The DC Drumline was no exception this weekend as they took the floor in the first competition of the year at Eagan HS. Most of the big rivals (Forrest Lake, Buffalo and 4 others) were in attendance except for the returning State Champions Coon Rapids who we will see later in the year. DC beat all of their competition in the music and general effect category and points wise earned 1st place, but due too an unfortunate time penalty (a cart was left on the wrong side of the line after the show) of 2 points got 2nd place. The judges are impressed with the show and their comments will help DC prepare for the rest of the season.
Comments for head instructor Jade Warpeha: “The kids have worked hard and now with encouragement from the judges comments know what they need to do to be better. We are at a great starting point for the season and just need to address some minor music and visual problems, but the show concept and music content will not be an issue this year like it was last year.”
Reminder again - come check us out this weekend at our Home Show - 6 PM West Gym It would be great to have a big home crowd and your support!
Frankly I hope you do not get a crowd to watch your show!
Many of this students are in the pep band that is so rude to the athletic teams.
I would like to see people walk out of your performance as soon as you start like the band does to the sports teams. Maybe then you would understand what it feels like to have something that you work very hard at to be snubbed.
If you were nicer to the sports teams then I would have wished you well.
As someone who did both athletics and pep band in h.s. (not at DC), I must take issue with the previous post. When a band finishes at half-time, they leave so they can put their instruments away and then return to watch the rest of the game. It really would not make sense to sit through the entire second half of a game holding onto your flute, trumpet, bari sax, or tuba would it? Some school gyms are set up so the band does not have to be right in the stands. Others do not have that advantage. So the next time anyone sees the band get up and leave after they are done performing at half time, watch closely, they do come back, sans flute, trumpet, tuba, et al.
Mike,
The purpose of my first post was to try to make people aware that the DC pep band is the rudest pep band I have EVER seen in my life!
I would have no problem at all if the band finishes at half time and then goes to put their instruments away to return to watch the rest of the game. Frankly that is what I would expect the band to do.
HOWEVER, If you ever bothered to attend a basketball game at DC, (girls in particular is where I have seen this behavior most, but also at other athletic events like football, wrestling and boys basketball), you would see the band play the pregame warmups and then get up as the game FIRST starts and walk out. The entire band gets up and walks in front of the spectators along side the court as the players are trying to establish their game. The band does NOT reappear until just before halftime. They play halftime and then leave again. Most of the band never comes back. There may be twelve or so that come back if that.
That is why I believe as I do that they deserve the treatment I suggested. They seem to think themselves better than the athletes at the school! Well I personally hope that they get a taste of their own medicine!
Please come to one of the home girls basketball games and see for yourself what it is like.
I do know that the girls do like it when the band plays warmups, HOWEVER, they are really disappointed that the band does not support them as they play the game. For the record the girls team has won 7 games this year compared to 3 last year. This year the boys team has yet to win a game. Who would you be willing to support more?
I also want to mention that the band tends to stay more for the boys basketball and football to play during time outs for the cheerleaders to perform to. Coincidence that the band director’s wife is the cheerleading advisor? I don’t think so.
Sorry to go on and on about this..it just makes my blood boil.
I see at other schools how the pep band supports their teams and I am embarrassed that our school allows the band to act the way that they do. Evidently from what I have been told this has been the way that the pep band has operated for YEARS! Now that is just sad.
If you are going to be a member of the pep band and get an award at the end of the year for being a part of it, you should enjoy watching and cheering on the teams that you are supposed to support. The lack of student and community support other than volleyball and football games is awful. My social activities when I was in school revolved around attending all games and other school functions as possible.
Now it seems you have to have a child participating in that activity to attend. During the winter season most of the people you will see in the stands is the parents and other family members. Where are the teachers? Where is the support staff? My tax dollars are paying your salary. There is more to education then sitting in a classroom. The teachers should be part of this side of the students education also.
