ORGANIZING FOR MARCHING BAND OR COLORGUARD

By Marching Designs

It is always interesting to look into a band director’s office and notice just how much like a business running a marching band or colorguard can be. From planning events to choosing music, there is little time left to specifically address the band other than the time allotted for teaching. Organizing a band for success takes a bit of tact and a huge amount of attention to detail.

For those who do not think running a marching band or colorguard requires planning and organization, let us look at one marching band competition. In order to compete, the band members must all have uniforms that fit and have all the accessories, the music must be arranged and learned, drill design created and rehearsed, individual folders created with music, charts and coordinate sheets, application to the marching contest, transportation for the band and the instruments, food prepared or reservations made, permission slips signed, volunteers gathered – and this is the short list.

Organizing a band or colorguard for success requires a set pattern of events and support from the band boosters. The set pattern is something that will evolve over time, but can generally fall into four categories – music, band or colorguard, supplies, money. Within each of these categories, the steps needed to prepare for a marching season can be noted.

Successful marching band and colorguard planning is much like planning a wedding. There are events that must occur three months out, six months out, nine months out and so forth. These events are each part of a monthly checklist that guides the planning and execution process along. Organizing a band or colorguard for a the marching season can be approached in the same way. There should be a timeline of events and tasks developed to ensure each deadline is met without hitch.

Start by listing everything imaginable that has to do with the marching season. Rehearsal site preparation, buses for travel, stadium requests, uniforms, colorguard equipment, marching supplies, anything. Start with large events and detail each of those to help keep the initial list process from becoming overwhelming and unorganized. Check the calendar and see when each individual task needs to be completed. Figure how long it takes to accomplish or order and deliver. Accounting for this, put it on the planning calendar and assign the task to a director or volunteer. The first time this process is done it will seem unreasonable or impossible. Keep going. The payoff in less stress and more time to teach during the crunch time of the marching season in is worth the price of preparation.

Each marching season the process will become more optimized and easy to manage. Eventually the process will seem routine, but it remains important to use the checklists or timelines each marching season so that in the comfort of the routine details are not missed.