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KatelynMcIntyre
May1,2017

HowMarchingBandisaSportandWhyitShouldbeFundedbySchoolSystems?

Whatcomestomindwhenyouhearthewordsports?Manypeopleneverconsider

marchingbandtobeasport.Littledotheoutsiderstobandrealizethattheworkandeffortput

intomarchingbandactuallyqualifiesitasasport.Thedefinitionofasportaccordingto

Googleisanactivityinvolvingphysicalexertionandskillinwhichanindividualorteam

competesagainstanotherorothersforentertainment.Marchingbandincludesallthese

things.Thequalificationsofasportinclude:Aphysicalactivitythatisgovernedbyasetof

rulesorcustomsandoftenengagedincompetitively.Anactivityinvolvingphysicalexertion

andskillthatisgovernedbyasetofrulesorcustomsandisoftenundertakencompetitively.

Anactivepastimeorrecreation.MerriamWebster1a:Asourceofdiversion.C(1):physical

activityengagedinforpleasure(2):Aparticularactivity(asanathleticgame)soengagedin.

Marchingbanddefinitelyqualifiesasasport,andshouldberecognizedandfundedasone.

Competition,rules,andphysicalexertionqualifymarchingbandasasport.Notonlybecause

bandqualifiesasasport,ifbandprogramsweretobefundedbyathleticdepartmentsthere

wouldbemoreparticipation.Theincreaseofparticipationcouldultimatelyleadtoadecrease

intheimprisonedpopulation.Thequalificationofbandasasportandbeingfundedas

suchcouldalsoaidindroppingincarcerationratesinthefuture.
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Competition

Anotherpersoncannotsimplysaythatmarchingbandisnotasportwithouthavinga

counterarguefollowthestatement.Itmaynotbecountedason,butbydefinitionitisasport.

Thefirstreasonwasexcerptedfromthedefinitionitselfcompetition.Almosteverything

withinbandisacompetition.Thefootballgamesforinstance,thecompetitionisagainstthe

otherbandsoundwise,showwise,eveninlevelsofenergy,andinwhohasthebestsongbook.

Eachbandisanenemyintheeyesofonewhomarches.WestMecklenburgHighSchool,

WestCharlotteSeniorHighSchool,ZebulonB.VanceHighSchool,PhillipOBerryAcademy
of

TechnologyareallfootballgamerivalsoftheHardingUniversityMarchingRams.Wordsget

exchangedandnowcomesthetimetoprovewhathasbeensaid.Oftenthesamesongsare

playedby2bands,anditbecomesasongbattle.Thisgoestoprovewhohasbettersoundand

thebetterarrangement.Forinstance,taketheHardingUniversityandWestCharlottegameof
2014.

Bothbandsplayedtwoofthesamesongs.A&TasHardingcallsitbyThree6Mafia

orThree6,asWestCharlottecallsitGetYaFreakOnbyMissyElliot.Harding

playedA&Tfirst,thenWestCharlotteplayeditback.ThistickledMr.Jonessohetoldthe
band

toplayGetYaFreakOnwhiletheywereplaying,Hardingdidaswell.Itgotsoloud

theytriedtoplayitbackandtheyeventuallystopped.Hardingdefinitelywonthebattle

ofthesongsthatnight.Overthecourseofthefouryearspeoplethatmarchwillorhave
realizedthateverycollegiatehomecomingparadeisacompetition.NorthCarolinaAgricultural
andTechnicalStateUniversity(NCAT)hasoneofthebiggesthomecomingcelebrationsin
NorthCarolina.TheirhomecomingisknownasGHOE,orGreatestHomecomingonEarth.

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Itisaverylongparadebutitismostcertainlyworthit.In2014therewereseventeenbands
competingforthefirstplacetrophyandtheseatstowatchthehomecominggame.Afterthe
paradetherewaswhatwewouldcallastandbattle,inTheBowl.Rivalbandswouldfaceeach
otherandstartplaying.

Itwouldbemadeclearwhowasbetterthen.Competitionscontinueevenafterhighschool,in
collegetheyconsiderfootballgamesabiggercompetitionthanbefore.Thefootballgamesget
theirownspecialnicknames,forexample,WhenJacksonStateUniversityplaysagainstSouthern
UniversityandAgriculturalandMechanicalCollege,itisknownastheBoomboxClassic.They
alsogotobattleofthebandssuchasHondaBattleoftheBands,whichisheldinAtlanta,
GeorgiainJanuaryannually,andtheQueenCityBattleoftheBands,whichisheldinCharlotte,
NorthCarolinaannuallyinAugust.