Every day after a sporting event there is a teacher out at the high school that asks his class how the teams did. In his situation as a coach he is unable to attend other events. At least he is showing an interest in the school. Sadly, he is only a long term substitute out there. While the full time teachers that we employ rarely show their faces in the crowds of the athletic events or even inquire about what is happening in that part of the school.
Guess that is why the band director thinks it is ok to allow the band to act the way that they do. If the rest of the faculty is not there to support the teams, why should he?
Ok, now it’s my turn. As a mom of a daughter that plays in pep band and is in drumline I need to say something. DCmom have you ever taken your concerns to Brian Veith, or do you just sit in the stands and voice it to everyone around you? For you to bash our band director really concerns me. I know him and if you had taken your concerns to him, he would have dealt with them. He is very respected among both his band and as a teacher. These kids are volunteering their time to play at these games after an already crazy schedule. Would you rather that there was no band at all? As far as the teachers being at the games, do you realize that some of these teachers do live in other districts and have families that they must also attend activites for? I have been at several games and I have seen numerous staff members at these games, so I don’t know what you are complaining about there! I wish there wasn’t so much emphasis on the sporting events, and more on the fine arts in our district. How many of our students have gone on the play professional sports vs. how many of our students have excelled in the fine arts? I think that we need to realize that sports usually only last thru high school, but the fine arts can last a lifetime!
Dcmom,
We can understand your frustration. The band does get up and leave the gym at the start of almost every game. And it would eventually get annoying when you are trying to support your daughter, and half the crowd walks out. We students, however, do have a crazy schedule as Kristine B stated above. We have responsibilities to attend to such as homework, jobs and family time. High school is not the same today as it was when you were in high school. Some of us simply cannot stay the entire game. But many of us do come and support the teams for at least a little while longer. We cannot be constantly busy. It wears us out! Furthermore, many of the pep band students are also athletes(football, swimming, volleyball, baseball, etc.) so do not think, it is just the fine arts students.
The sports teams are fortunate they have a high-spirited, talented pep band that is there to play for a small portition of the game. As members, we do enjoy coming out and playing for the teams, but that is the main reason we are there, to play music because that is our passion. We cannot be expected to attend all of our own events and all the sporting events as well. Have the basketball teams ever come to our events in the first place? We do not expect you to come to ours, we invite you to..but do not demand it.
And why are you attacking the pep band, the staff members of our school and the Veith’s (who have a new family they would like to have time with)? There are many students in the school who are not involved in extra curriculars, who rarely attend any sort of event in the first place. At least we are there, adding to the experience.
FYI- we do not get an award for being in pep band.
Your wish for the unfortunate outcome of the only Home Drumline show (where we get almost all of our funding) was not appropriate. We do not appreciate the disrespect, nor do we deserve it.
I, also am a member of the Pep band AND Drumline. I became furious at your comments dcmom. They were very inappropriate. As Jordan and Shauna Struthers stated we are very busy students who, for most of us, are involved in several activities. It is extremely hard for us to find time for homework, family, or even a decent meal. But we love what we do because we have a passion for music. We apologize for any “inconvenience” that you may have had when we leave the game for a short perioud of time. But I would like to ask you…Where are we supposed to exit to get food then because I know from experience and talking to others, some of us don’t get a chance to eat before we come. That time is the only chance we get to eat besides at the end of the game.
–side note– We had a PACKED gym at our home show for drumline this weekend, thank you very much. Our performances continue to get better. You should really come and see it. Then you may change your mind about your strong OPINIONS on our STATE winning Fine Arts..
If you are getting this upset about our rudeness, you should maybe actually talk to our instuctor Brian Veith about making it more convenient for all of us. . . instead of venting all your anger on here.
Thank you.
Kristine, Jordan, Shauna and Breanna,
I see that none of you are disagreeing with my stand that the pep band is rude. That is my major complaint about the entire situation. I should not and will not point out directly to the band director the proper behavior for a pep band. If he does not know that then maybe he should not be directing a pep band.
