Lettering in band-to all opposed, read this.

• Nate

  I was going to tell you what page but I have it set to 50 posts per page so I figured it would be different for you.
• BuckCreek

  I do not understand the reasoning of the ones against letters for activities other than sports. Band is the single most time consuming extracurricular activity in high school. I have three daughters that were in the band when in school, they also played some sports. Band is a year round activity. Every school day has a practice session, after school sessions during football season and at various times during the school year to prepare for performances. Their band has performed in Florida and Chicago in recent years along with several other performances in the eastern part of Ohio. Three different Christmas parades along with Memorial day and various other performances and concerts. When the school year ends they get a few days off then start 4 hours per day for about 3 weeks or longer to teach the incoming freshmen the basics of marching and start preparing the music that will be used during the next marching season. They are given about 4 weeks off, but are expected to practice individually on the music. They will return for practice sessions for about 1 week then spend a week at Band Camp. These days are long and grueling, 8 hours on the field daily in all types of weather except lightning, and about 2 to 3 hours practicing music divided into sectionals(percussion, clarinets, tubas, trumpets etc.). They return from camp about 3 to 4 weeks before the first football game. The daily practices begin immediately and last until school starts. They also have a couple performances in the district and county before football. Several freshmen do not last until football season starts every year. A lot more work than many realize, also a lot more physical. This is a small school, about 750-775 total students in high school, with 150 members in the band this year. I have watched the stands empty out after half time at many home football games, and sometimes they perform post game shows and the opposing band stands on the edge of the field to watch them before they leave. These students take a lot of pride in what they do, and spend countless hours perfecting every move. I know of very few athletes that have the type of dedication and perseverance that these ladies and gentlemen have. I played sports in my youth and can find no reason that band should not be awarded a letter.
• redfalcon

  

  ^^^^^Thank you very much.
• BCSbunk

  BuckCreek wrote: I do not understand the reasoning of the ones against letters for activities other than sports. Band is the single most time consuming extracurricular activity in high school. I have three daughters that were in the band when in school, they also played some sports. Band is a year round activity. Every school day has a practice session, after school sessions during football season and at various times during the school year to prepare for performances. Their band has performed in Florida and Chicago in recent years along with several other performances in the eastern part of Ohio. Three different Christmas parades along with Memorial day and various other performances and concerts. When the school year ends they get a few days off then start 4 hours per day for about 3 weeks or longer to teach the incoming freshmen the basics of marching and start preparing the music that will be used during the next marching season. They are given about 4 weeks off, but are expected to practice individually on the music. They will return for practice sessions for about 1 week then spend a week at Band Camp. These days are long and grueling, 8 hours on the field daily in all types of weather except lightning, and about 2 to 3 hours practicing music divided into sectionals(percussion, clarinets, tubas, trumpets etc.). They return from camp about 3 to 4 weeks before the first football game. The daily practices begin immediately and last until school starts. They also have a couple performances in the district and county before football. Several freshmen do not last until football season starts every year. A lot more work than many realize, also a lot more physical. This is a small school, about 750-775 total students in high school, with 150 members in the band this year. I have watched the stands empty out after half time at many home football games, and sometimes they perform post game shows and the opposing band stands on the edge of the field to watch them before they leave. These students take a lot of pride in what they do, and spend countless hours perfecting every move. I know of very few athletes that have the type of dedication and perseverance that these ladies and gentlemen have. I played sports in my youth and can find no reason that band should not be awarded a letter.

  As I have also stated there is no REASON to not give band letters to add to their varsity jackets.
• pepperpot

  A little side note to this thread- a OSU band member from East Palestine, OH will be dotting the I today in the script OHIO. Kind of neat to read his band "history" in the Lisbon Morning Journal. GO BUCKS !!!
• BuckCreek

  Quite an honor for this East Palestine member of the OSU band. I hope the SCRIPT OHIO is shown on TV for the national audience to see. I will be watching and listening, as the person who dots the I is usually announced. I have always been a football fan, but have become quite a fan of the marching bands over the years of watching my daughters.
• redfalcon

  

  I didn't go to East Palestine, but my high school band director has been teaching up there for several years now, and that is pretty cool that one of her students get to dot the I. Very nice.
• Hammerin'Hank

  Can I blame soccer and the "soccer mom" mentality again on this thread?..... Another part of America has become wussified!
• TBone14

  

  salto wrote:

  TBone14 wrote: Ok..so my last post was in response to post that was soooo stupid whoever the hell posted it removed it. Talk about getting owned. Thanks for coming out with your majorette lettermen jacket...I hope twirling a baton gets your kid far in life.

