problems?

[dtxtrmpt]

I know there is already a topic started for this, but it is pretty old, and no one has posted on it for a while. Ask for advice about any problems your band may be having. I'll go first, I am co-section leader. And my co likes to rally up the section during practice and distracts them. But when I try to calm them down, they get mad at me. The directors know that our section is one of the noisiest, but the rest of the section doesnt seem to care much. Should I try to discipline them? Or just talk to the other section leader? what else could I do?

[SerialSleeper90]

Well I think what you need to do first is understand how they'll respond. I have a little sister (haha funny analogy, I know) and she whines and cries all the time before dinner while my step mom is yelling at her. The cycle just keeps going and going and it never gets better. So ask yourself this, will discipline be the right choice? or will they just retaliate more? You need to find out a way to get to them, to gain their trust and respect so that they are willing to do whatever. I know its kind of vague advice, but my point is try to find something that works instead of doing the same thing over and over again.

[dtxtrmpt]

yea. I understand. I have been trying to gain their repect since the end of last school year. But I am not a senior. So I am younger than the other section leader. But we voted on section leaders, and they chose me to be "head section leader". But we are getting close to the end of marching season, and these last weeks are extremly important. Hopefully, I will be able to convince them and get them to understand where we are in our season.

[barisaxy08]

the best thing you can do is inspire them to be a better section. if you really want people to respond...you have to talk to them with a positive-vibe coming from you. but if u really want someone to listen to you...then you have to be able to set the example first. I would naturally not respond to someone's request if they couldn't do it themselves...so you have to be on top of your game and a positive example if you want things to turn out how you do.

[SerialSleeper90]

yea one of the biggest things about getting people to follow you is to prove that you can do it yourself.

[dtxtrmpt]

I am pretty much on top of the game constantly. (not to sound conceited...)I got a comment from the director today, and my co-section leader made a perverted joke about it to the entire section, while we were standing at attention, about to march. They refuse to take me seriously because they think that just because we are trumpets, that we are supposed to slack off. The trumpet section has been one of the wildest sections for the past couple of years... I think I'm going to call a section meeting. Maybe they will listen if I get my entire point across to them. Thanks for the help ya'll!

[SerialSleeper90]

OY... lol. Your issue about the trumpet section sounds a lot like how our trumpet section was a few years ago.

[dtxtrmpt]

Did yall find any cure? lol

[borchnork]

  SerialSleeper90 said:

OY... lol. Your issue about the trumpet section sounds a lot like how our trumpet section was a few years ago.

 

and how our flute section currently is...

 

It kinda makes me mad that I get snapped at for trying to improve the fundamentals of the girls who always sit out during warm-ups. It's not my fault that they don't march fundamentals, and therefore don't get the one-on-one time that would be more beneficial to everybody than me having to point out little things during drill.

[dtxtrmpt]

  borchnork said:

and how our flute section currently is...

 

It kinda makes me mad that I get snapped at for trying to improve the fundamentals of the girls who always sit out during warm-ups. It's not my fault that they don't march fundamentals, and therefore don't get the one-on-one time that would be more beneficial to everybody than me having to point out little things during drill.

 

yall let them sit out? what excuses do they have?

[SerialSleeper90]

Well its really hard to explain. Ever since our class took over leadership position the trumpets just stopped be obnoxious... atleast on field. lol. I guess one of the key components was just the kind of change in leadership. I think maybe one thing you could do is first talk to the other section leader. He seems to be one of the reasons why your section is so wild. I don't know how you'll do it, but try to get him to be a more responsible leader. One thing though, NEVER try to use your anger to try to get him or the section to follow. It just doesn't work in the HS band world... except for one instance, but that was because he was a freaking little beast.

 

*edit* that was in response to your cure ?.

[borchnork]

  dtxtrmpt said:

yall let them sit out? what excuses do they have?

 

 

they say they have injuries to their legs, and that if they are going to march at games, then they need to sit out as much as possible.

 

 

frustrating. Our director talked to our other section leader about it today, and both agreed that it was spreading worse than the plague. (at the beginning of the year, we only had 2 flutes sit out constantly, now we have 6! out of 17, that's quite a few missing people...)

[dtxtrmpt]

Yea. Ill try to talk to him, maybe he will finally listen. He doesnt think anything I say is resonable because he's older. Thats his only reason for being section leader. He broke the tie against 2 other people when we voted, his excuse being that hes a senior. What do yall think about that... do you think that senority should qualify you for leadership? Is the better leader the junior who really cares about the band, or the senior who doesnt care about anything?

[borchnork]

  dtxtrmpt said:

Yea. Ill try to talk to him, maybe he will finally listen. He doesnt think anything I say is resonable because he's older. Thats his only reason for being section leader. He broke the tie against 2 other people when we voted, his excuse being that hes a senior. What do yall think about that... do you think that senority should qualify you for leadership? Is the better leader the junior who really cares about the band, or the senior who doesnt care about anything?

 

Seniority to me doesn't matter at all. It's about maturity and dedication to the program as a whole. If you have a hardcore freshman out-marching a senior and who practices every waking moment to improve himself, and indirectly improve the program, then I feel they are more of a leader than the senior who actually IS section leader, but just shows up because they have to.

 

I hate to admit it, but I feel like we have that problem in our program too.

[dtxtrmpt]

  borchnork said:

they say they have injuries to their legs, and that if they are going to march at games, then they need to sit out as much as possible.