Now if I were just looking at the Dassel Cokato pep band in this situation I may fall for that you are too busy to stay for the game. However, I am comparing the pep band with other pep bands in the conference and the athletic schedules. In the comparision DC falls way into the cellar. Yeah they are very spirited and play VERY loud, but their conduct kinda negates the good. You cannot tell me that the other schools band members are not in your same situation. At least they stay for the game and cheer on the team.
The athletes are also as busy as you are with classes, jobs and numerous other activities. So do not try to fill me with the bull that you cannot stay because you go back to the bandroom to work on homework. You do not. Then with the needing to eat. You get off school at around 3 pm. You do not have to be at the game until between 6:30 and 7 pm. That is 3-1/2 to 4 hours time to find something to eat. If you have afterschool activities pack a brown bag lunch. You have more than enough time to find something to eat before playing. The teams do find time to eat and do homework before the games start or after the game is over. The athletes are required to be at practice every week night that they are not playing a game. Last I heard there was not band practice after every school day. Oh that’s right..you get to use school time to practice band. One less class than some of the athletes are doing.
Bottom line. The band is rude. You cannot dispute that! If you could you would have come up with better reasons than you did to explain your awful behavior.
I will disagree that band lasts a lifetime and sports don’t. They BOTH last a lifetime! The lessons learned in sports are just as important as those learned in band. Who from Dassel Cokato has gone on to be a major nationally known recorded artist? Just what I thought..as many as have gone on to play professional sports. The city of Hutchinson next door has a woman playing professional basketball! I only know one recording star from Hutchinson, Wally Pikal. I will admit that he is amazing as is Lindsay Whalin. I would guess that Lindsay is making more money though!
The difference between the spectators that attend band events is that they are not suppose to stay as a group and support the team. That is the purpose of a pep band. The individuals of a basketball team attending a band event as a group would be awesome. However, you as a band would be just as disappointed as they are if they walked out as a group when your performance started. They would be there to fill the stands prior to your performance, but then they would not find your performance as important as eating or doing homework.
Why can you people not see how this can affect the team?
The difference between myself and the band is that when I attend one of your events, I respect you enough to sit through the entire thing without leaving!
PS: Now was I at the packed home show or not? You have no way of knowing because I would not display the rude behavior that the pep band does. I would stay and watch the entire show, because that is what you do when you attend a high school event to show support. I may even show up directly from working a more than 8 hour day without eating my supper first!
DC MOM,
As a mom of 4 who attends many sporting events, I think we should be very appreciative of the DC Pep band. I attend to 4 events a week and do not see pep bands that often at other schools. My children are athletes as well as pep band members. Yes it can be frustrating when they leave during the game, but have you every looked around and listened to the people around you? They are going in and out of the gym, and visiting with their neighbors about things other than the game.
I do not feel it is appropriate to make personal attacks on the band director and his wife. They are parents of two young children, and the director puts in many many hours on nights and weekends. As for the cheerleading coach comment, Mrs. Veith is the assistant cheerleading coach. The pep band plays at events whether she is there, or the head coach is.
As far as people coming out an supporting our sports - until we can change our mentality in this community and produce winning teams, which takes time commmittment on both the players and parents part, our teams will be lacking in fans. Our coaches seem to feel that you always, always play the starters whether they are doing the job or not (my child gets alot of playing time so it’s not a personal beef I have) we will not have winning teams and packed gyms. We are too afraid to ruffle feathers and make certain community members unhappy so it will never change.
Ok. well alot of things are being said here and I just want to throw out the things that people are not actually saying. DCmom is obviously the parent of a girl’s basketball player and is venting craploads of her large amount of freetime into this blog, attacking lots of people in the process.
The basic fact is that nobody wants to go and watch girls basketball. It’s not a huge social event like football or volleyball is and if somebody other than a parent/close friend wants to see good backetball, in general, they watch boys, thats the truth, (example WNBA). Most pep band members would like to do other things with their time and you should be grateful that they are there at all to play for you guys.
