e-News Update – Football Game and Bourbon County Competition

Friday Football Game Itinerary

Bourbon County Contest Itinerary

Contest Information

September 12, 2015     Contest begins at 1:00pm

Cost of tickets is $10 for Prelims and Finals

BAND MEMBERS — It is very important to check and double-check the items in your Red Bag prior to every performance! Make certain all required items are present, clean. This is important information to remember prior to every football game and competition!

Parents and Students — Carefully review these instructions:

• Bring money for gloves if needed. – $6.00 or $5.00
• Clean and polish shoes
• Have your band camp shirt to wear under your uniform.
• Wear long white socks – plain, no stripes! (It’s good just to keep an extra pair of socks in your bag)
• Bring the white shorts provided to you.
• Wipes & deodorant in your bag
• If there is a problem with your uniform, see a member of the uniform team.
• We always appear in public dressed in full uniform unless Mr. Smith or Mr. Bishop have informed the students otherwise.

 Hair should not touch the collar when dressed in uniform, therefore, students with longer hair should bring items to secure their hair in a ponytail or purchase a wig cap.  Wig caps can be purchased from the Uniform Crew for $1 for a package of 2 caps.

Have class – YOU are the “PRIDE OF THE BLUEGRASS”!
Always support other performing groups! Refuse to say anything negative, no matter what might be said to you.

Lafayette Band Competition Etiquette

·         Have good manners!  Recognize and support the efforts of other students, band families and schools!  Remember you are representing the Lafayette “Pride of the Bluegrass” tradition! 

·         Don’t talk or enter/exit the stands during performances.

·         Silence cell phones.

·         Choose words wisely when speaking about other bands. 

·         Be cautious about comments made on social media outlets (i.e., Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, band blogs, etc.). 

·         Always applaud a band’s performance.  Students will appreciate our support and recognition of their efforts. 

·         The Lafayette “flag in the stands” tradition continues.  Distribution will occur just before Lafayette performs.  Please do not raise your flag until the band that performs before us has completely exited the field.   After the performance begins, lower your flag so that everyone can see the show. When the performance ends, raise your flag until Lafayette leaves the field.  Please return flags to Carole Howell, including the new ones for TOR, for distribution at the next competition.

·         Please refrain from yelling a specific student’s name when the band is set to perform.  This can be a distraction to your student and others.  They are prepared to deliver an excellent performance and this requires concentration.

·         When photographing or recording a performance, be careful not to block the view of the people seated around you.

Let’s represent Lafayette and ourselves by exhibiting good manners and respect for others.

What to Expect on Band Contest Days

Band Contest Days are LONG days with a lot of HARD WORK and a lot of FUN for everyone!  Below are some notes about Contest Days and what to expect:

Parents and students should not plan to visit each other during the day.  Students are focused on practice and performance. They will be dropped off early in the morning at school for practice and picked up very late at night at the school. All parents are invited to cheer together in the Lafayette section of the stands at contests.  Just look for the blue, white, and red colors and flags!  Plan to arrive early for prelims, take a break for dinner, and then return for finals. 

Students should try to get a good night’s sleep and eat a good breakfast. Sleep might be difficult when Gattitown nights are planned after Friday night football games, but try to get to sleep as soon as possible.  Students might practice in sun, heat, cold or rain and they will be marching from early in the morning until very late at night.

Students should have appropriate attire and a well-packed red bag.  Students should wear the provided blue t-shirt and white shorts to be ready for uniform changes following morning practice.  Red bags should be packed according to the Uniform Crew reminders in the weekly e-News.  Remember to bring white marching shoes and money for gloves, if needed.  Some students pack snacks, blankets, and warmer clothes for the bus ride back to school at night.

Students are fed throughout the day. The Food Crew takes excellent care of the students. They will be provided with snacks, meals, and several water breaks.  The students will not be hungry on competition days.  This is a benefit of our fundraising!

Itineraries of each contest will be posted on e-News. Our band is usually honored to compete two times at each contest – a preliminary performance and a finals performance.  Prelim performance times are published but evening performance times for finalists are determined the day of the contest.  We hope to be in the finals at each contest but it is never a guarantee.

Parents, families, and students should dress for the weather. Kentucky weather changes drastically over the course of our marching season. Watch weather forecasts the night before and pack a bag as needed – sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, rain ponchos, cushioned seats, blankets and hand warmers.  If you are attending the contest, bring cash for entry fees and concessions.