03/07/2010 * Fall Show Host Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes from Show Host Meeting Feb. 20^th, 2010

In attendance:

Ray Severns, NWAPA Fall Vice President

Tom Mosher, Pacific Coast Invitational

Danny Orrantia, McKenzie Classic

Kelly Lowry, Century Showcase

Jeff Savage, Southridge Sound Spectacular

Marvin Cruickshank, Sunset Classic

Absent:

                Rob Sullens, NWAPA President (Proxy Representative, Ray Severns)

                Ron Comfort, NWAPA Winter Vice President (Proxy Representative, Ray Severns)

                Noelle Hamblin, NWAPA Treasurer (Proxy Representative, Ray Severns)

                Kevin Soon, NWAPA Secretary (Proxy Representative, Ray Severns)

                Pride of the Northwest, Grants Pass High School (Proxy Representative, Ray Severns)

                Festival of Bands, University of Oregon (Proxy Representative, Ray Severns)

 

The meeting was called to order at 2:00 pm

1.       Consistent Show Scheduling requirements need to be formalized and placed into the handbook, see below

a.       The first show of the year is last Saturday of September

b.      The NWAPA Marching Band season will extend 6 consecutive weeks

c.       No more than 2 shows on a given weekend

d.      Shows must be at least 150 miles apart in a given calendar week

e.      Seniority/Priority order for show scheduling will be based on the number of consecutive years the show has been in existence immediately prior to the current season as follows:

                                                               i.      University of Oregon

                                                             ii.      Pacific Coast Invitational

                                                            iii.      Sunset Classic

                                                           iv.      McKenzie Classic

                                                             v.      Pride of the Northwest

                                                           vi.      Century Showcase

                                                          vii.      Southridge Spectacular of Sound

f.        New show host applications must be submitted and reviewed by the NWAPA board and brought before the show host membership for approval before being placed on the calendar

a.       A consistent judging panel of the highest possible experience and quality level based on their national profile in judging the pageantry activities including but not limited to DCI, BOA, WGI, and the various marching band circuits across the country; or their training provided by our judging coordinator. Judges are evaluated based on the following:

                                                         i.            Previous experience on the national stage at marching pageantry events

                                                       ii.            Training and experience in giving high quality and positive commentary

                                                      iii.            Training and experience in numbers management for competitive marching pageantry

b.      A set of rules and regulations based on having the highest quality, properly leveled, and consistent competitive marching events possible

c.       High quality scoring and tabulation day of the event

d.      Evaluation sheets providing evaluation and scoring in appropriate captions consistent with similar pageantry events nationally

e.       Advertising for the show on the NWAPA website

f.        Fee collection and dissemination

g.       A consistent platform for entering a show

2.       3 year Championships Plan

A.      The University of Oregon needs to be championships when it is available on the last Saturday of our season based on the guidelines outlined above. The following is the rationale for that decision:

a.       Autzen Stadium is the most appropriate venue for championships available in our area due to:         

                                                                           i.      The availability of parking for both spectators and member units

                                                                         ii.      The height of the box

                                                                        iii.      The size of the front size spectators stands and covered viewing area

b.      The University of Oregon has budgetary and cost expectations for facility use necessitating the highest number of possible entrants

c.       The experiences students have in performing on a Major Universities field is unparalleled

B.      Therefore the following were created as the guidelines for selecting championships. This will be brought before the membership for discussion and inclusion into the bylaws at the meeting in August 2010, to begin in the 2010 season.

a.       Championships is the Festival of Bands when the stadium is available

b.      Championships in the other years will follow the seniority/priority order listed above in the show scheduling area except that the Sunset Classic will be moved to last in the rotation due to their relatively recent opportunity to host an NWAPA/NWMBC championships

C.      Concerns over venue for Championships

Due fact that most venues are not appropriate for an NWAPA championships which generally include 25 to 30 bands, when Festival of bands is not the venue, a venue proposal and plan must be submitted to the board at the previous year’s August meeting (proposal for 2011 venue plan must be submitted by August, 2010). This plan must address the following

a.       Spectator seating  must be adequate for 8,000 to 10,000 spectators

b.      Box height must be appropriate for quality evaluation

c.       Central location relative to the majority of the circuit membership should be considered

d.      Parking/Equipment Storage Areas must be adequate for 25 to 30 bands

e.      Warm-Up areas must be of adequate size and relatively close to the venue without being a distraction to the audience and judges

D.      Possible appropriate venues were discussed and debated. The possibility of venues in Vancouver, WA; Salem, OR and the Portland metro area were discussed as possibilities.

E.       Proposed/Tentative Event Schedule for 2010, 2011 and 2012

 

 

 

3.       The “customer service” of show sponsors

General discussion on customer service at NWAPA shows including expectations regarding signage, show staff interactions with bands, parking requirements, warm-up areas and restroom facility availability. The basic expectations of NWAPA show sponsors were outlined as follows:

a.       Obvious and useful signage

                                                               i.      First it must be clear that a marching band show is happening at the stadium stadium

                                                             ii.      Spectator parking vs. Unit Parking must be clearly marked

                                                            iii.      Traffic flow patterns are to be clearly marked throughout with student safety regarded of the highest concern – high traffic walking areas should not have high traffic auto interference.

