Highlander Band Does Things Right
As you can see here, the Highlander Band faced the home stands when performing at Mesquite Memorial Stadium last night. I bring this up because I’m told the Poteet band faced the visitors’ stands during its performance at Highlander Stadium last week. Several parents were bent out of shape over this faux pas. One dad told me he went so far as to call the Poteet band director for an explanation. I’m sorry to say I’ve lost the piece of paper on which I wrote that dad’s name and phone number, so I’m hoping he’ll sound off in the comments.
About the band, Thank you for taking a break from starting drum practice (with that horrible electronic metronome) at 6:40 am. Our preschoolers Thank you as well.
Go band!
Why were the parents mad? Did they think the Mesquite band sucked or something or am I missing some silly band etiquette?
UPDAD, since this is only my second year having a “band kid” at Forney HS, I’m still learning the unwritten rules of the band performances…as I understand it, visiting bands play facing the home stands as a measure of respect to the home fans; also because when these routines are designed by their band directors, their point of view is from high in the press box so if you’re watching it from behind it’s not as pleasing to the eye. I got to sit with several wonderful HP Band parents when HP came to Forney a couple of weeks ago. So by Poteet playing their halftime routine facing their fans, some would take that as disrespecting the home crowd…some people care, some don’t. At marching competitions, bands will always face the home stands because that’s where the judges are and naturally if you are playing facing away from them, you will not be heard as well and scored apporpriately.
I’m more concerned about the 6:40 am drum corp noise. Lawn guys can’t fire up blowers, and construction crews can’t start that early either. Why is this different?
Parents really got this upset over this? Are you kidding me? This is ridiculous. They are high school kids for crying out loud. First world problem.
Thank you NSW, for raising the question. From what we (the affected neighborhood) understand from a terse response from the band director, the band is not prohibited from starting their practice at any particular time (as opposed to the 7am start time promulgated for construction crews by UP code). We, property owners and parents, are doing our best to “sell the sizzle” to our young ones of why the band is a good thing, but they are having hard time with being awakened every morning.
It always amazes me to hear people who chose to purchase homes NEXT to or NEAR the football stadium complain about noise. Bands all over Texas have to practice in the wee hours of the morning as the football team practices in the afternoon. HPHS Band has to be done with practice early enough so the kids can change and get to first period classes.
@ Druid, I’m a grown-up, and I’ve never understood the “sizzle” of the band. Why can’t the drum corp practice indoors? March with the band, but keep the drum noise to a minimum. @Why, just because you buy next to the stadium, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have rights as a property owner. The rest of us are protected from noise, why not these folks? I’m pretty sure when these neighbors purchased their home, no one told them of the drum noise either.
As long as I can remember in 30+ years of Texas HS football, the band always played to the home crowd. The exception was during playoffs at Texas Stadium some ‘visiting’ teams would play to their crowd which is understandable. What Poteet did was a lack of class and trying to stick it to HP anyway they could. It looks as if the band took a page out of the Poteet football playbook like in the 2nd half their team taking cheap shots and trying to rip off HP player’s helmets. I think Poteet is tired of losing to HP in football (I don’t believe they have ever won) and doing everything they can to get to HP.
This game was fraught with behavior that at a minimum is unorthodox, and at the most extreme, rude behavior by the Mesquite Poteet Band, as well as the football team.
Initially, I would point out that the decision to perform with their backs to the Home stands, which is the usual halftime performance etiquette, was made not by the MPHS students, but rather by their Band Director, presumably an adult. If you have attended any away games, you probably have noticed the rapid migration of HPHS band parents to the “Home” side right before half time, so that we can see our kids faces as they perform to the “Home” team crowd. It is common courtesy to perform to the Home stands.
Also common courtesy/standard practice is that the visiting team goes first – so both MPHS Band and dance team performed. (If I recall correctly, the dance squad from MPHS may have performed to the Home crowd, but there may be some one out there who may have a better memory than I.)
Then the Highlander Band performed their.
Closing the halftime performances were the Belles – where the behavior of the MPHS footbal team and consequently, the MPHS band goes from unconventional/annoying to what can truly be considered uncalled for/rude.
Halfway through their routine, the Belles lost their electronically music. But being the professionals that they are, they continued their routine to a home crowd standing and rooting them on.
Shockingly oblivious to the fact that there are 40+ girls still in the middle of the field performing their complicated military drill sans music to a cheering crowd, on run the MPHS Cheerleaders, Flags and football team!! OK – perhaps you could over look the ignorance of a football coach who lacks common courtesy.
BUT – as if that was not rude enough, the MPHS BAND – standing on the end zone line, staring straight at the Belles still performing without their music – PLAYS THEIR FIGHT SONG. Totally inexcusable – totally lacking in class, common courtesy, respect.
The Highlander Band, under the direction of a new director in his third marching season, has become an award winning band – with an award winning drum line and flag corps. They bust their butts to be there at 6:30 AM from August to November, not to mention some afternoons from 4-6.
Their hard work is demonstrated by their success in a recent very tough competition (4th out of 20 overall, behind 2 5A bands and 1 4A band (MPHS, if you can believe that =( ) Our Flag Corps won several awards – 2nd in Standing Flag Routine and Outstanging (1st Place) Flag Corps for their on-field performance with the band. The drum line place second recently in a highly competitive Lone Star Drum Line Competition in McKinney.