Rules
Unlessyouparticipateinmarchingbandyoudonotknowhowthewinnerof

competitionsarechosen.Thereisarubricandruleswemustbealignedwithinordertogeta

betterscore.Eachstatehasitsownsetofrulesalongwitheachdifferentconference.
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Fieldrulesarethatthecompetitionfieldshallbearegulationfootballfield,linedeveryfive
yards,withhashmarks(thirds)included.,visiblemarkersshallbeplacedatthefourcornersand
attheendsofthefiftyyardline,tenyardperimetershallbeprovidedattheentranceandexit,
one

(PIT)from35yardlineto35yardline,fiveyardsdeep,shallbemarkedonthefrontofthe

field,andbandsmaybreachanyboundaryduringthenaturaldevelopmentofthedrilloftheir

showwithnopenaltybeinggiven.

Thejudgingrequirementsforcompetitionarethataminimumofsevenjudgesareneeded,all
judgeswillbeassignedbytheconferencemembers.Nonconferencemembersmaybeassigned
attherequestofthecontesthost.Theremustbethreegeneraleffectjudges:MusicGeneral
Effectnumberone,MusicGeneralEffectnumbertwo,whotogethercalculateuptofortypoints,
andVisualGeneralEffectscoresanothertwentypoints.

Theremustbetwoperformancejudges:MusicPerformancewhoscorestwentypointsand
VisualPerformancewhoalsoscorestwentypoints.Therehastobetwocaptionjudges.
PercussionandAuxiliaryperformance.Captionsshallbejudgedseparatelyforoverall
placementwithinthespecificcategories:thePercussionandAuxiliarycaptionscoreswillNOT
factorintothecompetitionplacementscores.

OneTimingandPenaltyjudgeshallbeusedandshallbeonornearthefield.Bandsshallbe
scheduledonfifteenminuteintervals.Acontestofficialwillsignalthecompetingbandstobegin
theirPresetandWarmup,whichbeginstheirfifteenminutetimeblock.Bandsmayexitthefield
withapercussioncadenceorrimtaps.Judgingshallbeginwiththefirstnoteofmusicorthefirst
stepbyaperformingmember.Alljudgesevaluatetheentireshow.

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Thefollowingawardsandannouncementsformatshallberequiredforeachcontest:BestMusic
(totalofallmusicscores),bestvisual(totalofallvisualscores),bestgeneraleffect(totalofall
generaleffectscores),bestfieldcommander(ifjudged),bestauxiliary(ifjudged),best
percussion(ifjudged),andbandplacementandscoresinreverseorder(numberofplacesand
awardsisatthediscretionofthecontestdirector).Overall,RegardlessofClass,aGrand
Championmustbeawarded.Timingpenaltiesareonetenthpointperthreesecondsorfraction
thereofperviolation.Iftheweathercancelsafieldcompetition,youareencouragedtoholdthe
competitionindoorsoratastandstill.Apenaltyfromaminimumofonetenthpointtoa
maximumof"disqualification"maybeassessed.Suchjudgmentswillberenderedbythecontest
chairafterconsultationwiththeheadjudge.AuxiliaryAward:Noawardshallbegivenunless
thereisaseparatejudgespecificallyassignedtoevaluatetheAuxiliaryperformances.Percussion
Award:Noawardshallbegivenunlessthereisaseparatejudgespecificallyassignedtoevaluate
thePercussionperformances.Noneoftheseratesaidindeterminingtheoverallscore.Ifany
judgeishiredlocally(notaconferencejudge),thejudgeshallhavenoaffiliationwithanyband
competingattheevent.

Allhouserules(i.e.allweathertracks,offlimitsareas,etc.)shallbefollowed

providingthecontestchairhasnotifiedallcompetingbandsofsuchrules.Theclassifications

aredeterminedbythenumberofwinds,percussionandelectronicsperformers.Anyauxiliary

personthatplaysawind,percussionorelectronicsinstrumentatanytimeduringtheshow

shallbecountedasaplayingmemberforthepurposeofdeterminingaband'sclass.Bandsare

categorizedasfollows:ClassA(onetothirtyfiveplayingmember),classAA(thirtysixtofifty

playingmembers),classAAA(fiftyonetoseventyplayingmembers),classAAAA(seventy
onetoonehundredplayingmembers),andopenclasswhichisanynumberbeyondone

hundredplayingmembers.Alloftheserulesforcompetitionsurelyshowwhymarchingband
toofallsunderthedefinitionofasport.