You cannot get mad at teachers or students for not enjoying/staying for afterschool events. Teachers deserve time off from students and can do what they want with their time. Bosses do not tell regular employees what to do on weekends even if taxpayer dollars are paying their salary. Students also have freetime and after their obligation to play in the band can choose what they want to do.
I suggest that you let kids be kids and find something better to do with your time. You’re just pi**ing people off.
DC mom
I participate in two sports as well as many fine arts activities. Between my sports, fine arts, and school classes, it leaves little time to do homework. Also I know for a fact that many of the students that paticipate in pep band are also in other sports. Every day after school I have swimming practice and pep band falls immediately after my practice. It leaves me no time to eat before I play. Not all band activities take place during school. Drumline, jazz band, marching band and pit orchestra all have practices either before or after school. Also the school requires that students take a form of fine arts in order to graduate. Whether it is band, choir, art, cooking, or ceramics all of these are acceptable forms of fine arts that can be taken for graduation, all of which are classes during the school day.
For pep band we work hard to prepare the music that we play at the sports games, we work hard to support our althetes.
DCmom,
Ok, first of all, I think it’s rude for you to be making arguments at high schoolers. I mean come on you’re a GROWN UP. If you have a problem with Mr. Veith and the pep band leaving during half time then you should have brought up the subject to him and not hiding behind a screen name on the internet. You’re bashing a drumline tha thas won 4 STATE TITLES. What has basketball won? they aren’t even having a winning season. They won 7 games out of how many? And even if people from DC don’t have big time recording studio offers and cds out that doesn’t mean they aren’t great musicians!!! Heres a list…
1. James Jarvie, who plays in Morris’s top Jazz Band and has offers from a recording company!
2, Jaymi Struthers–composes her own music and plays multiple instruments
3. Katie Voelker–an AMAZING flute player who played in one of the best bands in the state!
4. Joe McRaith–an amazing trumpet player
5. Bryan Borg–plays in a DRUM CORPS!!!!!!! They got 8th at finals last year and they practice a heck of a lot more than basketball teams
6. Leah Kay–she played sports also, yes, but she is an amazing musician who writes her own piano music and was a finalist for triple A!!!
7. Bekah Neu–and astounding french horn player and mallet player!
These are only a few people who i could think of off the top of my head!!! Now if i were to think of people who went on to play in college sports from DC??I can’t think of ANY BASKETBALL PLAYERS. You most definitely do not have to be a recording artist to be a fantastic musician!!Music is a way of expressing yourself, and you can do that through a band class, through college, through composing music, by directing a band!
About the whole pep band thing. Do you know how hard it is to come from a 2 and a half hour+ practice and then going straight to pep band without eating? We can’t eat while we play because it just wouldn’t work. Next you’ll be complaining that we’re eating during the game instead of watching every second. When we’re done playing before the game starts we go and get food…but why make such a big deal about it when other parents and people do the same exact thing? We can’t help that we have to walk in front of other people to get out of the gym. Hey the band and the parents could switch sides, and if thats what you want then talk to Mr. Veith. Also, have you even seen other pep bands around this area? Most of them leave right after they get done playing before the game even starts…at least we stay for half time. On another note, Mr. Veith is an amazing band director. Once we get done playing he’ll walk arond and check in the band room to make sure no one’s in there, and if someone is, he’ll tell them to go watch the game and support the team. Mr. Veith has lead the symphonic band to get 8 superiors in a row at contest..that’s like winning state, and again, girls basketball has never done that.
About practices and such. Yes girls basketball practices every day that they don’t have a game..well so does everyone else!!!Do you want to know how long Drumliners practice??Lets see…we practice from 5:30-9 on Tuesdays, 3:15-5 on Thursdays, and 9-4 on Saturdays, and now saturdays are even longer since we have shows. And i have not seen many varsity players watching us play and supporting us!!!When they walk through the gym they’re very noisy and disrupt our practice and laugh at us. Even sometimes when staff walks through the gym they look down and cover their eyes. They don’t even tell us good luck before we play for a show. Band is definitely a class because we prepare things to please and touch other people. We have people email Mr. Veith after concerts and after drumline shows saying how much they enjoyed the music and how it affected them as a person. We even get fans from other teams emailing Mr. VEith about how they liked the pep band. I’m sorry that we can’t always stay for the whole game, but we have a life too.
Well everyone,
I believe that the DC pep band director is a fantasic person I have personally known him for 7 years, I participated in colorgaurd, pep band, marching band, as well as other activities like CHEERLEADING, yearbook, and others. After saying this I want to invite DC mom to be a chaperone or something similar to other sports instead of just “her girls basketball” that she is so fond of. I would also like to invite all pep band students to “show this obviously heartless lady” whats up and that we dont just come for pep band. Instead of just coming for pep band lets whip out those instruments and play obnoxiuosly at some games were not required to go to. Because I know it is a requirement to go the pep band to pass BAND class. Its not like any of the students have jobs, or homework, or studying that needs to be done. But instead lets just please this lady who obviously has tons of time on her hands and nothing better to do with her life except for bash minors about what they are doing wrong with their time as they come to support her children. YOU ARE NOT THIER PARENT, you have no significance in their lives and if you want to start the drama maybe you should go back to high school. Pep band is a fun way to meet new people and have a good time together and also try to support our teams. ATLEAST they show up, even if its not for very long.
Kudos to Mr. V for doing a FINE job with the kids, he always had us say please and thank you where ever we went, (thats where i learned my manners)
Roxie Tenhoff
junebug_rjt@yahoo.com
320-310-9227
P.O. Box 128
cokato, MN 55321
I dont feel the need to hide behind a screen name.
I have been informed that this discussion is getting out of hand. That it needs to head in a more positive way.
Despite all that I have written I have never tried to personally attacked one person in particular. I am positive of that. If someone has taken that it way I apologize. I apologize to Mr. Veith and whoever else you think that a have attacked.
I would like to have the band apologize to the teams for their behavior. But I am positive that that won’t happen.
So let me tell you, I am positive that I have given up on anything ever changing. I was hopeful by bringing this issue to the light of day that someone with the power to change would make changes. Clearly that is not going to happen. So I will have to be content to sit in the stands and watch the pep band disappear. They have the right to you know. I am positive that they will disappear.
I am also just as positive that I don’t want to be asked for money to fund these types of activities. I am equally positive that the apathy about this issue have just created yet another “NO” vote when it comes to levies at the school that involve any funding for “the arts”.
And for your information the Drumline (which was the original article of interest) has absoutly nothing to do with Pep Band. GO FINE ARTS!
I sit here and wonder whether or not to write again, I feel astounded at what has all been said. I will say my feelings and then be done…
1st off, dcmom, I do have to agree with your statement on the Forums, you do like to stir the pot!!(that is not a compliment) I don’t think any of us have agreed with you on the point that our pep band is rude. I think that is so far from the truth that it didn’t even deserve a reply. Do you see what your kids are doing 24 hours a day? If your kids are doing something that may be considered “rude”, wouldn’t you want to know about it? That is why I suggested that you should speak to Mr. Veith, I believe that you do know how to reach him, if not, you can call the school and his extension is listed on one of the phone menus. I think that it is really inappropriate for you to be naming specific names, but you yourself hide behind a fake name. If you have such a strong opinion about something, you shouldn’t be afraid to say who you are.
I would like to know when the last time one of the athletes, that is not in band or choir, came to a band or choir concert? It is not required of them to attend, so why are they not critized for not coming? Why can’t they see how this affects the band and choir members? How are or were we suppose to know that you were even at the Drumline show, again, you hide behind a fake name.
I think that it is very sad that some people have to put down others to make themselves feel better. What in the world are we teaching our children? I really think there are more important issues out there than this! I wish these blogs would be like a letter to the letter to the editor where you are required to post your name, or it doesn’t get published. You shouldn’t be ashamed to put your real name on here, and if you are, then maybe you should think twice about writing something. You can claim “Freedom of Speech”, but that doesn’t give you the right to put down others.
After reading the posts by Dcmom, I came to some conclusions. As a person who is years past eligibility for AARP, I couldn’t help but think back to a time before we invaded cyberspace - a time when the comments made by this woman could have had her dribbling on the slippery slope of libel. Allow an old person the chance of reminding the readers of the time when one’s written, inflammatory allegations against an individual’s professional ethics and accountability could have landed the writer in court.
The derogatory comments made against Mr. Veith and his program were vicious. He is a consummate professional whose passion for music has influenced hundreds of students. The degradation he has been subjected to by you in this public forum is outrageous. What better proof of his professionalism than the fact that he “took it” and never lowered himself to the level of your insults.
This evening I shared what I’d seen written here with my husband; he is even older than I am. I did so primarily because he was a passionate member of band, pep band, jazz band and marching band forty-some years ago in a different school district. He laughed at the charges. When I asked him about how it was back in old days, he explained that the pep band showed up for half-time, played and left. They could leave (if they chose) because the band director wanted to get home in time to watch Man from U.N.C.L.E., a popular TV show in the sixties (far from Mr. Veith‘s behavior). He went on to comment that the athletes had their activity; band was his (and the other pep band members). So, to each his own.
In addition to the Veith family, my heart goes out tp Dcmom’s daughter; I sincerely hope that the woman does not rant at home to her as she has here. If the mother is so intent on watching the comings and goings of others who attend the girls’ basketball games, I hope she relishes time to watch her own daughter play.
D-CHS is blessed to have a significant amount of students who participate in extra and co-curricular activities; others who do not, dedicate themselves to academics. As for the students who do neither, my role is not to judge the choices made by others.
In closing, let me simply make a couple of suggestions. Focus on one’s own children and do not pass judgment on the others. Dcmom - celebrate the accomplishments of your child. As for taking advantage of the anonymity afforded by this site by using a pseudonym — I don’t want soccer mom ( a pit bull wearing lipstick) salivating and gnawing on me by name.
dcmom,
so i read you above comments, and i can honestly say im am boiling with anger.
who are you bash the pep band, the drumline and mr veith? i myself participated in band since 5th grade, and was in pep band for 4 years, and sometimes it is hard to find time for other things.
i am also outraged that you would bash mr veith. he is an awesome teacher, instructor, mentor and friend. and why do you feel the need to keep your name a secret? is it because you know what you are doing is embarrassing, or childish? if you have a real problem, why dont you take it up with perry, or mr veith himself. why do this on here. if you have a real issue, you as a grown adult with a student in the school district should know the proper actions to take to resolve this ‘problem’ of yours.
when i was in high school i was working 2 jobs, participating in swimming, and in band and pep band. i would often times go from school, then to work or swimming, then straight to pep band. i would have homework that i needed to get done, along with many, many other students. mr veith allowed us to leave when playing music wasnt needed to just leave, or to get something to eat because he understood that we have lives outside of school and pep band. we were there by choice, not because we had too. and we werent just there because the cheerleaders were, we were they because WE WANTED TOO. how hard is that to understand. and often times, we WOULD come back and watch the game. i know for a fact because i would, along with many of my friends.
i can honestly say at every game i would see atleast 6 or 7 teachers there supporting their players. and did you ever stop to think that teacher DO have lives and maybe cant always go to games. their salary, i can almost guarentee, doesnt include making them go to games, unless they are there to supervise. and not to mention the tons of students who go to support the players and the super fans.
through out high school, i went to several games. and you know what, we had one of the best pep bands in the area. we all loved to play music. it was our passion. many times there was not a pep band for the opposing teams, because they were scared to play against us. and you say you are comparing us to other pep bands? are you kidding me? you have nothing to compare us too! we were either there playing battle of the bands with the other pep band, or we were the ONLY pep band. we had the best drumline in the state, one of the better concert bands, and one of the best pep bands in the area.
the drumline spend hours and HOURS practicing to perfect their shows. how are you SUPPORTING them, if you say people should get up and walk out of their show. you have such a problem with the pep band leaving in the middle, why would you choose to do the same. that is just be-littling yourself. and another question. did you play an instrument in high school, or participate in sports? do you know the time and effort that need to be put into it? i would like you to spend the weekend in the shoes of a student in drumline, practice with them for hours, then go to work and find time for homework. THEN you can speak from experience. but until then, i suggest you stay quiet.
and stop bashing mr veith, because OBVIOUSLY you dont know him. and dont place judgment on the fact that even though mrs veith is mr veiths wife, it doesnt have to do with the fact that we apperently the pep band plays more for them. and stop bashing the cheerleaders, and pep band members, and the drumline, and staff, and students. please grow up. i am 19, and i dont even do stuff like this.
thank you.
Way to go DC drumline. You are one amazing group of talented kids. I know you are all reading this blog. And I just want you to know that I am so proud of you guys and the great job you are doing this year. I know that you have blood, sweat, and tears into your show and a negative post like some previous do not feel well! Well let me tell you again, I am SO proud of you! And I know everyone one of your parents are also. And really isnt that what is important. Be proud of yourselves, keep you chin up and keep moving forward. I think that any CHILD that chooses to participate in an activity in school should be proud of the effort put forward. So please do not reread the above negative post, and keep up the good work that you have been doing.
DC Mom….I have to agree with the previous posters, if you have a concern, please go to Mr V. An attack on children?? Shame on you.
Congradulations DC Drumline great score! When is the next show scheduled for? someone let me know please. Roxie
I think Elder Citizen made a very good finish to this crazy blog. Can we please stop all this arguing about a topic that is dividing all of us. We are a community, we need to start acting like one. If everyone agrees, I would like to close this blog. Thank you.
DCmom, obviously you do not know our school. Our school IS fine arts. To critisize Fine Arts is to critisize DC’s best.
i would say more but there’s nothing to add.All your ramblings have shown is how much our community actually supports and appreciates DC fine arts, except you. So… thank you for showing dc’s true colors. GO DC FINE ARTS!
This discussion has been blown out of proportion to the extremes. Bashing pep band isn’t going to get us anywhere, but neither is bashing sports. Our pep band does not go to games with intentions of upsetting the team players or fans. Combining sports with fine arts should create a strong, exciting, school-spirited atmosphere.
Do not assume music and sports are full-out enemies! DCmom, have you talked to your daughter about the issues you have with the pep band? I ask this because all team players I have talked to have no issue with the way the pep band functions. They understand our schedule as we understand their schedule. The athletes I have talked to are thankful that we cheer them on at games, with any amount of fans in the stands and with any outcome of scores. Many of us come to games in order to cheer on our classmates and friends! Some fans will sit or stand in the bleachers and cheer, but the duty of the pep band is to play music for our team. In the end, the cheering crowd and the [[sometimes obnoxious]] pep band are both contributing to the excitement of the game. Basketball players will not make it to every single Drumline show, Speech meet, One Act performance, etc., and similarly, not every person making up the pep band will make it to every game. We try our best.
I don’t think this is a matter of the pep band “being rude” anymore…
This dispute has turned into whether sports are better than music or vice versa. There is no hope for getting a point across with the message you are sending to our pep band, our sports teams, and our school. ONCE AGAIN, after I don’t know how many times this has been said, please bring any issues to Mr. Veith if you are honestly looking to solve them.
Everyone has hectic schedules…everyone…that should be no excuse to leave early. Commit yourself to doing a good job and staying around to finish what you go to do at the games in the first place, support and pep up the team. That includes the band and the fans. The band leaves early and the fans sit on their hands and dont make a peep most of the time because everyone is afraid of what other people in the tiny conservative town think about them!!!
