The Yellow Board

Let me get this straight...

Posted by Huh? on 12/13/2020, 12:00 pm

If you were a military band you didn't have to go through Area or even the ranking procedure to move on to state. You just get a 1 and you're in.

But UIL thinks 1A has too many bands at state.

Why are military bands treated differently than the 1A?

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by why not on 12/14/2020, 7:13 am, in reply to "Let me get this straight... "

I am definitely NOT a give everyone a trophy person, nor will I ever be. That being said, why should we not have a serious discussion about creating more opportunity for our bands? Sports have created so many opportunities for teams. Just look at how excited your town gets when their 4th place team gets into the playoffs! T-shirts are made, pep rallies are had, send offs are happening. Why would the same not happen for bands? I just think that expansion in our process may not be a bad thing, or at least have a good look at it. Why would we not be willing to do something that big for our profession? Kids want competition. The more we give them, the more they will eat, and the more will want to order from that menu!!

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by Only Reason on 12/20/2020, 7:01 am, in reply to "Re: Let me get this straight... "

that football went to D1 and D2 along with 4 play-off teams is one........ Money. UIL receives a take from every play-off game in football.

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by BDSO on 12/14/2020, 6:37 pm, in reply to "Re: Let me get this straight... "

"Kids want recognition."

Fixed that for you. Kids don't necessarily want competition. They want to be recognized for their efforts and talents. That said, coaches have become masters at recognizing their players and teams. Music organizations and teachers on the other hand seem to want to find was to limit how many kids we recognize. We whine when we want to and state honor bands; we whine when we want to add marching competitions; we whine when people want to go back to an every year SMC. Why? Why do we want to limit the amount that we recognize our band students and programs? If you are going to whine about adding opportunities for your band kids then don't whine when your program doesn't get recognized as much as sports.

BTW, this is not directed at the person I am replying to; this is just a general statement.

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by YES! on 12/15/2020, 10:46 am, in reply to "Re: Let me get this straight... "

I've been saying this for a long time. I'm not blaming any generation in particular, but I hear a lot of laziness floating around. When the topic of SMC every year comes up, all I read and hear is "how much work" that is going to add. There was a post not too long ago about requesting extra pay for playoff games. Adults are nothing more than overgrown kids. As you stated, kids want recognition. For them, it is about what they get out of it. Sounds like its the same way for many directors..."If I have to go to playoff games, I want something out of it."

I guarantee that band directors a generation or two ago didn't have that frame of mind. I think of how many schools only had one director who did it all. I know the environment was different and parenting was different, but they didn't have time to complain. They got to work and got the job done.

Likewise, this is just a general statement.

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by I agree on 12/15/2020, 8:36 am, in reply to "Re: Let me get this straight... "

Our football team was 2-8 this year and won ONE district game and made the playoffs. They did the same exact thing last year, too. They got a big send off, there were playoff T-Shirts made, town made them feel like heroes, etc. For band, we had to wait until our "year" came up to go to Area marching contest. And, I constantly get to answer questions or hear statements about how "stupid" it is that bands don't get to advance every year like every other UIL activity. I feel at a lost to give them any type of logical explanation and quite frankly, I shouldn't really have to. The fact that I have to explain the philosophy behind this says it all. We really need to quit shooting ourselves and our programs in the foot.

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by 2A guy on 12/13/2020, 4:01 pm, in reply to "Let me get this straight... "

Why do we keep rehashing this? It's a pilot. It will be adjusted if participation leads to it. Hopefully, more schools will begin to participate and it will create a wonderful problem of having too many groups there. We all complain too much.

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by Huh? on 12/13/2020, 7:11 pm, in reply to "Re: Let me get this straight... "

How many bands you think will be meeting all the requirements to be in the military contest? How many bands will switch over? Military is kind of a finite number od bands in this state.

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by hmmmm on 12/13/2020, 6:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Let me get this straight... "

Hopefully, more schools will begin to participate and it will create a wonderful problem of having too many groups there.

Oh, you mean like the 1A's? Having a legitimate discussion about a concern is not complaining. Or should we all just stick our heads in the sand and shut up any time we want to raise a point?

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by 2A guy on 12/14/2020, 7:24 am, in reply to "Re: Let me get this straight... "

It just gets old to rehash the same thing over and over. 1A's (I was part of the fight for this) fought to gain their own contest. We won. The contest has grown and participation has increased. Now it needs to evolve. Military will do the same. The true legitimate gripe in 1A should be the 6man schools that have to march on different fields.

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by My solution on 12/14/2020, 9:01 am, in reply to "Re: Let me get this straight... "

Get rid of 6 man football.

Play seven on seven. It uses the standard field and teaches skills that relate better to real collegiate football. You're "preparing kids for the next level" that way.

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by Warhawk on 12/14/2020, 2:56 pm, in reply to "Re: Let me get this straight... "

Actually, 7-man and 8 man use the same size field as 6 man.

Re: Let me get this straight...

Posted by 2A guy on 12/14/2020, 2:17 pm, in reply to "Re: Let me get this straight... "

If you've taught 6man, then you know that they are not training for the "next level". Most communities just need the sport to rally behind.

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