Guide for New Band Parents
(Good for older ones, too...)

Note: The St. Amant High School Band Directors were kind enough to allow us to modify their Guide and post it here. Thank you Mr. Joseph Nassar, Assistant Director of Bands St. Amant High School, St. Amant, LA and Designer of the St. Amant Web Site.

Topics included for quick reference are:

Band Camp
Helpful Hints That Will Save You Time, Gas and Grief
Inspection
Strange Things You May Hear People Say
Uniforms, Uniforms, Uniforms
You Know You're a Band Parent When....

Preface

This guide is the product of a group of new band parents who spent a large portion of our "rookie" year in various stages of confusion. In the many hours we spent together watching practices and performances, waiting to pick up our kids, and following yellow school buses, we asked hundreds of questions.

As novice band parents, of course we wanted to know what we should do. After all, the only people who were even more confused, and looking to us for answers, were our children. This booklet is our attempt to share with the "upcoming rookies" some of the answers to many of these questions before we too forget how it felt not knowing what was going on . . . (of course, we still don't have all the answers - second year band parents). We hope this booklet helps you in your "endeavors" during your child's rookie year.

Yes, your kids will get a workout. Be prepared for running laps and plenty of sweating.

Dress Comfortably - caps, sunglasses, sunscreen, comfortable tennis shoes (not high-tops, well broken-in - not new), shorts and t-shirts.

Bring water to drink! Mark your container.

Bring a towel (you'll need it!)

Make your child responsible for being prepared. The first time they forget something will be the last! They learn to be resourceful when they have to be.

At the end of each practice session there are usually announcements - listen up. This is your best opportunity to find out who, what, where and when things are going on.

Network - This is how we met each other. It is also one of the best ways to get helpful hints on band parenting from others.

Carpool to competitions. Be prepared to cheer! The band loves it when they have their own cheering section.

Keep all items (socks, shoes, gloves, etc.) in a bag. That way you won't spend time hunting for them each time they're needed.

Inspections are held before every performance. Students should be in place no later than the stated report time. In this instance, start time means students should be in line ready for inspection a few minutes early! Your students and their instrument (even the inside of the instrument) will be inspected as they stand at attention. Students should be sure to not have any jewelry (other than small stud earrings) or any facial make-up. Students who don't pass inspection will be required to run laps or something - all we know is that it is not a good thing.

"Rehearsal begins at 6:45am SHARP"

If you're early, you're on time, if you're on time, you're late. When you drop your child off at 6:30, there will be students already there, ready to play. At this point, the anxiety level for being late dramatically increases. This is when your child will be starting to sweat. Beware of traffic. Always allow extra time. There are no excuses.

"Where are your drill books?"

These are very detailed charts that students wear around their necks during band camp and at rehearsals that tell them exactly where they stand for different setups, like Opener 6. A good place to keep these is in the instrument case, which may save you one of those trips back home, and your child laps around the practice field.

"Where's my dot?" and "Do we line up on the hash?"

These terms indicate how the practice field is marked off. Students use their drill charts to answer these questions.

"The band received an Excellent rating"

Excellent is good, but not the best. Each band is striving for a Superior rating.

Play To The Box

This means that instruments should be directed toward the tower on the practice field where the powers-that-be live and flourish.

Practice field

The practice field is actually the stadium parking lot. There will often be a "run-through" at the end of practice. This is also a good location to gather, gain information and network.

All Dress Uniforms will be handed out prior to each game or performance.

The Dress Uniform consists of:

• Formal jacket
• Formal pants (just touching the top of shoes)
• Black Drill Master shoes
• Black socks
• We suggest having several pairs that are exactly alike. (Dryers love to eat socks)
• Hat  (Issued in a box that it travels in)
• "Umbro" type shorts to be worn under pants for group changes.
• Band T-shirt
• No jewelry, face paint, or odd hair accessories.

You make three more trips than expected to drop off you child with everything they need.

You can't pick your child out of the crowd because they all look alike.

You no longer speak of your child as a fourteen-year-old daughter/son, but as a "freshman trumpet."

You prominently display a band calendar in the kitchen, have band dates marked on the calendar in your purse, and/or have the Band Phone Number on your speed dial.

There's no such thing as a prior commitment.

You know that you will be wearing something black and gold every Friday night.

Traditional Cheers

It has come to my attention that it is important to publish these two cheers that have been used at marching band events and football games (same thing) for years. School colors, mascot, and cheers are important things that should be passed on from seniors to freshman. They give life to the school's history, pride, and reputation. The Colony High School has two cheers or cries that have become part of the band program.

Knock it out TC!

is the traditional battle cry for The Colony High School Marching Band. Reserved for Marching contests and exhibitions, it is used by individuals or by small groups of parents fans from the stand. The purpose is to let your band students know you are there for them. Imagine looking into stands filled with 10,000 people and you're out on the field, nervous, apprehensive, and you wonder if anyone cares. Then you hear "KNOCK IT OUT TC!" and you know it's going to be a good show. Historically this battle cry is saved until the band takes their first set on the marching field. It works best if it's shouted just as the drum majors finish their salute.

TC....... HS

is a cheer used by students and parents combined to celebrate at the end of a performance, or following the announcement of an award. TC is called out by high voices, HS by low voices is the response. The Hi/Lo cheer is repeated slowly at first and then faster so it resembles a steam engine. It ends in general cheering and applause. This cheer is also used to support the football team and would be great at soccer, basketball, volleyball and other team sports.

Club Bylaws (Out of Date; current ones to come sonn)

Bylaws for The Colony Band Booster Club, Inc. are now online. This version was approved in the May 2000 General Meeting by the members of this organization. Click here to view the 12 page document in a new window, one page at a time. (Yes, there are some typos that need to be fixed.)

University Interscholastic League

Did you know that the use of balloons by participants or spectators at UIL marching band contests is prohibited?

University Interscholastic League was created in 1909 by The University of Texas at Austin to provide leadership and guidance to public school debate and athletics teachers. Guidelines for athletic, academic, and music booster clubs can be found here. All parents, coaches, and teachers should be familiar with this organization since non-compliance with their rules can result in serious penalties and even disqualification for students, bands, teams, coaches, directors and teachers from UIL sponsored events and competitions.

These rules apply only to Texas clubs supporting schools participating in University Interscholastic League events but there is valuable information for any parent/teacher organization.

Here are some links that apply to bands.

POLICY AND ETHICS
GENERAL REGULATIONS
BOOSTER CLUB GUIDELINES