Same thing happened with Martinsville's band at Chatham this year. The ref told our coaches if the band continued to play during game action that we'd be hit with an unsportsmanlike penalty. All the coaches came to the fence between the bleachers and field and were telling the band and the director to stop playing. Been going to games for a long time and had never seen this happen.
Glass band
- Thread starter wikki
- Start date
Salem travels to every game and the band has probably 150 members. (Big for this area with mostly 4A schools or smaller)
The official should've been reported to the VHSL (or even that association's commissioner) by the coach or AD after the game to make sure it doesn't happen again.
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I've looked in the NFHS rule book and the VHSL sportsmanship guideline and the only thing I can find about the band is that it can not play when the NFHS rules say it can't play (where it is not mentioned for football).
Maybe this question should be posed in the rules question forum? It looks like there are a couple of refs on there that answer questions.
It's intentionally left out of the rules book for football. There is no NFHS rule or VHSL guideline against a band playing at any point in a football game, and that's exactly why an official has no authority on this issue. Officials govern based only on the rules book (and certain parts of the VHSL handbook). Site administration is allowed to deal with this issue in any manner that they see fit.
So if there is no rule against it and the ref's can't say anything about it, what exactly are the the AD's reporting to the VHSL?
..... The coach and/or AD should have reported to the VHSL and/or association commissioner the official who threatened to throw a penalty flag on the band, since that is not within his authority.
Gotcha. I thought you meant that they should have reported the band. My mistake.
I can see how that happened. I edited the previous post so it makes sense now.
I think you meant VHSL Handbook, which only says that they must be in accordance with the NFHS rules book. There is no such rule for football, only indoor sports like basketball. Since there’s no rule, it’s left up to the site director. Refs can’t do, and shouldn’t do, anything about bands playing.
Salem is one of the nicest bands I’ve seen outside of northern va
Quoted from the "Ask the Officials" forum.
There is no NFHS football rule or VHSL standard for football regarding bands or any artificial noisemakers. Officials aren’t the authority on what bands can and cannot do. That lies with site admins.
There is no NFHS football rule or VHSL standard for football regarding bands or any artificial noisemakers. Officials aren’t the authority on what bands can and cannot do. That lies with site admins.
No other way to describe them than AWESOME.
Mike, are you sure the band only has about 150 members? Look bigger than that.
Amherst band director will wave his hands immediately when play starts. They only play during timeouts, end of plays and when we score, no other time.
I think it's about 180 this year. 150 is on the lower end of enrollment for them usually.
They do well now but years back they were even bigger and better. A bit more relaxed now in many aspects than they used to be but back in the day they never missed a game period and were always in uniform and always performing.
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There are bands in my area that does that as well. They will play right up until they get to the line of scrimmage or go into a huddle
Yeah I was trying to count them at halftime for one of the games, but with them moving it was kind of impossible. I was conservatively guesstimating, but 180 sounds reasonable.
JF has the largest over 200. Heritage had over their half quit because of the band director.
The band director was telling me about it, don't think he would make it up, seemed pretty worked up about it.
In those situations, all you can do is follow what the referee says for that game. Then afterwards, make sure the AD files a complaint with the VHSL saying the official was "outside of his jurisdiction" to try and control the band, as we talked about previously in this thread.
At HSHS, we expect our loud and obnoxious band to play loud! That'st what you do! Create as much noise and distraction as possible for the opposition! Ever heard of the "12th Man"? That's what they, we, the student section and the cheerleaders are! Ever see a Texas A&M game? Watch one, better yet, go to one! You'll be part of the 12th man on their field!
Exactly! I played in the Glass band during my years in high school. I do remember playing while the other team was on offense. Its called homefield advantage. Amherst won so what was the point of this thread?
Someone from the another team playing Amherst sees this and you know they will take advantage of it.
I heard the cheerleaders from GW have been working on the "2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate" cheer all week.... Surely that will make them jump offsides...
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If the defense jumps off sides, that's not the cheerleader's fault here! It would be because they allowed themselves to be distracted and weren't watching the ball like they are supposed to! That's the whole idea. The undisciplined will jump! The well trained won't!
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