This is a public but unlisted page. This page was updated on 3/31/2021.
Welcome to the information page about the Blue Crew. On this page, you can find out all about what you will do if you volunteer as a member of the Blue Crew. In the past, we have called this Power Dads and Pit Crew. It’s been hard to find a good name to cover what we do which is a little bit of everything. So, read on to find out more!
The Blue Crew has a Remind account. Please sign up ASAP even if you are only going to volunteer for one event! This is how we will stay in touch during the season and it is also used during the actual events so we will all be able to communicate on site at games and contests. This helps us prevent large and confusing text messages!
To sign up:
Download the Remind app from the app store and make sure notifications are on!
In the app, go to the bottom of the main menu and choose “Add a Class” and enter the code bandpitcr
If you want to receive Remind messages via text instead, send a text to 81010 with the message @bandpitcr
Sign up for the Blue Crew will be done in Charms. Once events are finalized and posted, you will be able to sign up by going to Volunteer and selecting the event from the drop-down menu!
If you cannot log into Charms, you will need to reach out to Mr. Channell or Mr. Amoss to have a login setup for you.
General Responsibilities
Our biggest responsibility as members of the Blue Crew is the moving and security of our equipment but we do all sorts of things for the program. We assemble props ahead of the competitive season (typically during the Tuesday evening practices), maintain equipment and the trailer and even travel with a grill and cook for the entire group when the need arises.
During the Blue Devil Invitational, the marching band contest we host annually, we will help with setup, takedown, and the transport of equipment for the visiting bands back and forth from their parking areas and the football field.
Safety for our students and staff is our number one priority not only during the loading, unloading and movement of equipment but also as we travel to different schools during the season.
This role can be challenging at times. The weather is quite unpredictable, the equipment is heavy, and we’re typically on a pretty tight schedule but this is the best place to volunteer if you want to be right up close during all of the performances and the work you will be doing means a great deal to our students and our staff. There is nothing better than your student seeing how dedicated you are to doing your part to make their season the best it can be. You will make memories that will last a lifetime.
Home Football Games Responsibilities
We normally arrive at the band room by 5:30PM and start moving equipment and props to the football field. If the band has practiced on the field in the afternoon, the equipment will still be there and we can meet at 6:15PM at the field. We enter at the ROTC entrance. We will move the podiums on and off the field for pre-game at 6:30PM and then watch over equipment on the track until halftime. At halftime, we move equipment on and off the field as needed for the performance. This is typically the front ensemble percussion equipment. After the performance, we will assist in moving all equipment back to the band room. After that, we are free to return to the stadium and watch the rest of the game. Some assistance will be needed five minutes before the game ends with moving the water coolers from the band seating area back to the concession stand.
Home Event Parking and Entrance Information
HOME FOOTBALL GAMES
Here are details on what we will do for home games.
We will assist in getting the field commander podiums on and off the field for pre-game.
Some of us stay near the equipment on the track during the first half to make sure no one touches anything. Then we will move equipment on and off the field for halftime.
At half-time, there must be an adult paired with a student on each of the large pieces of equipment that move on and off the field including but not limited to marimbas, timpani, audio system and field commander podiums.
Front ensemble is supposed to line up in the order they need so they can quickly move on the field after the visiting band performs if they are present.
After the performance, we will wait in our staging area and regroup. We will not move out of the track until the entire team is in and on the field.
When leaving the track, we must file out in single file order. An adult with a student needs to lead the way with the rest of the ensemble following close behind with as little space between each instrument as possible.
The timpani cart (if being used) DOES NOT MOVE without adult help.
An instrument with a student and adult must be at the end of the line also watching the line and making sure nothing goes wrong.
We will exit at the far end of the field and move all equipment back to the band room. After that, you are released from duty!
AWAY FOOTBALL GAMES AND MARCHING BAND CONTESTS
For away football games and contests, we will be responsible for the loading and unloading of the semi trailer. The band members will put the brass instruments and drum line instruments on the trailer first. Then, we will load all of the front ensemble percussion equipment and other items including the audio system and props. The last items loaded are the guard flags, shakos and water coolers. Most of this equipment is heavy and be prepared to dress for heat early and chilly weather late! The arrival time for away football games and contests varies. We typically arrive by 4PM to start loading for away football games and we may arrive at the band room early in the morning for contests which are typically an all day commitment.
Upon arrival at away games and contests, we will unload the truck and begin assembling props or assisting with other tasks as needed.
During away games and contests, we have the same responsibilities as we do at home football games. We will move equipment to and from the field and we will assist the front ensemble on and off the field for performances.
The Blue Crew typically carpools to events together. We need to travel with a minimum number of vehicles. We normally pull one or two trailers of equipment in addition to the tractor trailer that travels with us. If you are a registered chaperone and sign up to chaperone the event, you will be travelling on the bus and will still be able to perform your Blue Crew duties upon arrival.
If you cannot travel to an event but can help unload the truck at the end of the evening, please sign up and just note ‘will help unload’ by your name! That help is greatly appreciated and it will help us get unpacked and everyone home even faster.
Tickets
The Lebanon Band program tries to procure passes to events for the Blue Crew as a show of thanks for all of the hard work you do for the program but sometimes we cannot get passes or we are only allowed a certain number of passes. Beyond that, you would be responsible to pay your way into an event. This is rare and we always share this information with you in advance on an event by event basis.
Pep Band Only Games (due to weather or playoffs)
When heavy rain is forecast during an away game, the directors may decide to only send a pep band to the game. When this happens, only the grey trailer goes and it carries all instruments.
The students will load their own instruments into the enclosed trailer. We need to make sure they leave room at the end for the water coolers. Instrument load order is drum line, sousaphones, winds.
So, on pep band game days, we need one person to pull the grey trailer and at least one additional Blue Crew person to travel to the game and assist. All other Blue Crew volunteers would be released and it will be up to them to decide whether they want to go or not.
In addition to heavy rain, typically we only send a pep band to away playoff games but this is decided on a game by game basis and is only decided by the directors.
Any weather-related change of plans will be communicated directly from the directors and then we will communicate those updates to our group via REMIND.
Signing Up
The number of helpers needed for a particular event typically reflects the number of passes we can get into an event or the amount of equipment we are travelling with. For example, we will not typically take props to away football games so we will need less help. We ask that you sign up on and event by event basis so that everyone interested in helping gets a turn and so that those volunteering for multiple events can get a break when needed.
Reminder! Sign up for the Blue Crew will be done in Charms under Volunteer!
Finally, we must always be vigilant and watch out for the safety of our students anywhere we happen to be including at home events and as we travel. Anything out of the ordinary should be reported to Mr. Channell or Mr. Amoss immediately. Please note that parent volunteers should not take discipline matters into their own hands. Intervene if the safety of our students is at risk but discipline matters should normally be reported to and handled exclusively by Mr. Channell or Mr. Amoss.
Lebanon High School Band 