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Our high school is starting a Pep Band that plays at high school basketball games. I am going to be running it as a student leader and I was wondering what was some of the etiquette?

When to play, when to definitely not play? Any tips? Help appreciated.

Ask a referee. Perhaps your coach can point you to one. The referee is 100% in control of the game- including the crowd and the band. Whatever the referee wants happens.

I do the announcing at my school's games. Our band plays before the game and at half time. They also play during time outs but, when the referee blows the whistle to start the game back to action, the band better be quiet. No 'honking' during play. If the ref has a hair up his butt, that could mean a penalty (unsportsmanlike conduct) or an ejection on the part of the individual.

As you should be able to see, talking to a ref is a good idea.

You first need to check with your activities/athletic director and find out what your state's rules/regulations are. In North Dakota my pep band plays between/before games and at half time. We are not allowed to play during the game at all. However, before I moved here I taught in Colorado where we were allowed to play during timeouts.

The next thing I would check is with the coach(s) and see what they would like. If you are allowed to play during the game you want to make sure that you aren't distracting the coach(s) and players from hearing instructions during timeouts. You will also want to see if they want certain songs played at certain times. For example, the boys coach wants a particular song played when they run out of the locker room and that is the only time that song is played. Do they want anything done during team introductions such as a drum beat and then power chords after each of the starting players are announced.

Where ever you're at I feel secure in saying that you are not allowed to play when the ball is in play. Everywhere I've been the band would receive a penalty (often a technical foul) of some sort and then the coach, fans, and admin are going to be pissed. Make sure you are clear on the rules and that the band follows them. Nothing will hurt a band program faster than alienating that many people. Depending on your school these could be the biggest crowds you play in front of at any given time so use this time to build respect for the program and not detract from it.

One last thing, and this varies from place to place, do you play the visiting teams school song? Again my experiences, where I was at in Colorado we didn't, but here in ND we do. The schools in our league also rotate providing the pep band for a couple of the tournaments and depending on how the teams seat we may not even play during "our" game so knowing all the other fight songs is good.

I'm sure there are other things to think about, but these are what pop into mind at the moment. Good luck.

What Chadtuba said. I've played for high school, small college & NCAA Div I games. They're all different in what the crowd expects and the regulations allow.

I was co-leader of my HS pep band back in the 1960s - we probably broke a few school rules since we patterned ourselves on the nearby UC Berkeley Straw Hat Band, not the other high schools in our league.

I agree with the other suggestions about playing (or not) during the game - check with the coach, refs, etc. before you start!

Also, be as available as possible to play for other school activities. Our band played many times per week, not just for sports events - be flexible and have fun! one thing - it is usually better to have more mobile percussion!

David Richoux wrote:

Great foresight by that photographer!

He circled in a well know TubeNet’ter already on the original negative (up right).

Klaus

imperialbari wrote:

David Richoux wrote: Great foresight by that photographer!

He circled in a well know TubeNet’ter already on the original negative (up right).

Klaus

Here is one from later that year - some music trivia for you all: the trombone player changed his name and became quite famous as a harmonica player.