What kind of example would it set if half the basketball team left at half time to go eat? C’mon…
Good Luck and Cheers
On our behalf we are a good intentioned band and do not mean to harm anyones feelings by leaving. And on behalf of Veith he is a great guy and a fantastic mentor and teacher and you will never find better!!! I am sorry you feel this way but nothing will be fixed unless you contact Veith or a faculty member and make suggestions. On that note GREAT JOB DC Drumline!!!
I have to agree with Christa Juntunen. This childish argument has taken an ugly turn, transforming from the issue with the pep band to fine arts vs. sports. As many of you have stated this is not the way to settle the dispute. There have been terrible, vicious attacks on both sides of the issue. Yes, Dcmom did direct the insults at a few activities and individuals, which of course started this whole mess. Yet, a few of us performed the exact behavior we were fighing against in the first place. Dcmom, I apologize for the unhappiness and possible embarassment you may be feeling. I also thank you for stirring the problem into the atmosphere (though it could have been executed in a more civil way). The issue of your concern has been taken into consideration on Mr. Veith’s part. Last night, the pep band (the few that could be there) played on the opposite side of the court, closest to the bandroom. There shouldn’t be a problem with anybody’s view of the game being disturbed to the extreme.
I now think twice about how the teams might feel when the pep band does not reenter the stands. As for this year, pep band is over (however, there may be a possible game we are invited to play at on short notice). Next year, maybe things will change.
I know there are many of you who have read or are reading the comments and are furious with dcmom, or even some comments made on the defense of Fine Arts. I encourage you, however, to “just let it go.” Everything that was needed to be said, has been said. The last thing that we need is even more drama over a tiny blog. Dcmom has had her share of attacks; there should be no more insults directed toward her. I ask that we all be adults in this situation and move on.
May this be the closing comment. Not that I think I deserve to be the last one to post a passage, but this blogging must come to an halt. We are at each other’s throats. Enough has been said. Please no more immature behavior.
P.S. Thank you so much Old Mom (not at all meant to be insulting; that is merely what you declared your blog name to be) and Roxie Tenhoff and any others! The Drumline really appreciates your heart-warming encouragements.
God Bless you all.
Jordan,
Thank you for the update.
I think that the band sitting on that side of the gym is a step in the right direction. I personally have spoken with several administrative people from the district since the East gym was added asking why the band why not seated there from the beginning to even earlier this year. No one could tell me why. They all promised to look into it, yet nothing changed and they never told me why it was that way. (so you see the people that think I haven’t spoken to the powers to be about some of these issues were incorrect) I think the band being able to leave out the doors directly across from the band room is best. It would be the least distracting to the athletes because you are walking behind the benches, not directly alongside where they are trying to play. I now better understand why some may need to leave for a while. I just wish you could stay and cheer on the team.
I also appreciate that you admitted that previous to me bringing this issue to the light of day that the band was not considering how the athletes would feel about the entire band leaving. That is all I really wanted to do. To get the band to think about how it looks not only to the athletes, but to the parents of the athletes and most of all to the guests attending an event from other school districts.
We do have a fabulous band in DC. I never said that we didn’t. I personally love the music that they play. I was just disappointed and embarrassed about the after playing behavior.
Congratulations to the drumline on your season thus far. I do not know if you have other events coming up, but if you do GOOD LUCK!
I agree with Jordan, this should now end. I look forward to good things next year.
Dear dcmom,
You are so cool, i love you.
my phone number is
320-295-8085 give me a jingle or a text
I have always found the pep band getting up and leaving during the games to be inconsiderate and distracting (both for the players and the fans). It is very rude when the exiting band members block the view of the game that I paid to watch. It is very evident that the band is at games because they have to be there and not because they want to be there.
As I read these responses I’m reading excuses for poor behavior instead of solutions. Evidently if your sports teams are bad enough it is acceptable to have a band that lacks character. (Incidently no one on here attacked Brian Vieth, that was a bogus argument made by one of the posters. The only solution that I read on here is moving the band to the other side of the gym. That solution might be better for BOTH the spectators and the band!
The arts, academics, and athletics are all a reflection of our school and our community. We may not excell in all areas but we can always demonstrate class and etiquette.