it easier is just ridiculous. With that said, marching contests are over, and the team is doing well...so for the band students, it's time to have fun. My band will do whatever we can to support the team. Good stand tunes can do a lot to help that! Man, I can't wait!

It is most certainly NOT the duty of the band to go to all football games. It happens to coincide with marching season. At the end of football season band kids are doing things for THEIR benefit and education, not some athletic team. Band exists for the education of its' members, not just to support other groups. Thats what cheerleaders are for. Why don't you ask "Isn't it the duty of the football team to go to all band concerts?"

Because the football team and coaches wouldn't be there. I jokingly texted a friend of mine at contest the other day that I was in the press box, looking at the crowd below, and didn't see one football coach from our school supporting the band. ***With that said, those coaches do work every weekend and weeknight and spend very little time with their families until May - sounds a lot like band directors and their spouses!***

Many bands will reduce their shows to portions of the contest drill simply because by this time everyone is sick of the drill and marching. Because so many are now beginning to work on all-region (which is the first weekend in December for most regions) and solo and ensemble, which seems to come earlier and earlier every year, plus Christmas music for concerts and parades, it is unrealistic to believe that band directors and their students are going to want to spend a lot of time outside working on new drills. Many will add the school letters and the fight song just to spice things up.

You'd love to think that you'll be able to razzle dazzle the crowd, but once the ten weeks are over and the possibility of four to seven marching competitions, the band director and the band are ready for a change.

I have never been to a playoff game with West Rusk, but as far as we know, our whole band will be going to all of our playoff games. Now what we do at halftime; we cut our military drill in half, and go out into the middle of the field and do some kind of corps stuff. (kinda) and play some different songs... but that is what we are doing as far as i know, but who knows what mr. haffner has up his sleeve.

Then why should schools spend money on uniforms and such? Why should schools spend money on transporting the band to games. Just let the band perform on say Tuesday nights. They could do their shows for the parents and a handfule of others that would show up. Thing is the band gets publicity and gets to show its stuff because of the football program. The better the football program the bigger the crowd. Bands should not be able to enjoy the perks of marching some games then sluffing off when they choose to or when the going gets hard.

I have seen lots of coaches at the marching contests and read on this very web site about football teams going to watch their school's band at contests too. You are either in the band or not in the band........and part of being in the band is marching at all of the football games. Bands should plan on a 16 game marching season. If you don't want to march one week but then show up because the team made it to a game in Texas Stadium or some other cool venue.

Either do it all the time or none of the time.

Just because the coaches don't support the band doesn't mean it's okay to do the same to them. When it comes time to pull a player out of basketball practice for a sectional now and then, coaches are MUCH more likely to work with someone who has helped them out. Sometimes, you just have to be the bigger person and #### it up. Plus, if it's done right, it can be fun for everyone and that's what it's really all about when it comes to bands at football games, IMO.

Yeah, it's about education but there's a time and a place for that. There also has to be some time for fun and for many, games like this play big into that.

Ok.........think of this

Most football players probably started in band at one point and realized that it was not for them and kept with the football side of the house.

Now........

Alot of times......the band members started in football, but realized that they could not hack it, or they just didnt like the "athletic" part of it.............But they still love football.

So........

Before you think that band "has" to be there...........I think alot of band kids love to be there, watching the games, and supporting the team.

Football players will never be there at contests simply because they dont want to be there.

Who cares..........

Honestly, I think it's ridiculous to debate over whether or not a band should go to playoff games. Like it or not, games are part of the deal. Like you said, purplemonkey, most of the kids enjoy the games anyway. They're getting to see their peers play...for free, no less.

I am finding out that the situation to which I have been refering is about the band director and not the band members. The members want to go. The director however is ready to move on. This week alone they did not practice Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and the regular season is not over yet. I have a big problem with that.