                                                           iv.      Flow patterns to and from warm-up areas should be clearly marked

                                                             v.      Flow patterns in and out of pit and prop staging and performance areas should be clearly marked

b.      Restroom availability

                                                               i.      We asked that show sponsors make restroom facilities (porta-potties) available in the band bus and truck parking area. Anticipate peak use and we are looking for enough so the lines are not more than 5 people long during peak use times.

                                                             ii.      We asked that a facility be available in or near the warm-up area, preferably within line of sight to most of the warm-up area.

                                                            iii.      We discussed that having to go all the way to the stadium for restroom needs was generally unacceptable.

c.       Volunteer to Band Staff interactions

                                                               i.      Those shows who choose to allow extra passes for volunteers are greatly appreciated

                                                             ii.      We discussed the high stress position band directors are in on show day and how touchy they can be. We discussed the need to continue reminding band directors to remember they are dealing with volunteers who are also often under stress. We discussed how band directors can get into their instructional “coaches” voice and appear aggressive or angry when they are in this state, often when they do not intend to come off this way. We recommended clear interactions upon first arrival, especially in regard to changes from the norm regarding warm-up areas and band entry rules.

                                                            iii.      Updates to the sponsor handbook were discussed with regard to this area. Show sponsors need to be made better aware of our rules regarding field entrance and set-up.

                                                           iv.      We had a discussion of prop movers and pit helpers and how people who bring equipment in sometimes are unpaid and do not exit with their host band. Some ideas we discussed included:

Restructuring of passes. In addition to our current rule (1 pass per every 8 members or a minimum of 12 passes):

1.       Creation of a “band director” pass – 1 per band, which would allow the holder to enter the any show venue; be on field level or in the stands; and allow for interactions with the NWAPA representative, show sponsor, timing/penalties adjudicator, etc. as needed.

2.       Creation of a prop-mover pass which would be specific to each band. This pass would allow the holder to enter and leave through the pit entrance gate and/or the performer entrance gate for only their designated band. The show site would have a viewing area close to the field level that these pass holders may sit in for the duration of their band only. The number of passes is in question is open for debate.

4.       Concerns over NWAPA Micromanagement were discussed

NWAPA Board members and people close to them in the judges/press box area. The question of whether this is proper was raised and discussed. While it is clear that NWAPA board members should have access to the judges coordinator and show sponsor, their interactions with judges immediately before or during the contest – especially if they have competing bands in the contest is inappropriate. In addition NWAPA board members should not be watching the contest from the box level unless a designated NWAPA board or general band director viewing area is designated in the press box area. NWAPA formally requests that such an area be provided if possible at a show venue.

5.       Annual show sponsor/NWAPA fall membership meeting schedule set

a.       Sunday of OMEA in February – NWAPA board and U of O band staff lunch meeting

b.      2^nd Saturday of June – Fall Show Sponsors and NWAPA board meeting (afternoon)

c.       3^rd Saturday of August – General membership meeting (afternoon), fall show sponsor meeting (morning)

d.      1^st Saturday of December – General membership meeting (afternoon), fall show sponsor meeting (morning)

6.       Future petitions for show sponsors

It was discussed future petitions for fall NWAPA shows would be reviewed by the board and discussed with the show sponsors before implementation.

7.       Possible Expansion of NWAPA scope –

a.       Tom Mosher discussed creation of a “parade” band show format and we discussed the possibility of having a “standstill” or “parade” band competition between the show band competitions prelims and finals. It was discussed as having merit but likely not in the best interest of NWAPA at this time.

*Tom Mosher is putting together an exploratory committee to discuss this and create a show format and consistent judging criteria and format for such an event. If you are interested contact Tom at ab7nv@yahoo.com

b.      Ray Severns discussed creation of a one round band show format as follows:

*Ray Severns is putting together an exploratory committee to discuss this and create a show format and consistent judging criteria and format for such an event. If you are interested contact Ray at rayseverns94@yahoo.com

8.       Website issues: Difficulties in the use and dissemination of information using the website were discussed.

a.        #1 priority needs to be creation of an events calendar link, a schedule of events is not good enough

b.      Show sponsors want a way to see the biographical information the band directors create for their programs and contact information

9.       Finances update

Show sponsors were asked to review their books and let us know if their finances are even with NWAPA including the fines for bands pulling out.

a.       Sunset – Is checking but believes they are current with NWAPA

b.      PCI – Confirmed that they are current with NWAPA

c.       PNW – Unknown

d.      U of O – Unknown

e.      Southridge – Unknown, checking on it

f.        Evergreen – $150 in pull out fees are due, they have not received a check

g.        Century – Unknown, checking on it

10.   Assurity Bond Discussion

Beginning Fall of 2010 a $200 assurity bond will need to be paid by each member unit above the membership fee and show entries. This bond will cover any fines garnered by a unit. This assurity bond is fully refundable and may be carried season to season and year to year at the discretion of the band director. A member unit may not compete in an NWAPA sanctioned event unless the assurity bond account for their band contains a minimum of $200. If a band has a fine garnered, the assurity bond must be replenished before the next contest in which that band competes.

*Ron Comfort put this forward in the 2009 winter wrap up meeting and it was discussed at the 2009 fall and winter meetings. This will be expected beginning with the fall 2010 fall marching season.

 

11.   Show schedules presented in a timely manner

Danny Orrantia asked for schedules for NWAPA shows to be posted at least 2 weeks in advance. His frustrations with the current winter season were specifically voiced. This was discussed and the realities for show scheduling were expressed and Ray Severns promised to make every effort to get schedules out about 2 weeks in advance.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 pm.