Chaperone Guidelines

What are the components of the Marching Band?
Marching Instruments brass and woodwind
Percussion drumline and front ensemble (aka pit)
Battery a subset of drumline
Colorguard perform with flags, rifles, sabres.  The guard is also known as auxiliary.

Why is the Front Ensemble call the Pit?
The term is derived from the orchestra pit seen at concerts - usually located at the front of the stage.

What is the difference in UIL qualifying competitions and marching festivals?
Festivals or invitational competitions are typically a one-day competition where bands pay an entrance fee to compete. The judges rank the bands 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Overall Champions. Bands often receive awards for best colorguard, drumline, marching and music.

​

The University Interscholastic League (UIL) is a system set up by the University of Texas to provide academic, athletic and fine arts competitions for schools throughout the state. The state is divided into 33 geographical regions and larger units - 10 geographical areas.  A rating scale is used to judge performances. The bands are given ratings of 1 (superior), 2 (excellent) and 3 (good).  Bands that receive a rating of 1 at the Regional competition will move on to the Area competition. The top 5-6 bands from the Area competition qualify for the State competition. The system is set up so that bands have the opportunity to compete at the state level every other year. You can read more on that here.  Based on student enrollment, Lubbock High School is currently classified by the UIL as a 5A school.

What are the competition categories?
General Effect, Marching Performance, Percussion, Brass, Woodwinds and Auxiliary.  Awards are given for these individual categories and if a group wins several of these, especially General Effect, the result is usually the Overall Championship.

What is All-Region?
All-Region, All-Area and All-State competitions are governed by the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) and are not directly related to the UIL.  All students work on the same predetermined etudes for their instrument and audition individually.  Judges listen to each audition and rate students for selection to the All-Region bands.  Selected students will be awarded chair order for clinics and concerts that take place later in the school year.  The top chairs in the All-Region bands typically qualify for All-Area.  Students for the All-State band are selected from the All-Area bands.  Students from Lubbock High are consistent members of the All-Region bands with students regularly progressing each year to the All-State level.

What do students work on in their band class during the day?
Marching show music, concert music and preparation for All-Region auditions. Periodically, there are master classes for each section.  These master classes are taught by a variety of instrument specialists.  Sectionals refine technique and blend.  Colorguard focuses on equipment technique, show work and dance sectionals.

What do band members wear to football games?
The band usually wears the formal marching uniform at football games.  Students should arrive at the band hall on game night for warm-up and rehearsal wearing their band t-shirts, athletic shorts and marching shoes.  Colorguard will change into their uniform right before the halftime show and will wear their guard shirts and jackets in the stands.

 

Each student should have the following items at every event:
Band gloves, marching shoes, black socks, band shirt, instrument and music.

Guard makeup, mirror, hairspray, bobby pins, hair net (correct color), brush or comb, safety pins.

Where do parents sit at football games?
Chaperones will sit beside the band in the stands just beyond their block seating.  Parents may sit anywhere outside the blocked seats and are encouraged to cheer as loud as they can in support of our students.  They can definitely hear you while performing on the field.

​

Who takes those awesome photos of the band and do I have to pay for them?
Once you look at the photos, you'll probably be thinking, WOW! Those are professional-quality images! Do I have to pay for them? The answer is no. Booster mom, Elaine S., volunteers her time to take photos of the band at these events and generously offers them free of charge.

​

What are the lyrics to the Lubbock High School songs?

​

Fight Song

Hail, hardy Westerners!
O’er the plains
Your challenge hurl!
Through loss or victory,
With our banner high,
All the while we go marching on,
We proudly sing our victory song.
Fight! Let the game start.
Fight! Boys with all your heart.
Fight! Westerners, fight!

​

Westerner Call to Loyalty

Westerners, put on your chaps,
Buckle on your spurs,
Loosen up the reins of our old fighting Westerners.
Sportsmanship, then victory is the motto of our high,
Come along, you brave old Westerners, we will do or die.
We will gallop over all the sweeping prairie land,
We will fight for black and gold, true Westerner brand.
Lubbock High in golden letters, we will glorify,
Come along, you brave old Westerners

We will do or die!