 

 

frustrating. Our director talked to our other section leader about it today, and both agreed that it was spreading worse than the plague. (at the beginning of the year, we only had 2 flutes sit out constantly, now we have 6! out of 17, that's quite a few missing people...)

 

 

wow.... if I was the director I would say, no practice, no game. We have two people who have sat out for the past few days, One cant march, he tore some odd muscle in his leg, and the other checked into the hospital today, I dont know why though.... If you cant march at practice, then how are you going to march at the game at the same level of the others who have been practicing???? I dont get it.....

[borchnork]

  dtxtrmpt said:

wow.... if I was the director I would say, no practice, no game. We have two people who have sat out for the past few days, One cant march, he tore some odd muscle in his leg, and the other checked into the hospital today, I dont know why though.... If you cant march at practice, then how are you going to march at the game at the same level of the others who have been practicing???? I dont get it.....

 

gosh I agree so much!

 

There's so many little things (like so minute, that it could actually be some sort of tie breaker at Area) that our flutes that sit our constantly miss. But our flutes who are always in don't make those mistakes. I want to fix it for everybody and make it look consistent, because the flutes who DON'T have problems look AMAZING. I know the section could be OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD ALL the time if we had everybody always marching.

[dtxtrmpt]

  borchnork said:

Seniority to me doesn't matter at all. It's about maturity and dedication to the program as a whole. If you have a hardcore freshman out-marching a senior and who practices every waking moment to improve himself, and indirectly improve the program, then I feel they are more of a leader than the senior who actually IS section leader, but just shows up because they have to.

 

I hate to admit it, but I feel like we have that problem in our program too.

 

Thanks. Im glad that someone feels the same way about that as I do. There are alot of people who say that because they are older, than they are the better leader. I definetly dont feel that way.

[dtxtrmpt]

  borchnork said:

gosh I agree so much!

 

There's so many little things (like so minute, that it could actually be some sort of tie breaker at Area) that our flutes that sit our constantly miss. But our flutes who are always in don't make those mistakes. I want to fix it for everybody and make it look consistent, because the flutes who DON'T have problems look AMAZING. I know the section could be OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD ALL the time if we had everybody always marching.

 

Yea. I know that my section could also be amazing if they would all just work. There is no point in showing up to practice if you arent going to work. I dont get why people would waste their time. Dont commit to something like a serious marching band, if your not willing to actually work like everybody else.

[borchnork]

  dtxtrmpt said:

Thanks. Im glad that someone feels the same way about that as I do. There are alot of people who say that because they are older, than they are the better leader. I definetly dont feel that way.

 

Of course you shouldn't. A leader's age doesn't matter. A good leader knows how to get people motivated and do what needs to be done. Sure, some experience helps, but people who are naturally good leaders can do these sorts of things at any age.

 

I had a paragraph once on what defined a good leader... I don't know where it is anymore, but if I find it, I'll pm it to you

[rpd]

Our current problem is really trusting our new band directors (basically our whole staff left), and making the new transition. Many of the Juniors and Seniors find every little nick to complain about. They believe that because we haven't done things the way we have for 50 some years, its wrong. Personally, I trust our head director considering he was on staff of the Phantom Regiment and was an assistant at Churchill for awhile.

 

Hopefully when all the negative attitudes graduate though, which kind of makes me sad considering I'm a Junior, we'll reemerge as the third great band in the city of San Antonio.

[borchnork]

  rpd said:

Hopefully when all the negative attitudes graduate though, which kind of makes me sad considering I'm a Junior, we'll reemerge as the third great band in the city of San Antonio.

 

Or better than third, with the way your director sounds.

[dtxtrmpt]

I really dislike negativity. Especially when the negativity spreads. Its like wild fire. One person gets turned off to a director, next thing you know, half the band is bad mouthing them. New directors are awsome. We got a new percussion director this year, and now our line is getting great scores compared to last years.

[Danpod]

  rpd said:

Our current problem is really trusting our new band directors (basically our whole staff left), and making the new transition. Many of the Juniors and Seniors find every little nick to complain about. They believe that because we haven't done things the way we have for 50 some years, its wrong. Personally, I trust our head director considering he was on staff of the Phantom Regiment and was an assistant at Churchill for awhile.

 

Hopefully when all the negative attitudes graduate though, which kind of makes me sad considering I'm a Junior, we'll reemerge as the third great band in the city of San Antonio.

 

Brian Hildreth is a great man. He was one of my directors when I went to Churchill and I can safely say that your program is in good hands with him. I'm sure it'll take some time to get used to him and his ways but you just have to believe that he's doing everything for a reason.

[rpd]

  Danpod said:

Brian Hildreth is a great man. He was one of my directors when I went to Churchill and I can safely say that your program is in good hands with him. I'm sure it'll take some time to get used to him and his ways but you just have to believe that he's doing everything for a reason.

 

I too believe Hildreth is a great director. I think the root of some of the negetivity is that we have to work harder. Now, we actually make the most out of the 8 hours the state gives us to rehearse. And now we rehearse much, much more efficiently. Being teenagers, the majority don't want to work any harder than their used to. Once our standard as an ensemble reaches his very high ones, I think we will become great.

[Tx_Band_Marcher08]

I have problems with mainly two people in my section because all they do is talk and most of the time they'll talk to someone else in another section. As a section leader I'm not sure how to deal with things considering when I confront them they listen for a lil' while then they usually just don't care. I'm not sure the best way is discipline but I'm not sure.