I hope that you all are enjoying a nice and relaxed fall break. I know that I sure am! I have a couple of things to inform you all of regarding our Football game and rehearsal tomorrow.
First, I want to remind you all of what we discussed last week regarding our brief rehearsal that we will be having tomorrow. We will rehearse at RHS at 1PM Central, which will last until 2:15PM Central. You will then have about an hour and fifteen minute break until we are to meet back at 3:30PM Central to start getting ready for the away football game at Lafayette High School. If you have any questions, email me at jaron.smith@cleburneschools.net
Speaking of the football game, you all know how heated and how unfriendly this matchup has been for us in the past. We ABSOLUTELY MUST be on our best behavior while we are away on this trip. While we are there, you WILL NOT say anything back to any of their fans/parents/students, ESPECIALLY if they are taunting you or trying to instigate any sort of altercation. Take everything you hear with a grain of salt. I know this type of football fan because I have seen many of them over the years and I can tell you that the best thing for any of us to do is ignore it and go about your own business. I encourage all of you to make sure that you have used the restroom as much as you possibly can before we arrive to minimize the time that you will be required to go and use their restrooms. You will more than likely need a chaperone or someone to accompany you to the restroom if you need to use theirs. As for food, some of our band parents have graciously arranged for our own food to be taken with us on our trip tomorrow. We will be having burgers, chips, and snack cakes along with our usual bottles of water. If this is something that you do not wish to eat, feel free to bring your own food in a lunchbox or something. We are doing this for you all to minimize the amount of potential hostile interaction with opposing fans. One more thing on this topic: If we reach halftime and the crowd is booing our group and shouting inappropriate things like they did last year, just keep pushing through and finish strong. When fans like this see that they aren't getting in our heads and affecting us with their remarks, they will generally back off and get bored with trying to instigate something.
I also want to tell you all just how incredibly proud I am of the things that you have accomplished this year. I have been bragging nonstop this week about how well you guys performed on Saturday and have also received a lot of compliments from parents and other band directors about how well you guys perform as a group. I think this is a special year and I think with a little polish at rehearsals next week, we are primed and ready to do some more great things at our last competition at JSU. I'm not usually one to be sappy or mushy-gushy, but you guys are awesome and there isn't any other place that I would rather be at this point in time.
Enjoy the rest of your fall break!
Mr Smith
P.S....
These look pretty good in the band room, don't they? (I mean the trophies, not Christian's shoes...)