DM Hoover Cuts Marching Band

[GeronimusClone]

It's not like that at the suburban schools, though. The suburbs have plenty of kids going out for these activities. What's the difference?

Fathers with an affinity for *** beatings.

 

[GeronimusClone]

If you guys were so great why did we beat you in football nearly half the time?

I was busy with JV boys club volleyball so I wouldn't know about that.

 

[cyfanatic]

It's not like that at the suburban schools, though. The suburbs have plenty of kids going out for these activities. What's the difference?

High School band can be an expensive venture for families. Lots of little costs that quickly add up. Not saying that is why DMH kids don't go out for band...but it is an expensive activity.

 

[Clones21]

I think bands these days should be playin some pink floyd or some Zep

 

[GoCy]

That's sad. I was in a school of about 30 per class in elementary and we started band the second half of 4th grade. I can't believe they don't teach it in the lower levels in the DMPS District.

The DSM school district doesn't have jr high football either. I know many school districts with jr high schools 1/10th the size of DSM schools that have a team. I believe that this really hurts the performance of their HS football teams, as many freshman have never stepped foot on a football field before they reach highschool.

 

[GeronimusClone]

The DSM school district doesn't have jr high football either. I know many school districts with jr high schools 1/10th the size of DSM schools that have a team. I believe that this really hurts the performance of their HS football teams, as many freshman have never stepped foot on a football field before they reach highschool.

Wow, my nephew has been playing since third grade and we are from a class A school.

 

[TxCycloneFan]

Maybe they can bring it back as a Wii marching band. I bet there would be plenty of participation. For the first 2 weeks of practices, everybody could work on perfecting their Miis...

I tried to give you rep for that one, but I have to spread it around first.

Priceless.

 

[alarson]

Hopefully we dont see more go.... des moines is already pretty lacking on the marching band front, a lot of good ones up the road in minneapolis.

 

[vmbplayer]

It's not like that at the suburban schools, though. The suburbs have plenty of kids going out for these activities. What's the difference?

Money.
Marching band is expensive.
Video

The suburbs can get donations and support from the community easier than the city school. It's sad but true.

I really get the feeling the "not enough interest" is a cover. I've seen marching bands perform with less than 20 and still do a good job. that may be an embarrassingly low number for a school Hoovers size, but it's not unheard of. The attitude from the director says all I need to hear.

"We spend most our time out on the field walking around"

If you've been in a marching band you know that that kind of attitude keeps you from being any good. Looks to me like the director lacks the enthusiasm to do the activity. And honestly when they're going up against Waukee, Valley, Johnston, Urbandale, Ankeny, SE Polk at contest, all of whom have bigger staff and larger budgets that lead to more enthusiasm in the program, it's hard to get motivated when it's so hard to compete.

Yes there are marching band competitions, yes it's hard to do, and yes I enjoyed doing them.

Once you start going to these contests and losing it's hard to keep your kids excited about it as a director, and you can't inject money into the program t make it interesting or exciting for them like the suburbs can. He was already spending 11,400 a year on marching band and only had less than 3K for the other programs.

 

[Knownothing]

It is a shame. Plenty people will joke about this but the current status and future of Hoover does not look good.

If you have seen the hoover football team you would relize the band was not working.

 

[CyDude16]

It's not like that at the suburban schools, though. The suburbs have plenty of kids going out for these activities. What's the difference?

You seriously don't know the answer to that question.:skeptical:

 

[CYdTracked]

I went to a 1A school and if you weren't out for football or cheerleading you were required to do marching band if you were in the band. If you didn't show up you got an F for that game which got factored into your grade for band. Same went with pep band for basketball, show up if you weren't on the team or cheer squad or you got an F for that game.

Look, I didn't like marching band but I still showed up because I did enjoy pep band and jazz band in HS. Never had the desire to play in college and I can't even remember the last time I played the sax but I am sad to see schools not supporting the arts like they should be. I know it's not for everyone but the less arts in our school the more hollow and less diversified our kids may be. It's not all about sports and only a small percentage ever ammount to anything in sports but teach a kid to play an instrument, act, arts, etc. and those are things they can do and enjoy for a lifetime.

 

[alarson]

Money.
Marching band is expensive.
Video

The suburbs can get donations and support from the community easier than the city school. It's sad but true.

I really get the feeling the "not enough interest" is a cover. I've seen marching bands perform with less than 20 and still do a good job. that may be an embarrassingly low number for a school Hoovers size, but it's not unheard of. The attitude from the director says all I need to hear.

"We spend most our time out on the field walking around"

If you've been in a marching band you know that that kind of attitude keeps you from being any good. Looks to me like the director lacks the enthusiasm to do the activity. And honestly when they're going up against Waukee, Valley, Johnston, Urbandale, Ankeny, SE Polk at contest, all of whom have bigger staff and larger budgets that lead to more enthusiasm in the program, it's hard to get motivated when it's so hard to compete.

Yes there are marching band competitions, yes it's hard to do, and yes I enjoyed doing them.

Once you start going to these contests and losing it's hard to keep your kids excited about it as a director, and you can't inject money into the program t make it interesting or exciting for them like the suburbs can. He was already spending 11,400 a year on marching band and only had less than 3K for the other programs.

I hadnt read the article, but yeah that explains why it failed. If the director doesnt have enthusiasm for it, then theres no way students will, and no way youre gonna have any membership.

 

[drmwevr08]

Remember the motto - suck like a Hoover...

Band just isnt cool enough for their spectacular student body. They have to log time being truant and hanging out at MHM.

 

[MidwestZest]

I went to a 1A school and if you weren't out for football or cheerleading you were required to do marching band if you were in the band. If you didn't show up you got an F for that game which got factored into your grade for band. Same went with pep band for basketball, show up if you weren't on the team or cheer squad or you got an F for that game.

It was very similar for us as well - along with most of the 3A schools in our area. I heard that this past year (or maybe this upcoming year...) Valley went to having marching band as a pure extra-curricular, voluntary, and not part of their school-day band program. Which, is probably something a large school like that can do, with that many musicians. Different circumstances at hoover, obviously

 

[jsmith86]

We were required to do marching band if in band at a 4A...they've changed it since then so that freshmen have to audition to get in, but still required to go to every game for marching band and pep band if in band.

 

[Together2813]

Are they keeping Jazz Band and Concert Band? In high school I loved Jazz and concert, but hated marching band. I like to watch it but hated to perform in it.

 

[CYdTracked]

We were lucky to have about a dozen actually show up on game nights actually even though the full band would practice the songs and marching during band period since we still did perform once in awhile in a parade or something. The tricky thing is usually the percussion and lower brass were mostly males so if someone skipped out it sounded terrible.

The most funny game was none of our drummers showed up to 1 game so the band director took a snare and a bass drum and sat it on the sideline so he did a cadance on the snare as we took the field then used a mallet in 1 hand and a drumstick in the other and did a "boom chick boom chick boom..." rhythm to our songs. Was hard not to laugh because not only did it look awkward but it sounded funny too.

 

[CyDude16]

Are they keeping Jazz Band and Concert Band? In high school I loved Jazz and concert, but hated marching band. I like to watch it but hated to perform in it.

I overheard on the news that they are still keeping there jazz and concert bands I believe.

 

[CYdTracked]

Are they keeping Jazz Band and Concert Band? In high school I loved Jazz and concert, but hated marching band. I like to watch it but hated to perform in it.

Concert band was OK for me if we weren't playing something boring. Jazz and Pep band I loved. Especially when I got to play the bari sax and wail away on those low notes. Usually played tenor though and wished I had been able to try the bari sooner because I really enjoyed that more.