C'mon UIL...

[IamNobody]

Not only does TX have the best bands, the colorguards are typically amazing as well...and even though UIL hardly even notices them on the field at their competitions, the instructors, designers, and students work tirelessly to make certain they are an integral part of the show. We have some of the best guard instructors in the country here (proven by what they put on the field) and they design and teach all season only to be completely ignored at state. I personally think its a crime.

 

Who were some of the best guards on the field this year? Would it have affected the outcome at State?

 

Personally, I think DVille would do very poorly in this caption. I also think Marcus, Hebron, and Bowie had the best guards of the entire day at state; they contributed to the concept, they were as equally proficient at their show as the band, they added a LARGE amount of effect to their shows...

[takigan]

Not every school can afford the extra costs of maintaining a colorguard. Military bands don't typically use them, and since there are plenty of military bands in Texas that don't use them you can't justify an organization like UIL; an educational institution that is supposed to include everybody, to expect the schools to use them or penalize them for not doing so.

 

Colorguard has WGI and TCGC, not to mention BOA and all the invitationals out there that highlight cologuard. It's not necessary or logical to add them to the UIL adjudication templates.

[NickRC]

I go to a small 3a school we have 70 in our band... hardly enough to have a color guard. So if UIL were to judge on whether or not you have a colorguard that wouldnt be fair.

[bluebellbrass07]

BOA Doesn't have a colorguard caption, but some kind of visual/music effect might be a nice addition

[IamNobody]

  NickRC said:

I go to a small 3a school we have 70 in our band... hardly enough to have a color guard. So if UIL were to judge on whether or not you have a colorguard that wouldnt be fair.

 

I don't understand the logic of this statement...MANY small bands have very effective colorguards. Have you ever seen Jackson Academy? It just takes a little more effort by the directors and staff to recruit members outside of the band. I see small bands all over the state with great colorguards.

 

And you want to talk "not fair"? How is it fair that the countless number of students in colorguard work as hard as the band members all season to be an effective/intregal part of the show, and then aren't even mentioned, noticed, or adjudicated at the UIL level. This is not "military band" in the 30s...its 2010...most schools have a colorguard and some kind of visual/ge caption would be nice. If you don't have a colorguard, you score low in that caption and then decide it may/may not be time to get one...

[IamNobody]

  takigan said:

Not every school can afford the extra costs of maintaining a colorguard. Military bands don't typically use them, and since there are plenty of military bands in Texas that don't use them you can't justify an organization like UIL; an educational institution that is supposed to include everybody, to expect the schools to use them or penalize them for not doing so.

 

Colorguard has WGI and TCGC, not to mention BOA and all the invitationals out there that highlight cologuard. It's not necessary or logical to add them to the UIL adjudication templates.

 

 

And drumlines have those winter opportunities as well...so...they shouldn't be on the field during marching band?

[takigan]

  IamNobody said:

I don't understand the logic of this statement...MANY small bands have very effective colorguards. Have you ever seen Jackson Academy? It just takes a little more effort by the directors and staff to recruit members outside of the band. I see small bands all over the state with great colorguards.

 

And you want to talk "not fair"? How is it fair that the countless number of students in colorguard work as hard as the band members all season to be an effective/intregal part of the show, and then aren't even mentioned, noticed, or adjudicated at the UIL level. This is not "military band" in the 30s...its 2010...most schools have a colorguard and some kind of visual/ge caption would be nice. If you don't have a colorguard, you score low in that caption and then decide it may/may not be time to get one...

 

Most schools have color guards (probably 85-90%). But the ones that don't either CAN afford one but choose not to because it doesn't fit the style they march (military....or the "Drumline"-esque "Show-Corps" style), or they just simply CAN'T afford the costs or don't have enough members to make one (There are bands out there with less than 20 members....some of them don't even have a Drumline). So according to your logic, UIL should tell these 10-15% of schools that they need to either change the entire focus of their program to be like everyone else or accept the fact that they're going to get lower scores from now on, and if it's a money or enrollment issue that's holding them back then.....well, they'd better FIND the money and the students.

 

Do you realize how extremely unfair this is to the programs whose communities pride themselves on having a marching style that's different than everyone else, and how it's also unfair to those who are having troubles finding the money and enrollment just to keep the school from taking band off the schedule altogether?

[takigan]

Neither the colorguards and drumlines can be judged as an auxiliary unit. A UIL Marching judge will still watch the colorguard's feet to see if they're in step with each other or to the music, and the music judge will be listening to the drumline's performance as a full percussion section......but they can't be judged as units. The guard member's flag and weapons work and dance moves will not be judged, and the percussion will not be judged on stick heights or any other exclusively "drumline-ish" concept of the unit.

 

What's being judged is music and marching.....colorguard is not music, and is only marching to a certain extent. Don't quote me on this but I don't even think UIL can judge body visuals in the band. I actually hope Xenon or DanPod sees this and want to comment on it or correct me. They've studied this quite a bit more thoroughly than I have.

