i don't know if a whole tv show would really work but one of those MTV True Life documentaries would be good. sure, the majority are about drug addicts but there are others and the one that they did about cheerleading was pretty good actually. they should air finals on ESPN though...but we all know why cheerleading and dance teams get on and not corps. it's cuz there aren't any corps that are made up entirely of girls in either short skirts or tight uniforms...

Good to see everyone's noggin's runnin'! See, us drummer's aren't as dumb as we seem afterall! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />

Indoorperc: Olympic Stamp Collecting would kick arse!!!

JHS: It's not a sport if some participant down the line doesn't get paid? Thanks for playin' pal. You can pick up your consolation prize at the door. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" /> I don't have a PhD in sports of the world, but, are there Jai-Alai players that get paid? Racquetball? Squash? If there weren't would that mean you wouldn't consider them a sport? If not, come on over to Maryland and I'll school ya in racquetball! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" /> And do you consider receiving money as the only way of getting paid? I receive numerous benefits for playing snare for The Baltimore Raven's marching band. What if I could talk the Ravens into giving me a penny a season? Would I then be a professional marcher, thus casting marching band into "sporthood?" <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="images/icons/cool.gif" />

Drummergrl004: That's weird, especially since we're both in Maryland. Well then, I guess I can only speak for St. Mary's county. And you're right that there are rarely any clear winners at band or corps competitions. But, as you mentioned, the same can be said for figure-skating as well as many other Olympic sports. So this doesn't mean it can't be a sport.

Well, my brain hurts. Sayonara for now.

Wow Webmaster, you schooled on me. I was just thinkin of that, it's not like I'm actually going to wait for some DCI guy to pay me. I'll never be that good!! Anyways, I guess I was wrong about being payed to be a sport. But, if band can be considered a sport in so many ways, and there are so many other sports that meet the same qualifications as band and are sports but not contact sports, then why, after all these years of DCI, is band not a sport?

Webmaster, I think the academic eligibilty guidelines go by county. I'm not sure the conduct requirment is even county-wide - it might just be my school. They really ought to make that stuff state-wide...

Jen- I think the academic requirements for us are countywide but definitely not statewide. However, I know the other types of requirements aren't- like we don't do physicals, that sort of stuff like you said you guys do....and yeah, that does need to be state mandated....

What I mean Webmaster is that it's not considered a sport like Football or Soccer or Baseball is considered a sport. Band is considered a Fine Art, it's never been considered a sport no matter what definition you throw at it. Unfortunately, in our modern day society definitions are not always followed.

Hannah, we don't have to do physicals, but we do have to sign a form saying we are physically able to participate, blah blah blah. but that's definitly just our school.

Now that I think about it, the academic requirements might be just our school too. I'm really not sure. That should be countywide at least, though.

I think they should just do away with the conduct eligibility requirements. The policy is too broad and ends up getting a lot of people kicked out of extracurriculars that haven't done anything wrong.

When I was in my high school marching band here in NJ, We had to go to the physicals just like the football players, soccer players, and cheerleaders. I don't remeber anything about the eligibility requirements because I never had to worry about it.

Now turn your head a cough. This may feel a little weird...

COUAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Well, JHS didn't have to do physicals but we did have to have the Medical Release forms just like your school Jen. We had to tell about any disease or medication and we had to say that we were physically fit and that it was our fault if we weren't. Of course, no one ever fell over on the field (though I came close, lol) and definetly no one has EVER died (though, this one crazy lady did drive her car through the field because of the noise and almost hit some kids. It was all over the news).

They've also got the conduct stuff too. Our director put those there because he doesn't want one person acting out and making the rest of the band look bad. It's basically just no drinking no smoking and no sex anywhere around school or competitions or any other band related activity. I think it's kinda good cause it makes the band look like role models when half of them are really just potheads. <img border="0" alt="[20]" title="" src="graemlins/cwm20.gif" />

Well down here in the dirty south, the principal didn't give us any guidelines or conduct policies; and the band director is a straight up cake boy. So what happens to the band? Chaos ensues and the band sounds horrible. I wish the principal would get a clue...but maybe my uncle, who is the president of the state school board, can do something about it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />