Welcome to the section of our website dedicated to providing all parents, fans, and students with all the information they need concerning each Madison Central Band Competition.

If you have been in the band, or  have had students in the band, you may already understand the effort necessary to compete on any given contest day. If you are new, please check this section carefully to make sure your contest participation, either as a parent or a student, is supportive of the goals of the entire group!  In that the band is spread out over so many different classes and rehearsals, this page will be the only comprehensive source for detailed maps, directions, line-ups, itineraries, and scores-everything you need to participate in, and follow, the Madison Central Band!

The Contest Day for Students and Parents!

The Madison Central Band typically goes to four or five regional marching band contests each year, in September and October. Toward the end of October, the band will go to  KMEA AAAAA East Quarterfinals, and if it qualifies, AAAAA Semi Finals and Finals.  The band is a very large organization and can be compared to a small army.  Detailed planning and thought go the travel plans for each competition Day.

First, Students will be given a detailed Itinerary of how the day will unfold. This itinerary is usually planned to the minute, since all contests have a carefully maintained schedule that must be met. You will always be able to find this itineraries under the "Contest Information" section of the website and there will always be an itinerary that can be printed out for each contest up to two weeks in advance.

Ideally, high school students are able to take responsibility for their own actions, parents must help the students prepare for a successful competitive experience. Parents are encouraged to ensure that the student gets a good night's sleep, wakes up in plenty of time to make the morning rehearsal without rushing, and eats a good, nutritious breakfast of whole wheat, protein, and fruits. Students have worked extremely hard to prepare for the actual contest day and are in some cases, understandably nervous. It is my hope that you will use this as bonding time with your child by giving her/him a warm hug and lots of verbal encouragement!

The student must  bring the following on each competition day: black socks, marching shoes, white gloves, appropriate show shirt, and black and white T-shirts and appropriate meals and snacks. Your child is highly encouraged to arrive at least thirty minutes to the start of each rehearsal. At Madison Central, the location for the day's rehearsal will be posted on the board.  Depending on weather and availability, we will generally rehearse on the football field, C lot, or even the gym or cafeteria. Morning rehearsals the day of contests usually run about two hours, although occasionally at early season contests, we squeeze in an all day practice session to finish learning the drill and guard work.  Parents may be volunteer for, or be assigned to various jobs that have to be completed before the band can leave for the competition. After the morning rehearsal,  students are given an hour to an hour and a half to eat, relax, and load her/his equipment on the bus. EACH STUDENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE HIS OR HER INSTRUMENT AND ALL NECESSARY EQUIPMENT GETS LOADED ON THE BUS!  Most contests are an hour to a couple of hours away, if an instrument or accessory is left at Central, we just have to do without that instrument.  Students must all use this time to double check all of their uniform gear. Students in the Color Guard are expected to use the break between rehearsal and travel to  fix their make-up and hair.  Unless announced otherwise, each student is expected to provide his or her own meal. Students are NOT allowed to leave campus although you may bring a meal to them.

As soon as the meal is over,  and the equipment trucks are loaded, students load busses for travel. Generally, percussion students all ride the same bus and guard students ride the same bus.  Wind students may sign up for any bus they wish, however students may NOT switch busses after they sign up for a bus. The band director reserves the right to make final bus decisions on the basis of crowding and student behavior. Each bus will have a permanent chaperone that is responsible for taking roll.  On the trip to the competition, students are expected to have fun, but be respectful of each other and the adults on the bus. No  yelling, screaming, or load music is allowed. Students are also subject to all Madison County Bus rules, including not standing up while the bus is in motion, not turning around in his/her seat, and keeping all body parts inside the bus.

Upon arrival at the competition or host school, students will be expected to fall out in an orderly manner. Procedures for each contest will vary slightly, but generally, after a restroom break, the staff will meet with them or even do some light fundamentals.  Students will then line up and be given their uniforms, go inside the school, change, come back to the staging area, and give their street clothes to the uniform moms. This is generally the time when the band parents unload the equipment, assemble the props, set up the food tent,  and the uniform carts.  Students will  put on gantlets, proceed to the instrument area, get their instruments, and line up for the warm-up arc.  ABSOLUTELY NO INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP PLAYING OR  WARMING-UP is allowed in the uniform or instrument areas.  THIS APPLIES TO ALL WINDS AND PERCUSSION. Only after we enter the designated warm up area is any individual or group of students allowed to play.  After a brief warm-up, students once again line-up behind the field commanders and proceed to the competition site.  The band will almost always enter the football field from the left as you are watching the contest from the home side. A few select and volunteer parents, "the pit dads-(although moms are just as welcome)", will begin setting up the podiums, electronics, and front sideline equipment. The band will march on, play the show, and depart from the  right side of the competition field, while the parents in the pit disassemble all the sideline equipment and move it out of the pit area. If the contest is a prelims and finals event, the boosters will feed the band at the conclusion of the awards. Since Madison Central is a AAAAA School, we usually perform right before the awards.  If the contest is a one time performance, the boosters will generally feed the band upon completion of the awards ceremony.

If Madison Central is fortunate enough to win the entire contest, (Grand Champion) most often we elect to stay and play an encore performance. An encore performance is simply another-run through of the show.  After the awards, or the awards and encore, students are encouraged to change back into their street clothes, while parents put out a spread of snacks and drinks. The pit dads and moms begin loading equipment immediately. Upon the immediate conclusion of loading the truck and the busses, the band heads home to Madison Central. Upon arriving at Madison Central, ALL STUDENTS and PARENTS must help unload the equipment and uniform truck, and no student is allowed to go home until everything is unloaded. Students must also take great care to make sure each bus is clean before unloading.

This year, we will be trying something new.  The students will rehearse in the morning block in khaki shorts, black socks, tennis shoes, and a plain white t-shirt (winds) or a plain black t-shirt (percussion and guard). During lunch, students will put on the show shirt, and wear this shirt to the contest. Upon unloading the busses at any contest, students are expected to look very nice and well groomed, and all shirts MUST be tucked in.

 

All parents and volunteers must read the following information!

Welcome to another year of competition, fun, and magical music making. These notes are prepared primarily for anyone who has not attended a band competition before. Our Tournament of Bands was a competition, but it's an entirely different perspective when we have to go elsewhere to compete. The primary things to remember are to be respectful to all bands, and expect to pay something since this is a fundraiser for the host band.

Where help is needed: We always need more help, although we are not busy the entire day. Please pick a group that you are interested in and stay with them for the day. We tend to do a lot of "on the job" training, so be observant your first time out and help where you can. Once you see what needs to be done, then you can be more helpful the next show.

Chaperones: In general, we need 1 chaperone per 10 students who ride the buses and help keep track of the students. In general, chaperones will receive free admission to the show. Usually when the band begins to warm-up, then they are free to go watch the show or help elsewhere.

Food and Drinks: This group is responsible for preparing and serving any meals or snacks. Sometimes they may leave for the competition early to be ready when the students arrive. This will be led by Steve and Carolyn Fish. When meals are served, we need to let all students eat first to be sure there is enough food for all of them. After the students are served, then any extra will be served to the volunteer workers. No guarantees, but generally there is enough for all volunteers. There is also a cooler with drinks designated for volunteers. There will also be concessions available at the stadium. If you do not volunteer to help, then you should NOT expect to get a free meal.

Uniforms: This is the group who will load the uniform carts at the school, and assist all students with getting into their uniforms, and hair and makeup, where appropriate. They will also verify that all uniforms are returned and hung properly when the competition is done.

Pit Crew: This is the group of men (and some women) who will load and unload the equipment trucks, and assist the band with moving the podiums and other pit equipment on and off the field. Generally, there is no charge to enter the field with the pit crew, but you cannot sit in the bleachers, so the view is limited.

Nurse: This is the person who follows the band with the medical bag in case of illness or injury. Mainly needed immediately after the band's performance, so should enter field with pit crew and follow band to end zone once performance is complete.

What to Bring: Directions! Many people will follow the truck or buses, but you may lose them at some point. Go to the website and print some directions to know the route. Wear your show shirt. This will help to support our band and make our group more noticeable in the stands. The bleachers tend to be hard and cold. Bring a cushion if you have one. There are generally few places to sit where our band is located. A collapsible chair is a great thing to have when we are waiting for the next part of the show. It will be warm during the day, and possibly cool at night. Plan to bring a sweater or jacket. There is a possibility of rain this Saturday. Plan accordingly. When watching the show: Admission charges are generally $5-$8. This is a fundraiser similar to our TOB, so plan on having to pay. Be respectful of all bands. Be quiet during a performance and applaud at the end. Obey any crowd control personnel. No one should be walking through the bleachers when a band is performing. It's OK to cheer for our band before they start, please click here for an excellent discussion of band booster decorum and sportsmanship. The general rule is please treat everyone else's child as you would wish your own child to be treated.  Please do NOT yell out any students name. This could be a distraction when they need to concentrate. 

Other Notes: Unless you are driving a truck or have supplies, you will need to go to spectator parking. Space is usually limited around the schools and needed for the bands. There will be some walking required to get from parking to the band's location. If there is sufficient space, then you can move your car closer after the preliminary show. If we win, Mr. Barton generally likes to do an encore performance. All equipment and students will need to be brought back to the field for this. When we return to MCHS, it will be late, but all students need to stay until the trucks are unloaded. The more students that help with this, the sooner we will be done.

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Rick Gardner, Kyband.com

If this is your first year as a new band parent you may have many questions concerning expenses, time required, personal involvement and many other areas concerning a Band Parent/Band Booster Organization. This collection of frequently asked questions may help you understand what booster organizations and band directors would like for you to know as you get involved in this activity.