[mrwood69]

  IamNobody said:

Not only does TX have the best bands, the colorguards are typically amazing as well...and even though UIL hardly even notices them on the field at their competitions, the instructors, designers, and students work tirelessly to make certain they are an integral part of the show. We have some of the best guard instructors in the country here (proven by what they put on the field) and they design and teach all season only to be completely ignored at state. I personally think its a crime.

 

Who were some of the best guards on the field this year? Would it have affected the outcome at State?

 

Personally, I think DVille would do very poorly in this caption. I also think Marcus, Hebron, and Bowie had the best guards of the entire day at state; they contributed to the concept, they were as equally proficient at their show as the band, they added a LARGE amount of effect to their shows...

 

 

UIL does score colorguard, it's on the marching comment sheet. The grading topic is "Effective use of auxillary".

[king_leonides]

This, of course, raises another deeper question: Why doesn't UIL sponsor a color guard contest, and winter line contest?

 

If they are not going to judge (and recognize) these performers as a unit, during marching band season, then should they have these contests during the winter guard season?

 

I know there is already a Texas color guard circuit. Maybe a UIL contest could complement that circuit.

 

That way, the top guards and drum lines will get recognition. (And if a school does not have a color guard or drum line, they simply don't have to participate. No one gets left out, and no one is put at a disadvantage.)

[mrwood69]

  king_leonides said:

This, of course, raises another deeper question: Why doesn't UIL sponsor a color guard contest, and winter line contest?

 

If they are not going to judge (and recognize) these performers as a unit, during marching band season, then should they have these contests during the winter guard season?

 

I know there is already a Texas color guard circuit. Maybe a UIL contest could complement that circuit.

 

That way, the top guards and drum lines will get recognition. (And if a school does not have a color guard or drum line, they simply don't have to participate. No one gets left out, and no one is put at a disadvantage.)

 

 

Well, at that point it's not even about who actually has a guard, or drum line, because even less of those units who do exist actually do winter shows. TCGC is here, and they provide plenty of opportunity for lines and guards, as well as some WGI events such as in Houston, etc.

[Xenon]

  mrwood69 said:

UIL does score colorguard, it's on the marching comment sheet. The grading topic is "Effective use of auxillary".

That is the correct answer. Auxillary is judged if it is present. If it is not present, it doesn't count against you. The way that UIL is set up is that ANY style can be judged without preference to the style. Military bands often make State Finals in non-5A classifications.

 

The point is that as a governmental body, the UIL should not be forcing styles upon communities, so they set it up such that the system rewards excellence of performance over excellence of design. Just do well at whatever it is that you do, it doesn't matter what you do. Don't care if you do Military, Corps, or Grambling-Style so long as you do it well.

[TxRaider13]

  Xenon said:

That is the correct answer. Auxillary is judged if it is present. If it is not present, it doesn't count against you. The way that UIL is set up is that ANY style can be judged without preference to the style. Military bands often make State Finals in non-5A classifications.

 

The point is that as a governmental body, the UIL should not be forcing styles upon communities, so they set it up such that the system rewards excellence of performance over excellence of design. Just do well at whatever it is that you do, it doesn't matter what you do. Don't care if you do Military, Corps, or Grambling-Style so long as you do it well.

 

That would be hot to have a SWAC/MEAC style band at state..Got to have the goofy head gear to get full effect

[NickRC]

  IamNobody said:

I don't understand the logic of this statement...MANY small bands have very effective colorguards. Have you ever seen Jackson Academy? It just takes a little more effort by the directors and staff to recruit members outside of the band. I see small bands all over the state with great colorguards.

 

And you want to talk "not fair"? How is it fair that the countless number of students in colorguard work as hard as the band members all season to be an effective/intregal part of the show, and then aren't even mentioned, noticed, or adjudicated at the UIL level. This is not "military band" in the 30s...its 2010...most schools have a colorguard and some kind of visual/ge caption would be nice. If you don't have a colorguard, you score low in that caption and then decide it may/may not be time to get one...

 

not all bands need colorguards our band doesnt because A. We only have 70 people marching anyway and B. Our director doesn't care for colorguards, You know why because exactly the opposite of what you said you see alot of bands colorguards off during drill and it looks sloppy and takes away from the bands performance.

 

Again we are talking Uil not Boa. GE is good to have but according to UIL isnt necessary

[Drummantx]

I wouldn't say a majority of guards are sloppy. They usually make themes more noticable and add a lot more charecter to a show. If used effectivley I would say that they could play a role in a UIL competition. There isn't a caption for Guard in UIL, but they sure do help visually.

 

  NickRC said:

not all bands need colorguards our band doesnt because A. We only have 70 people marching anyway and B. Our director doesn't care for colorguards, You know why because exactly the opposite of what you said you see alot of bands colorguards off during drill and it looks sloppy and takes away from the bands performance.

 

Again we are talking Uil not Boa. GE is good to have but according to UIL isnt necessary