To Play or Not To Play - Part I

I started writing this today, and realized that it's really a multi-part entry. I'll start with the bare facts of what happened on Friday, and expand on the larger issues later.

So, for the umpteenth time in my career I find myself a little at odds with the football world. Not the football team per se... but with the general expectations surrounding band (in my case, a pep band) and football games. This is not an unusual thing for a band director - if you googled around you'll find more than a few forum and blog entries by frustrated band directors, students and parents lamenting the treatment of the band program by the football program and administration of their various schools. Fortunately, this time it isn't a matter of being mistreated - I actually have good relations with the NRHS football coach and admin. It's more of a situation that comes down to the CIF rules of conduct.

Basically the problem is this - certain factors at last Friday's football game gave rise to concern that the band has been playing at the "wrong" times. (The "wrong" times being anytime that either team is huddling up trying to figure out their plays, or when the ball is in motion... you know... pretty much most of the game.) Apparently, my kids have been generating more enthusiasm than usual, which resulted in a volume level that actually interfered with the game (as in - the other team was complaining.) I had coaches, the athletic director and even Principal Leto himself rush over to me several times during the night to tell me to stop the band from playing, lest our team suffer a penalty.

Now, this resulted in three reactions from me: 1) First and foremost, I was embarrassed and a little put off by the fact that I was being 'reprimanded' by my fellow staff members. To be fair - 'reprimanded' may be the wrong word. I sensed more panic than anger from the coaches as they didn't want to risk any sanctions from the referees - I can certainly empathize with that. Still I couldn't help but feel like a puppy who just got spanked for peeing on the carpet.

2) I was more than a little confused - basically I've been using the same strategy for timing pep songs for the last 12 years, and no one said anything about it before last night. I understand that it comes down to a matter of the CIF regulations. If that's true, then the only reason I've been getting away with it for 12 years is because no one bothered to complain. Last night, for whatever reason, was different. I was told later that it was kind of a pivotal game - and that whoever won was guaranteed to go to CIF play-offs. I can understand how that would put a coaching staff on edge.

3) The fact that the band was loud enough to disrupt the game means that we were kicking ass. Awesome.

Upon our return to the NRHS music rooms, I immediately fired off an 'apology' email to the football coach, the Athletics Director and Principal Leto, with a promise to get with the Athletic Director to go over the CIF regulations regarding band participation in league games. I already know what that is going to mean - significantly less playing time for the band during the games.

Now, in the long run, this is not an issue that I would go to war over. In fact, this time there really isn't anyone to go to war with, except maybe CIF - and that's a battle lost before the first shot is even fired. Regardless, The only real problem for me stems from the fact that I try to convince my students that the pep band gig is something that can be fun - something that can help build our own little sense of community. It makes my life so much easier when they enter into it with some kind of enthusiasm, rather than doing it because I'm hanging their band grade over their heads. But then, when I do manage to build that enthusiasm, they have a tendency to show up ready to play - and they want to play a lot. Limiting their playing time results in frustration, which can lead to the notion that maybe playing for a football game isn't really worth sacrificing their Friday nights after all.

It's a frustration that I don't know who to vent at - it isn't the coach's fault (he could care less whether or not the band, or anyone else for that matter, even shows up to the games - all he needs is a playing field and two teams locked in mortal combat.) It isn't the admin's fault. I suppose you could blame CIF, but really, is it unfair for an athletics body to pass a ruling preventing the obstruction of athletics teams from doing what their supposed to do?

So in a nutshell, the part that sucks for us is - we are expected to be at the games... just because that's what bands do. But then we're supposed to stay mostly out of the way, which makes for a boring and wasted Friday night. Perhaps I can get the NRHS Football Boosters to spring for some portable game systems and iPads.

(To be continued)