On Thursday the 17th, after a schedule change from Tuesday the 15th because of rain, the Highlander Band performed with perfection to the UIL judges for Region 20. They were awarded straight “I”s by all three judges (a perfect score, if you will) giving them what is known as a Sweepstakes Award and the honor of performing in the UIL Area competition on Saturday, October 26 at (where else but!!) Mesquite Memorial Stadium. Success at Area may provide them an opportunity to compete at the STATE competition.
After reporting for practice at 6:30 AM Thursday morning, they dressed – boarded the busses for UIL – performed – got back on the buses – ate a late lunch – returned to school – changed their under shirts – dressed – got back on the bus to travel to the away game – and didn’t arrive home until close to 11 PM. An amazingly long day.
These kids (and their staff) have worked REALLY hard to represent HPISD and our community with excellent musicianship, dignity and respect for their fellow bands. Perhaps MPHS Band should take a page from our playbook.
Can we chalk this up to a teachable moment for our perfectly behaved children and move on? Manifesto aside, I feel far more outrage for the poor folks who are woken up by the drum corp at 6:40 am.
If you live next to a football stadium there’s gonna be noise. Both early and late. And traffic too. You went to school. You know what goes on at a high school. You know what you’re buying. But look at the perk, you don’t have to find a parking spot for games or classes.
You folks with your “caveat emptor” statements are really missing the point about the stadium noise issue. Normally I’d be with you, because sure, you have to make your purchases with open eyes (and ears). But let’s be honest here: Of all the things I’d have considered as a rational, adult, good-faith purchaser of property near a football stadium, loud noise at 6:40 a.m. would never have occurred to me in a million years as a potential problem. (Of course, it would now.)
As has been noted, the other noise ordinances key in at 7:00 a.m. It’s nonsensical to let band practice defeat the purpose and protection of those other ordinances.
I agree, that is a ridiculous argument.
Using that logic, I live next to a guy with a stereo/ leafblower/lawnmower, so if he were to spark them up at 6:40, I should just accept it because I should know that they could do that.
I am no real estate agent – but @Diana has a point. Do the property values reflect the noise, parking, teenagers/janitors smoking on your curb, litter, deaf teenagers with loud stereos, etc.? Just wondering if anyone knows.
@xt and Z. Say what you want about caveat emptor, but it’s true. What is the realtors mantra? Location, location, location. I dare say the property values are higher on Hunters Glen or Belfort than Emerson or Normandy. If you live on Lovers or mockingbird you know there’s more traffic. If you live next to the toll road or central there’s road noise. If you live on the west side of the park cities you’ll have airport noise. If you live by the village at Christmas (that may be the worst) there’s traffic, horses, lights, no parking. And if you live next to a church, the Y or a school you’ll have noise, parking and traffic issues. Seriously, how often does the band practice on the field, 3 months? Perhaps a compromise would be for the band to practice in the indoor facility across the street. You know, the one that could house an elementary school or enough classrooms to ease the congestion of the high school.
@Band Mom, Property values are surely affected by living next to the football stadium and school, and the neighbors have accordingly paid the property value of that detriment, so why should they be subjected to more abuse because of it? Three months is a long time to be awakened at that hour, especially for little ones. I don’t believe that being awakened by the drum corp at 6:40 am should be protected just because the darlings in the band have a booster club. If my neighbor blasted music from his home on a regular basis at that time of the morning, he would be cited. Equal protection seems to be all they are asking for. I suggest the mighty band director find a compromise. The ranks of the band isn’t growing by leaps and bounds, so a little positive spin wouldn’t hurt.
“Sure, we agreed not to put lights on the softball field, but now we want to”
“Well, yes, we are located in a residential neighborhood, but our church would like to build a parking lot in the middle of it”
“Yes, the YMCA is located in a residential neighborhood, but we would like to double the traffic, regardless of what the neighbors want”
I can go on and on. SMU, Chase Bank, etc., a history in this town of organizations doing whatever is best for them, regardless of the impact on the community. This isn’t a case of NIMBY, but rather, selfishness. Period.
I guess my counterpoint to “Caveat Emptor” would be “Respect thy neighbor”.
The banging of drums at 6:40am is a very startling and unnerving way to wake up 5 out of 7 days a week for at least 3 months. When a neighbor kindly wrote to the band director and asked if they could follow the 7am ordinance like every other worker/builder etc in the city, the band director replied in such a rude fashion and basically said the band was above following the rules of the city. I think we need to find out where the band director lives and send our toddlers over to his home one Sunday morning at 6:40am. Maybe he can entertain them with some drum solos!
The noise at 6:40am will stop after the drumline has their final performance at the Lone Star Drumline Competition. I believe that it is either this weekend or next weekend. (please correct me if I’m wrong)
The band noise should have stopped after the band’s final competition, on Sat the 26th. The drum line has one more competition, on Nov 9, but is practicing indoors now that the rest of the band isn’t at marching practice. Sorry for the noise! I know my drummer son doesn’t enjoy being on the field at HPHS by 6:30am but being a member of an award-winning drum line (and marching band) certainly comes at a price. The students and parents appreciate the community’s support. When our school programs do well, and are well-supported, it benefits every homeowner in the district. Thanks again for your patience and understanding!
Let’s see… Many band students have been hit with penny’s from highland parks guests in the stand, so for our safety we turn around from the people calling us poor.