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PhysicalExertion
Thefinalpointastowhymarchingbandisandshouldbeconsideredasportisthephysical

aspect.Tomanymarchingbandisjustmovingwithinstruments,butitreallyisnotthecase.

Youabsolutelycannotbegintojustmarch.Thereisadvancedpreparationbeforewesetfoot

onanyfield.Thephysicaldemandsofacompetitivemarchingbandrequireitsmemberstobe

ingetinshapeandstayinshape.

DuringtheweeksSummervacation,marchingbandspracticehoursinthesunteachingtheir
freshmanthefundamentalsofmarching.Thisrigorous,almosthabitualprocesscontinues
throughthemarchingbandseason.Peopledonotunderstandthephysicalandmentalstressthe
bandmustundergo.Thisinvolvescarryingheavyinstrumentsformilesonaparaderoutewhile
stayinginlinewitheachother,wearingwooluniformsandheavyhatsundertheblazingsun.

Onaparaderoute,marchingbandrequiresitsmemberstobeabletoplaytheirmemorized
musicatahighqualitylevel,whilemarchinginstepandmaintainingperfectranks,filesand
diagonals,andkeepingconsistenthornandhatangles.

Onthefield,studentsmarchatasignificantlyfastertempo,sometimesupto180beatsper
minute,whileplayinginstrumentsandconstantlyblowingalloftheirairthroughtheinstrument.
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Physicalactivityisconstantalongwiththeskilltobeabletoplayamemorizedrepertoireof

musicandrememberdrillsonthefield.Afieldshowisusedforthesolepurposeof

entertainment,encompassingaparticularthemeandismostoftenperformedduringfootball

halftimeshowsandatcompetition,andsometimeswhilethousandsofpeoplegoouttowatch

bandsatparades.Marchingbandgetsyouphysicaleducationcredit,inmanycasesavarsity

letter,anddirectlymeetstheOxfordDictionarysdefinitionofsport.

Marchingbandmembersreceivevariousscholarshipstomarchincollegejustasthebasic

andnormalathletesdofortheirsport.Marchingbandisnodifferentfromanyothersport

exceptthefactinstrumentsarerequired.Afterreadingthisessayandthinkingonthepoints

andfactsinwhichIhavestatedthroughout,asurveywastakenastowhetherbandqualifiesas

asport.82%ofthepeoplethatparticipatedbelievedthatmarchingbandreallyisasport.

Beforereadingtheessaytheydidnotthinkitwas,onlybecausetheydidnotknowhowmuch

reallygoesintomarchingband.Theothereighteenpercentwhowerenotmovedatallbythe

factsstatedactuallyturnedouttobeathletes.Anargumentgivenwasthatthetentotwelve

minuteshowsdonottakethatmuchenergy.However,cheerleadingcountsasasportandthey
performaremarkableattheleastsixminuteslessthantheband.Theirpointwasthenstamped
invalid.

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Whybandshouldbefundedbyschoolsystems?

Bandshouldbefundedbytheschoolsystemsbecausejustasanysport,therearepeoplewho

havesuchayearningdesiretoparticipatein,butareshutdownandcannotduetofinancial

obligationstheyknowtheywillstrugglewith.AtHarding,bandduesare$250ayear,

andtherearemanywhocanhardlyaffordthatmuch.Withoutpayingtheduesthatcomewith

band,onecannotgraduateproperly.Extracurricularactivitiesandsportsgivestudentsanew

perspectiveandopportunityforcollege,keeptheminshapephysicallyandmentally,actually

increasetheirclassroomperformanceaswell.Studentathletesknowthatwithoutpracticeyou

cannotperformtothebestofyourability.Multiplestudiesprovethatathleticsimprovestudent

capabilities.Itisnotrightthatsomedonotgetthechancetobebetterviaathleticbecauseof

money.Bandisapartofsupportingtheschool,sowhywoulditnotbefunded?Charlotte
MecklenburgSchoolsdonotfundtheartsprogramsandthereforehavetohandletransportation
fees,uniformfees,instrumentalfeesandaplethoraofothers.Somebandprogramsarefortunate
tohaveastrongalumnibehindthem,andothersareleftdoingfundraiserafterfundraiser,
strugglingtofindmoneytodowhatneedstobedone.Thisisnotfairforthosewhoputtheir
heartanddedicationintoabandprogramanywhere.Thefundingofbandprogramswouldmake
iteasierforpeopletoparticipatewithouthavingaheavyfinancialburdenuponthem.Ifmore
peopleparticipatedthatcoulddrasticallychangethecommunitiesaroundtheschools.Bandisa
verytimeconsumingactivity,andthetimethatisspentwithinthefourwallsofabandroomcan
haveapositiveimpactonindividuals.Thetimethatcanbeusedtopartakeinnegativeand
criminalactivitiesistakenawaybyband.