  Not choosing sides, but I know a girl that received a scholorship and completed her degree at the University of Michigan. She was a majorette.

  Poor agrument of my part. There are actually a lot of scholorships and aid available to majorettes and band members.
  
  My point is this..to earn a varsity letter you should have to play a varsity sport. Band and choir are not varsity sports...sorry.
• BCSbunk

  TBone14 wrote:

  salto wrote:

  TBone14 wrote: Ok..so my last post was in response to post that was soooo stupid whoever the hell posted it removed it. Talk about getting owned. Thanks for coming out with your majorette lettermen jacket...I hope twirling a baton gets your kid far in life.

  Not choosing sides, but I know a girl that received a scholorship and completed her degree at the University of Michigan. She was a majorette.

  
  
  My point is this..to earn a varsity letter you should have to play a varsity sport. Band and choir are not varsity sports...sorry.

  Why? Please answer this question.
  
  Why is it wrong for X to adopt Y's reward system?
  
  You are assuming that varsity letters should only go to sports what is your reasoning behind this idea?
• killdeer

  

  Just saw Pickerington Central's band marching in the Tournement of Roses parade...certainly a huge honor, and undoubtedly the result of many hours of hard work and extracurricular effort on their part. Proudly representing their school. If that is a purpose in awarding a letter, I think that qualifies as much as any sport.
• Swamp Fox

  killdeer wrote: Just saw Pickerington Central's band marching in the Tournement of Roses parade...certainly a huge honor, and undoubtedly the result of many hours of hard work and extracurricular effort on their part. Proudly representing their school. If that is a purpose in awarding a letter, I think that qualifies as much as any sport.

  ^^^^^
  killdeer is absolutely right about this. I have a suspicion that not only did the members of this band work very hard every day to represent themselves and their school so well, but also worked very hard to help raise a lot of money to enable their band to afford the trip. Congratulations and great job Pickerington Central!!!!
• ksig489

  You have to decide if letters are for athletics or extra-curriculars. If they are for athletics, they only ATHLETES should get them (If cheerleading teams do not go to competitions and only cheer at events, they do not qualify). If they are for extra-curriculars, then EVERY single extra curricular gets them...band, choir, yearbook staff, modern history club, gamers club (which would be awesome to get a letter in NCAA 10), student council, hosting a foreign exchange student...the list goes on.
• Swamp Fox

  I don't think the "letter-mania" described by "Ksig489" would actually occur. When the ERA was being debated, the opponents used arguments that said if the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) was passed, it would lead to uni-sex bathrooms, men and women sleeping in the same fire house together when assigned to those 24 on 12 off schedules (no sexual reference intended). I think that as usual, we drag out the most exaggerated and unlikely results and set them up as the inevitable and go from there. I would hope that common sense may enter the picture somewhere.
• BCSbunk

  Swamp Fox wrote: I don't think the "letter-mania" described by "Ksig489" would actually occur. When the ERA was being debated, the opponents used arguments that said if the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) was passed, it would lead to uni-sex bathrooms, men and women sleeping in the same fire house together when assigned to those 24 on 12 off schedules (no sexual reference intended). I think that as usual, we drag out the most exaggerated and unlikely results and set them up as the inevitable and go from there. I would hope that common sense may enter the picture somewhere.

  Yes, commonly referred to as the slippery slope fallacy. Good post.
• I Wear Pants

  I don't care. Lettering in a sport was fun and all but who cares? It's a high school letter, I sure as hell wasn't worried about the band diluting my wrestling letter when I was in high school so why are we, out of school, even talking about it?