You can "make a policy change" like that all you want but it won't matter a hill of beans until the audition date, when you refuse to allow *that* kid to try out because they "don't have enough points" and their parent goes to the school board claiming unfairness - or worse.

I'm trying to save you that headache.

I allow anyone who wants to try out, and I require the student and their guardian to sign off on a form that is pretty clear that the leadership team is chosen *by me and my associate directors* with input from classroom teachers and administration. I check grades, attendance, and discipline records. I've never failed to have "enough" kids try out that my leadership positions were filled.

Of course, I don't do "section leaders" - sometimes you have a group of dormice masquerading as a clarinet section, and no one in that group can lead. And sometimes you have four or five really strong leaders in the saxophone section and it'd be unfair to just choose one. I have "squad leaders" that are each assigned a group of eight to ten students (or more, or less, depending upon enrollment, but ideally eight to ten) that they're responsible for teaching marching technique to.

As for playing and sectionals, with respect, I wouldn't trust even an All-State trumpet player to have the ability to diagnose pedagogical issues in a freshman for some reason struggling to play fourth line D. I use lesson teachers, my feeder middle school directors, band staff, and college techs to teach instrumental sectionals during summer band, and during the school year they're overseen by a staff member.

And no, I'm not a wealthy suburban program. I'm fairly urban, in fact. But I've built a consistent program of success here with these methods, and it's almost self-sustaining at this point.