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Since2002,theUnitedStateshashadthehighestincarcerationrateintheworld.Although
prisonpopulationsareincreasinginsomepartsofthe

world,thenaturalrateofincarcerationforcountriescomparabletotheUnitedStatestendto

stayaround100prisonersper100,000population.TheU.S.rateisabout1.6millionprisoners

in2010,accordingtoavailabledatafromtheBureauofJusticeStatistics.Menmakeup90

percentoftheprisonandlocaljailpopulation,andtheyhaveanimprisonmentrate14times

higherthantherateforwomen,andthesemenareyoung.Incarcerationratesarehighestfor

thoseintheirtwentiesandearlythirties.

Prisonersalsotendtobelesseducated;theaveragestateprisonerhasa10thgradeeducation,
andabout70percenthavenotcompletedhighschool.Since2007,theincarcerationrateinthe
UnitedStateshastaperedslightlyandthe2010prisonpopulationsawadeclineof0.3percentfor
thefirsttimesince1972,accordingtotheBJS.

Tobringthesepointsclosertohome,the2008currentpopulationsurveyofhouseholdsshowa
14percenthighschooldropoutrateforyoungblackmen,reflectingadeclineintheblackwhite
gapinhighschoolcompletionsincethe1990s."Includinginmatesinassessmentsofhighschool
completionindicatesnoimprovementintheblackwhitegapinhighschoolgraduationrates
amongmensincetheearly1990s,"shesaid.Herestimatesindicatethatthegapinhighschool
completionhasremainedclosetoitscurrentlevelof11percentagepointsforthebulkofthepast
20years.

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ThepreviousstatementfactualcomesfromBeckyPettit,InvisibleMen:MassIncarcerationand
theMythofBlackProgress(NewYork:RussellSageFoundation:2012).Nottomentionband
canpavethewayforsomeandhelpfurthertheireducation.Anincreaseinbandparticipation
nationallycanincreasethecollegiatepopulationanddecreasetheinmatepopulation.The
decreaseincriminalscanalsogoasfarashelpingthecountryseconomy.

Inconclusion,Ihavecometolearnthattheneglectofbandasasportandthelackoffundshasa
largerimpactthanIinitiallythought.Toooftensomeschoolsdonotrecognizetheirbandfor
theirachievementsafterallofthehardworkputintothecraftofband.Toooftenarebands
overshadowedbybasketballandfootball.IfJacksonStateUniversitycansaythatbandisasport
andtreatitassuch,whyisitnotinhighschool?

Itisunfairforbandmemberstohavetoputtheirallintoasportjusttonotgetrecognizedfor
anything.Afterallofthepainanddrillandsheetmusicafterallofthissportscompetition,
rules,andphysicalexertion,marchingbandiscertainlyasport,andallsportsshouldbefunded
bytheschools.Afterlearningtheimpactthatfundingbandasanathleticcouldmake,Iaskyou
today,ismarchingbandasport?
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WorksCited

"ShouldMarchingBandBeConsideredaSport?"ThePremierOnlineDebateWebsite.N.p.,

n.d.Web.08June2016.

"MusiciansasAthletes."HalftimeMagazine.N.p.,n.d.Web.08June2016.

"MarchingBandRequiresPhysicalStaminaShouldItBeConsideredaSport?HighSchool

Illustrated."HighSchoolIllustrated.N.p.,2012.Web.08June2016.

MerriamWebster.MerriamWebster,n.d.Web.08June2016.

"NorthCarolinaBandmastersAssociationMarchingBand."NorthCarolinaBandmasters

AssociationMarchingBand.N.p.,n.d.Web.08June2016.

Sepsey,Lorall."MarchingBandIsaSport."TheEquestrian.N.p.,n.d.Web.08June2016.

Gil,Natalie."DoAthletesMakeBetterStudents?"TheGuardian.GuardianNewsandMedia,

2014.Web.22Sept.2016.

TyjenTsai,andPaolaScommegna."U.S.HasWorld'sHighestIncarcerationRate."U.S.Has

World'sHighestIncarcerationRate.N.p.,Aug.2012.Web.12Nov.2016.