CAPT - take this problem to your high school principal and superintendent. There may be events of which you are not aware. There are some band directors that shouldn't be ... just as there is in any career, field, job, etc. Yours seems to be an ongoing problem with one band director. See what the high school principal and sup have to say about the situation. They're the only ones who can do anything about it anyway. What I've learned in my hundred years of teaching is that there are always two sides to every story. Parents are quick to jump on the band wagon of believing the kids without ever going to the teacher and/or administrator to find out what is going on.

Bands do not have to be at every football game. Uniforms are purchased for contest, basically. Most bands and band directors are proud of the football teams and want to perform, but it is not a required objective. Playoffs are a blast, and I've always gone to games, whether my school was involved or not; however, at the ten schools my husband has been band director, most band members are ready to move on to concert season by the end of the regular season. Once the playoffs begin and marching contest is over, bands are stretched thin with all the other contests, parades, and concerts they are preparing. They want to be at the games - they are proud and excited - but they are also exhausted.

I don't know what schools you are referring to when you say that the coaches and players have shown up for marching contest. As I wrote, we've been at ten schools, and not one coach or player has ever come to marching contest (to watch and cheer on the band) unless they had a child/brother/sister/girlfriend/boyfriend/etc. in the band. It is rare, and those coaches and players should be commended, but - then again - maybe they should commend the band director and band members for playing at the games and cheering them on.

Oh, the life of a band director....

Like it or not, playoff games are a reality. Well, here's some more of that reality....

While you're finishing with your weekends that have been filled with football games and marching contests, your school's football team goes into the playoffs. Now, you are "on call" to whatever schedule the AD hands you. You have All-Region tryouts on Friday? Tough - you have a game. Someone else can take the kids to the game since you, the director, have to judge - I mean, geez - anyone can wave a baton. Oh, I'm sorry, did you say that your tryouts were for Saturday morning and most of the afternoon? Well then, you should have enough time to get to the game in Dallas or Corsicana or Ft. Worth or wherever by kickoff that night. Your kids can sleep on the bus.... If you aren't at the game - at the game on time - tired and out of sorts with the world - no one is going to know or care ... You are just expected to be there to support the team. That is your job after all!

You didn't play the right music or march a new drill, even though your kids are working on all-region (which is their personal "state" competition), Christmas parade, and Christmas concerts - also, you are passing out concert music and assigning students for solo and ensemble. You leave at the end of a game because you have a contest the next day. In fact, this is the fourth marching contest for your group. People complain, usually the same people who didn't even watch the halftime show that you thought was so clever and the kids had crammed to learn.

While many schools have between 10 to 20 or more coaches, there are usually 2 to 6 band directors to support the band program from grades 6 through 12. Your responsibilities don't just stop with high school students.

You arrange schedules, meals, transportation ... you juggle playoff games, students' work schedules, private lessons, rehearsals, competitions, parades, and concerts.

Then you find out every expense for these extra games has just come out of your budget - a budget already slashed - a budget in which you forgot about playoff games. Oh, gee, guess you can wait until next year for that bassoon or tuba or French horn....

And ... do you get a thank you? a medal? a signed football? for goodness sake?????

No, you get a .... (wish I could tell, but then I might get into trouble....)

And please understand I am so very proud of the football teams who win State - especially if I have anyone involved in the schools. I'm just commenting on the reality of the band director's life. There is no trophy - no medal - no ring - no pendant - no cake - no balloons. They are just expected to be there without a thank you or great job. It's just expected.

So while the coaches and players get their rings (which they deserve) and the coaches' wives get their pendants (which they deserve probably even more!) ... oh, and the cheerleaders and whoever else get theirs ... the band is working on area competition ... all-region clinics and concerts ... solo and ensemble ... concert and sightreading ... spring concerts .... Competitions in which you rarely find coaches, football players, cheerleaders, administrators ... no balloons and good luck wishes - no one cheering them on.

And yet ... band directors still do it. Every day ... every year.

Thank you and GREAT JOB!!!! (No balloons, but here's a flower!)