SG Band

[MTSWNGRVSG]

Good Luck to the SG Band this year.

You never know who some of the people are on this site?

[sidelines08]

Thank you for the good wishes. We have a "core" group of kids that have worked hard over the summer to improve their skills. We also picked up several new members so it looks like it will be a good re-building year. I'm sure that scheduling will still keep things "interesting"...but we have a plan that should allow us to create opportunities for the kids to have a GREAT YEAR!!!

Hopefully kids will show up for band camp. Gas prices are going to kill us since the first game is before school starts and many of my band members can't afford to drive to the school. HOWEVER.......I have 40 kids that already know how to play the fight song! If nothing else...we have 5 pep songs and most importantly THE FIGHT SONG that will be ready for that first ball game!

GOOOOOO REBELS!

[MTSWNGRVSG]

When is Band Camp?

[sidelines08]

We will be starting band camp next week. I'm going to run 2 sessions a day to try and accomodate the parent's schedules. The first session will be from 9am-12pm and the second from 6pm-8pm. We will have band camp from Monday thru Thursday in order to get ready for the first game on Friday night. Students can come to as many, or as few, practices as they wish. WE WILL ONLY BE AS GOOD AS THEY WANT TO BE! I will do the best that I can with the students that show up. If I can get 20+ kids to every practice...I can put the band back on the field at half-time!

I mailed letters to all of the student addresses that I had in my files from last year, so it will be interesting to see how many of them will show up for band camp. Unfortunately, I have already been chewed out by 3 parents for expecting them to bring their kids to the school during the summer. I'm driving 25 miles to the school twice a day...so I simply tell them that "I feel their pain". Times are hard...I understand.

I'm asking students to try and make it to at least one practice to try and review the music from last year's pep band so we can have a good presence in the stands. If I can get 20+ kids to commit to band camp this season...I'll put it back on the field! just have to see how many kids show up. One thing I promise...We will at least have some drum chants and the fight song ready by the first game .

One thing I just hope that EVERYONE can remember is this: These kids are mostly from the junior highs because the high school program had been destroyed. We must be patient and keep the experience positive for them. Right now the future is bright for the Marching Rebels...It's the steps we take this year that will make or break the program!

[sidelines08]

I've been approached by enough people around SG that I thought I'd give an update on the band for Friday night's ball game. (I thank you for all of the support!)

We've had at least 15 kids "commit" to Friday night's ball game and attend band camp every day. SO...THE BAND WILL RETURN TO THE FIELD DURING HALF-TIME THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!!!!!!! It's a simple routine that we has been pulled together literally in pieces...but I think that they can do it with great success and take pride in their efforts. I am expecting the band to at least double in size once school starts and i am simply amazed by the turn-out we have had during the last week of the student's summer vacation!

These guys have believed in a mission and have worked hard because they love SGHS and we love our RUNNING REBELS! If you are at the game...please support the band kids. Only 1 of the students marching has EVER marched before and they will all be pretty nervous. When they march on the field for the very first time...please give them a big round of applause for their efforts.

I don't think that a band program has ever recovered so strong...so fast. WE'VE GOT GREAT KIDS and I thank everyone for their support and allowing the kids to believe that it could happen!

GOOOOOOOOO REBELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sidelines08]

Last night the SG band returned to the field for the first time in 2 years. We had 20 kids and only 2 of them had ever marched a half-time show before last night. The kids had been learning how to march since Tuesday and they really nailed the hard parts of their routine!

We had one missed mark...but that was only because we added 4 people to the show after the field had been painted and we had been practicing in the gym. I told the kids that the field was simply too pretty and the guys worked to hard to take a chance at messing it up. They adjusted, did not complain, and worked together to figure out the show without ever getting a chance to touch the grass until half-time.

The kids marched proud...and did their best. I'm very proud of my students and I truly proud of what they have learned in less than a week! I have never heard of a band rebuilding and recovering so quickly...we truly have special kids at South Gallia.

[sidelines08]

Due to the youth of both the students, and our program, we do not travel to the away games . Many of our students are first year band members and some of them are fairly young so they are not ready to travel. Hopefully in a few years they will be ready and I'll have a booster's organization to help raise money for busing...but for now it would probably be harmful to the program.

The next game that we get to play at will be homecoming on September 19th. I am hoping to add a few more students to the show now that school is back in session. So far I have 35-40 that want to march. We'll just have to wait and see how many of them actually stay for the after-school practices.

No matter what...we'll be returning to the field for a Homecoming performance! The more the kids show up...the better the show...it's simply up to them.

I want to thank everyone in the community for being so supportive and paying attention to our kids...it really means a lot to them.

[dragonsfan24]

hey SG band, I saw you all at Marshall Band Day this weekend, the uniforms look great! hope you all had a good time.

[sidelines08]

Thank you! We had a GREAT day at MU and the band is really pulling it together.

The kids have been working really hard and they are looking forward to Friday night's homecoming show. I think that it is very fitting that we are finally back in uniform for Homecoming(at least the best we can).

We have over 30 that have stayed commited to the program and they are marching a real half-time show.

The music and drill are still pretty basic....but they are doing it! A year ago we could barely play the fight song sitting in the stands.....this year they are not only playing their instruments but they are marching backward during part of the drill.

The Marching Rebels are a GREAT bunch of kids and I could not have asked them to work any harder to make this happen. Please cheer for the kids on Friday night...they have worked hard to bring a half-time show back to the game for Homecoming!

[madpolecat]

Give them a good show on Friday night, Marching Rebels!

[sidelines08]

The kids did a GREAT job last night and I am very proud of all of them. We had about 6 kids that did not march last night, but the ones that were there really showed their stuff and nailed their drill.

I thank everyone for their support. This is an exciting group to work with because they believe in themselves and they LOVE THEIR REBELS!