We put a short pause on competition this weekend and enjoy a fall break Monday and Tuesday. We do have an important football game Friday night against Hartselle HS. The best two teams in our region go head to head and should prove to be an enjoyable game. It is a home game, meaning 5:30 call time as usual. We will be performing Through It All full bore as usual.
Our top focus of our program right now is preparing to host our very own contest, the Tennessee Valley Invitational Marching Competition, or TVIMC. This will be the 29th year for the contest and we have a fantastic reputation for being the most hospitable and best run contest anywhere. You don’t have to attend many contests to realize just how well we do things. After 29 years of planning, we understand what needs to be done to help all the band programs have the best competition experience they can have.
If you are reading this message, we need you next Saturday to man a post of some kind. There are so many things you can do to help! If you are unsure where to help, we have our next booster meeting Tuesday night of next week. You can also reach out to Kristi Clark and ask where you can be plugged in.
I want to let you know a little more about the contest:
Our contest can be though out as THREE sections/areas: 1)High school area where registration is, where bus/truck parking is and where arm up, dressing rooms and bus driver hospitality is. This area is also a hub for band dads who will work at barricades helping traffic flow. 2) Stadium area is where gate workers will be, where the trophy table area will be, where concession stands will be and the middle school library is the band director hospitality room and steak dinner area. 3) The press box area where judging takes place, announcements for contest, tabulation and recording, and a small judges hospitality.
Each band director will be placed in an area to oversee the big picture. Band students through the first and middle part of the day will work the contest, but will be pulled around 6:30pm to get into uniform and perform their show. This is when we need all hands on deck for parents. We have some alumni students and parents who always come back and help us…….but parents this is ultimately our responsibility to make it happen. We have the opportunity to bring in $30,000 on this largest fundraiser of the season for the boosters. This fundraiser ultimately pays for the transportation of our students through the entire year.
Please come to our booster meeting next Tuesday and get plugged in. I hope not to have to do an emergency all call for help next week because we don’t have enough people. Please help.
Jon Wright, our pit dad coordinator is looking for 12’trailers and possibly 4 wheelers and golf carts to help us out that day. Please let me know if you have one and I will get you his contact information.
Tonight, all the committee heads will meet about TVI and make sure we have our plan together. We will work very hard to get everything prepared so you simply show up and do your part and go home.
TO THE STUDENTS: We need to make sure that over the next two weeks we do not lose our drive to improve. After listening to our tapes from last weekend, I hope we realize the improvements that need to be made. We have less than a month left of competitive marching band and let’s not waste a moment. We have much rain in the next two days, but it’s obvious we need to make music improvements.
As I mentioned to you yesterday, I was very proud of how you handled yourselves Saturday. You showed class and perseverance during an adverse situation. Job well done.
I was also extremely impressed with our parents on all ends of the spectrum. Friday night our band moms were so good with the waters and helping our students in the stands.
GO TROJANS!
