A “Please Read” to parents:

Dear Skyhawk Band Family,

The first football game is less than a week away.? The band has worked very hard during Band Camp.? Mrs. Oyan and her dedicated staff have also worked very hard with the band during the last few weeks.? The potential of this upcoming marching season is very exciting.? We have a talented band with an exciting field show for this year.

As a Skyhawk Band parent entering my third year of Pit Crew duty, I find it an honor to work with such talented young women and men.? It is an equal honor to work with Mrs. Oyan, and the rest of her creative and dedicated staff.

After seeing how hard they have worked during Band Camp, and realizing the potential they have for their season, I find myself motivated to help organize the Pit Crew duties for the upcoming season.

For those parents of a Freshman or new marcher unfamiliar with marching band, the Pit Crew are the parents that help get the Front Ensemble instruments set up for the band.? The ?Front Ensemble? instruments are all the instruments set up in front of the band.? These are the 2 marimbas, xylophone, 2 vibraphones, 3 aluminum stands, 3 keyboards, 2 speakers, mixing board, power supply and approximately a dozen other items.? Please go back and read that last sentence again.? There are many instruments to be set up and set up, and set up QUICKLY!

If you are one of our regular Pit Crew members, I want to say ?Thank You!? for all your help and dedication.? Each of you knows how rewarding it is to see the band progress through their season.

If you are a parent that has not yet helped out with Pit Crew, please consider coming out to help.? The Pit Crew parents and grandparents are some of the best people you will ever meet.? You do not have to make every event.? Even if you can only make a few, please come see the band ?in action? from the Pit Crew perspective.

For the upcoming marching season, my wife, Carolyn Coleman, will be sending out the Pit Crew email each week about the upcoming game and/or competition. If you are not currently receiving the Pit Crew (and/or Chaperone) emails, please send Carolyn an email at:? Carolyn.coleman@comcast.net .

VERY IMPORTANT😕 Each week when you receive the Pit Crew email, please reply to her (as soon as possible) that you will be there.? The success of the band depends on the Pit Crew effectively and efficiently setting up for their show.? We can effectively plan the set up tasks by assigning parents to the different tasks.? (If you have a task you wish to do or not do, please let us know.)

For the upcoming season, Sue Ann and Michael Gillie, along with John Riley and me, will work closely together as a ?Pit Crew Go To Four?.? There are enough tasks and responsibilities that it will take 4 of us to see and manage ?the big picture?.? We also hope having 4 different people to ?go to? with a question will make it easier for new parents to jump in and help out.

Just as the field show and music for the band will evolve as the season goes on, so will the set up process for Pit Crew.? We hope to have set up ?checklists? each week for games and/or competitions.? ?We may try different checklists for the different parts of the band such as drum line, colorguard, pre-game, and so on.? Therefore, if you are familiar with any of these sections, please step up and take on that checklist for the week.

To wrap up what has become a long ?appeal letter?, I again invite all parents to please consider helping with Pit Crew.? Please don?t assume, ?oh they have plenty of people to help?, because we don?t.? The band works very hard, and they depend on the Pit Crew parents to properly and quickly set up for their shows.? As parents, let?s make sure they achieve the success of their hard work.

Sincerely,

Tyler?s Dad (Mark Coleman) – Skyhawk Band Booster President

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