Managing Heat and Hydration in Marching Band
and Other Important Information
Marching Band students are athletes who practice outdoors under conditions that expose them to dehydration, heat exhaustion and sunstroke. We want to optimize our rehearsal time outside and students who maintain proper hydration are able to concentrate better and are more productive. In order to get the most out of your Band Camp experience, it’s important to be prepared. Listed here are some ways to make sure that you stay in tip-top shape during Band Camp.
Fluid Intake: WATER, WATER, WATER
· Drink 16 ounces of water 1 hour BEFORE practice
· Drink 8 ounces of water every 30 minutes DURING practice
· Drink 16 to 32 ounces of water AFTER practice
· It is essential that you stay hydrated. Guys will sweat and girls will glisten during Band camp. It’s hot on the pavement,
sometimes REALLY hot. We are outside, it is summer and we are in TEXAS!
· AVOID caffeine and carbonated beverages. Also stay away from sugar-loaded drinks as they will dehydrate you.
WATER is best; Gatorade or other sports drinks are okay in moderation, BUT, drink them in addition to water!
· All students are required to have a ½ gallon water jug with them at all times while outside for rehearsal.
This provides the students with 64 ounces of water. We will also have 15 gallon coolers of water outside to refill
water jugs if necessary. This is not to be used as a substitute for students having their own water cooler.
· The Foster band water coolers will be given out at the end of the first day of band camp. So students need to bring
a separate water cooler ready to go for the first morning rehearsal. Students are NOT allowed to share water bottles.
· If students would like to additionally wear, water belts or Camelpaks for water that is also allowed and encouraged,
but is not a substitution for the required water jug.
· The max amount of time we will be outside is 3 hours, from 8 – 11 am – during the 2nd week of band camp we will go
out in the afternoon from 4:30 – 6:00 pm (our regular school rehearsal time).
Nutrition: Everyone MUST eat breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.
Please eat a healthy meal before you come every day. Your body needs fuel to perform at the level necessary for BAND CAMP. Avoid all caffeine, greasy foods, carbonated drinks with caffeine, excessive candy or sweets and dairy foods. During Band Camp you are “on your own” for lunch. You will have one hour for lunch. You are encouraged to stay inside in the air condition and not walking to the Subway or the Convenience store. Please plan to bring a sack lunch or make arrangements to have lunch delivered to you by your parents. Leaving campus for lunch is allowed but highly discouraged. Leaving campus for lunch without permission from your parents is NOT allowed. Students with vehicles are NOT allowed to take students off campus without written permission from that student’s parent that is on file with an Assistant Director.
If students follow the guidelines above there will be “ZERO” issues with heat related illnesses Parents please help to monitor and encourage your child to hydrate before, during and after each rehearsal, this includes at dinner at home with the family.
Marching Band students are athletes who practice outdoors under conditions that expose them to dehydration, heat exhaustion and sunstroke. We want to optimize our rehearsal time outside and students who maintain proper hydration are able to concentrate better and are more productive. In order to get the most out of your Band Camp experience, it’s important to be prepared. Listed here are some ways to make sure that you stay in tip-top shape during Band Camp.
Physicals & Rankonesport:
· All students must have completed a Sports Physical. The original signed form must be turned into the Foster Athletic Trainer prior to the first day of band camp. Her office is in the field house or the form can be turned into the front office and placed in her mailbox. Make sure it is properly completed and signed.
· www.rankonesport.com – Visit this website and complete the required forms.
Here is how you do it:
· Top Right – Click on “Fill Out Electronic Forms”
· Select Your State “TX”
· Select your school district “Lamar Consolidated School District”
· Click on “Start Online Forms”
· If you completed these forms last year Click on “Yes, Sign In” & Log-In
· If you are new to rankonesport Click on “No, Create New Account”
· Once you are in, you will need your student’s ID #. Follow the prompts and sign and or initial all of the documents
Both the Physical and the Forms on RankOneSport must be completed before students will be allowed to participate with the Foster Marching Band.
PLEASE do this before Percussion/Guard or Band Camp.
Summer Conditions:
· Wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Bring your sunscreen with you to re-apply during breaks.
· Wear a hat: baseball cap preferred.
· Wear sunglasses
· Wear light colored clothing – shorts are HIGHLY recommended. (Dry-Fit or Moisture Wicking Recommended)
· Always wear socks and tennis shoes (no sandals or flip flops)
· Bring a Towel to lay your instrument down on the ground.
· Expect high temperatures and humidity!
· Always have your water jug (with ice) ready for rehearsal before arriving
Student Pick-up/Drop-off/Parking
The safety of our students is of the utmost importance! We will end rehearsals ON-TIME at 6:00 pm; however, Dismissal is quite involved and takes time. All students are required to assist in the breakdown of the rehearsal and preparation for the next day.
· Band Camp begins each morning at 8:00 am. That means we are outside on the field beginning rehearsal at 8:00 am.
Students should arrive at least 15 minutes before that to drop off their supplies for the day and arrive with their water jug
ready to go (students are NOT allowed to fill their water jugs up in the band hall in the mornings. Please do this at home before).
· Students will be allowed to refill their water jugs w/ice for the outside afternoon block during the 2nd week of camp.
· Band camp will end at 6:00 pm each day with the exception of Rock-a-Thon on August 3rd which will end earlier at 3:00 pm
so students have time to go home and prepare for the lock-in.
· At the conclusion of rehearsal at 6:00 pm – certain section will be assigned to help bring equipment inside the band hall from
the field and to clean and organize the band hall for the next day of camp.
· Additionally some section leaders may call a short section meeting before dismissal.
· Drum Majors and Section Leaders will always be the last group to leave from camp
· Please AVOID parking along the No Parking Fire Lane/ Walk Way that leads to the band hall. It makes it difficult to push equipment
back inside the band hall from the rehearsal field. And we want to avoid equipment coming off the sidewalk and damaging a vehicle
parked in the way. (This has happened in the past)
· Please park in a parking spot in the student parking lot outside of the band hall as to leave the sidewalk cleared for students
to move equipment and safely walk to the band hall.
· ALL students are REQUIRED to be picked up outside the band hall and not at any other location at the school
(including in front of the auditorium).
This allows the directors to know that all students have been picked up before we leave for the evening.
· Please avoid coming into the band hall during dismissal. We have equipment moving into the band hall and students exiting.
It is quite crowded and we want to move as quickly and efficiently as possible. And as much as we love parent help, the students
will be trained on how to properly break down and move the equipment and will need to be the ones doing this. (It builds character!)
· Please arrive at Foster Band Hall to pick up your child no later than 6:30 pm or make arrangements to have someone pick them up,
or ride home with another band parent. Believe it or not, the band directors are also tired and would like to go home as well.
· Above ALL please be PATIENT with the process. Everything we do has a purpose. We have a lot of students to take care of and
manage. There is Logic to the Chaos.
Must Have Equipment for Band Camp:
· Flip Folder with 10 pages for music (Will be used the 1st Day!)
· Lyre (make sure you get the correct one for your instrument)
o Tubas/percussion do not need a lyre
· Valve Oil, Reeds, Correct Mouthpiece for your instrument (see below)
o Trumpets – Bach 3C
o Mellophones – (provided by Foster Band)
o Trombones – Bach 5G
o Baritones – Shilke 51G
o Tubas – Helleberg or Perantucci 50
· Instrument in working condition
o All Woodwind Instruments should have a PC (Playing Condition) done on them at least once a year.
o Any of the local music stores can do this and provide you a quote before the work is done. It is usually not very
expensive and will make sure that the instrument is in good working condition.