Good Weekend

This weekend went pretty well.  We spent all of Saturday at marching band, which can seem like a really long day if the kids aren't there to perform.  We had yet another football game during the early afternoon and then had to travel to Ridley HS for our first competition of the year that night.  I really can't stand having football games the day of shows, but the kids seem to be used to it and that's all that really matters.  I'm not the one who has to perform at night.

They had another substandard run at the football game (two weeks in a row...have to rectify that), but had a really solid run at the competition.  It started raining as soon as we entered the field and didn't stop the rest of the night.  Unfortunately, the circuit we compete in decided to go with digital voice recorders this year instead of tape recorders, so there was some fiddling around that had to be done before we went on and the kids ended up just standing there in the rain for a few minutes on the field in their opening set before everything got worked out.  Once they went on they had a good run.  We have some things that we have to fix and some attitudes that need to straighten out because they're adversely effecting the performances, but all in all it was a positive step.

Then, we sat around for 3 hours waiting for scores.  Ugh!  At least they had a good spread.  At most shows they have a hospitality room for band staffs and provide food and beverages while you listen to tapes (or digital recordings) and wait for the end of the show so you can talk to the judges.  My big thing is always getting a good meatball sandwich.  At every show I go to, I'm on the search for the meatballs and a nice roll.  I thank the band parents of the host school profusely when they have them, and when not I make a very kind suggestion that next year they consider having meatball sandwiches.  Of course, I still thank them for whatever they provide.

Ridley HS's show gets an A+ in my book...and why?  MEATBALL SANDWICHES!  Oh yeah.  And they were good.

Judges critique was productive for the most part, and we ended up clearly winning the show with a 70.75.  Again, it was a good first step, but all that means is that we're still 29.25 points away from our goal.  The kids have to rehearse with more energy and urgency.  They need to retain changes and fixes.  The staff needs to stay on point and keep the kids engaged in rehearsal.  It's difficult for everyone involved.  For the kids, it's hard enough to get them to focus for their hour and a half classes during the day (they have block scheduling)...now we're asking them to come in 2 nights a week and focus for 3 straight hours!  This, of course, is one of the benefits of being in marching band.  It teaches you focus and discipline...if you want to learn it.  If you don't, it really hurts the team.

The staff has worked all day, has dealt with real life nonsense all day...and now they have to come for little or no money and chase after kids all night who are mentally all over the place because of the reasons just mentioned.  It's rough for everyone, but that's what makes the activity so cool.  It's through these shared experiences of sucking it up, doing what needs to be done, and not complaining about it but relishing the opportunity to get better and seizing it...that bonds the members and staff together.  Marching band is the ultimate team sport.  There is no bench, everyone is a starter, and each coach is as important as the next.

So, this week will be interesting.  We have some major steps we need to take in order for this thing to turn out the way we want it to in November.  We have to put out the entire show this weekend, whether it looks good or not.  It has to be.  There are no logical stopping points between where we stopped this weekend and the end of the show.  The staff will have to be efficient in our use of time, and the kids are going to have to step up.  It's as simple as that.

My wife's parents visited yesterday.  That was nice.  I was extremely tired most of the day and didn't feel well at all, so I wasn't exactly the best company, but we went out to lunch, hit Lowes and Linvilla Orchards for a little while.  We watched some of the Eagles game as they thumped the Chiefs, watched some of the Phillies win over the Brewers, and even took in some of the NASCAR race in Dover.  They brought down our frozen wedding cake that we were supposed to eat on our 1st anniversary back on the 13th of September.  It's been frozen at their place out in central PA since the wedding, and we just haven't had the chance to go out and get it lately due to drum corps and whatnot.  It's thawing in the fridge now, and will taste great a couple of days from now.  I can't wait.  Our cake was phenomenal.