Why Should I Do This? The primary reason for the booster organization is to support your children. The music, showmanship, spectacle and pageantry of the marching band experience are also reasons that you may participate as a band booster. The friendships you will make and the enjoyment of participating in this activity are other benefits you will realize. But first and foremost, this is for your child and his/her classmates. What Can I Do? There are hundreds of things that you can do to be active as a booster. One of most important things you can do is to attend booster meetings. These meetings are where you should ask questions and voice your concerns and ideas about the organization's activities. This is where the decisions are made, and you should be part of that. Additional ways to help out are to volunteer to chaperone, participate in fund raisers, help out with band camp, or work on the “Pit Crew”. I Am New, Do They Really Need Me? Regardless of your occupation or area of experience there are many services you would be able to provide to a band program. The following is an incomplete list of occupations or professions that would be great assets to a band program: Accountants, Nurses, EMTs, Paramedics, Doctors, Welders, Equipment Operators, Electricians, Sound Technicians, Website Designers, Carpenters, Truck Drivers, Cooks, Metal Workers, Machinists. Another important thing to do as a new band parent is get involved right away; do not wait for someone to ask you to help. Many times a small nucleus of members do the majority of the work. There may be several reasons for this, but many times it is because they fear rejection from other parents, do not know who is willing to help, or are too busy getting things done to recruit new members. New band parents are like new band students because they are "not new by the end of the season". First year marchers are expected to learn their music and march their drill just like the seniors. First year band parents should do the same. Do not wait a year or two to get involved. The time will go by much too quickly. If you are an experienced member of the boosters, you should try to make other members feel welcome and needed. You may have to go outside your comfort level and introduce yourself to new members and make them feel like part of the team.

Why Are They Always Doing Fund Raisers? Tens of thousands of dollars are spent each season on fielding a marching band. Some programs will spend over $100,000.00 each year for their program. In most cases, the band boosters must generate this money. Several events will have to take place to raise the needed funds. Some of the expenses that a band may incur are: Uniforms, uniform cleaning, fuel, busses, bus drivers, food, drill design, music arrangements, band staff, lodging, band camp and school instrument repair. If you pay a band fee it probably pays only a small portion of all the expenses that a band has to pay during the year.

What About the Day of the Contest? Make sure you child is at school at their appointed time. Most directors send home an itinerary for each competition along with driving directions. Most directors and booster organizations have their own rules that must be abided by to make your day run smoothly for everyone involved. When your band is traveling to a competition, please remember to send the necessary items with your child so that they have everything they need to make their day complete. Send them with a pillow and blanket especially if they are traveling a long distance. Make sure your send them with the correct color of socks they need to wear with their uniforms, as well as a change of clothes just in case you have a rainy day competition. The student should have the appropriate equipment: reeds, sticks, band shoes. Students usually bring along some kind of snacks to share with each other along the way. (Be sure to check with your Band Director since some Director's don't allow eating and drinking on their buses). Give them some spending money should the Director decide along the way to stop for a snack, and to purchase food for themselves at the competitions if your booster organization does not provide for them after their performance. Send them on their way with a hug or kiss and make sure you wish all the best to the rest of the students to make sure that they know you will be there for support.

How do I watch bands? You should try to arrive at least an hour or two before your band is to perform. We feel that it's a great tribute to the other schools to know that you support all bands at the event. Sometimes this isn't possible, but the Class A and Class AA Bands usually have the fewest people in the stands simply because some attendees only want to see their child perform. A great incentive for students to perform better is to have a responsive crowd in the stands. Be supportive of the hosting school by purchasing a program of the day's activities, which include the bands that are competing that day, in what order they'll be performing, and other information about their show. Proceeds from each competition are used by the host school band to fund their activities during their season. Check out the booths, food, and refreshment areas before finding a seat in the stands. This will avoid you having to crawl over people once the competition begins. Please be considerate of other bands by showing your support at the end of their performance. They have worked hard to prepare their show and appreciate your support. Please be respectful of all participants and spectators while you are in attendance. There is an article on contest etiquette available on the kyband.com website that you can share with your booster organizations or reprint in contest programs at http://kyband.com/extra/contest_etiquette.html Band students are to be commended for their tireless efforts to get a show prepared for a competition season. Whether or not your band receives what you conceive as a good or bad review by the judges, please be considerate of all the bands, and let them know that you support them no matter what the outcome is on any given day. A closing request: In closing, we would like to say that regardless of the capacity that you serve as a band parent, from an active booster president to cheering in the stands, that the choice to support your child is something you will not regret. If you are currently not a member of your local booster organization then we invite you to get involved. Please be assured that they want and need your help. If you are an active band parent/band booster, on behalf of your child and all band members, we would like to say thank you.