Football Game & Halftime Performance Basics

Most of our Home Games are at Huntington Beach High School. HBHS is on Main Street, just south of Yorktown. Our truck is parked at the end of the driveway between the auditorium and the stadium, you can drive back and drop your student off, or drop off on Main Street and they can walk back. There is no open parking in that area so you will have to park in another designated spot.

Parking is available on Main Street and in the HBHS parking lots. The entrance to the main HBHS lot is at the neon HBHS sign and take a short walk across the plaza and get to the area where the Band meets or stadium. Additional parking is available in the Civic Center across the street – be very careful about observing any posted parking limitations. If it is after hours, there is parking in the office building lot across Yorktown from City Hall (do not park in this lot if no parking signs are posted). It is not advisable to park in the Sea Cliff Shopping center as your car could be towed.

You can stick around and help other Band Volunteers, get a good seat or go over to the Seacliff center at Yorktown and Main for a variety of fast food choices – food is also available at the concession stand.

Tickets for parents or other family members can be purchased at the gate. For heavily attended games, like Bell (Fountain Valley HS) and CIF games you will need to buy your tickets at school in advance.

1. Roadies– See Roadie Duties
2. Chaperones – See Chaperones Duties
3. Water Brigade – See Water Brigade Duties
4. Papering and sectioning off the Band area in the bleachers. There has to be plenty of room for kids and instruments in the bleachers. Two to three volunteers are needed before the game to paper several rows in our designated section. The paper and bag with tape, scissors, caution tape, etc. are loaded on to the truck at load out. The papering volunteers meet at the truck at “call time” to retrieve the supplies then go directly to the stands through the back entrance. The amount of rows papered will depend on the size of the Band and Color Guard, usually 9 to 10 leaving 3 or 4 at the top and bottom for parents. The paper is rolled over the seats and taped just enough to keep them in place. If too much tape is used it is more difficult to remove. The volunteers stay with our section until the Band and Color Guard take their seats to make sure other spectators do not sit in our section. Papers should make sure all of the paper and tape is removed immediately following the game.

Only the students have designated seating, but most of the Band families sit below, above or next to the Band. We give them support and cheer them on and off the field.

The band may be requested to play the National Anthem prior to the game. In which case, the Band and Color Guard get into position at the west end of the field, and at approximately 15 mins before the game starts, they march onto the field and play the National Anthem. We have had a tradition of doing this with Sowers Middle School on Senior night. Once the Band has performed the National Anthem they will exit the field and march to the stands and take their seats. Normally we do not plume the hats for this pre game performance.

About half-way into the 2nd quarter the Band and Color Guard get ready to go onto the field. The Plume volunteers get in position and once they are given the O.K. by the Band Director, they put the plumes into the Aussie Hats. The kids take their positions at the end of the field, ready to march on when the team goes into the locker room for half-time. There will be some parents (Roadies) helping with the pit equipment on the field. A uniform volunteer stays at the end of the field to help with any emergencies.

For Band families, the most important part of the football game is the half-time show. Most get their snacks beforehand so they don’t miss anything. Depending on the schedule, the Dance/Drill may perform before or after the Band and Color Guard. The Band and Color Guard usually perform the Field Show, but at Homecoming and away games, the Band plays Pep Band music and doesn’t usually march in uniform. After the performance, the Band and Color Guard march off – the Booster parents applaud hysterically and the plume pluckers come in and remove the plumes for the evening.

The Band stands and plays the Edison Alma Mater. Band members take their instruments, lyres, flipbooks and Aussie Hats in bag, and walk across the field to the Band truck. Equipment is loaded in the truck. Volunteers remove the bleacher paper and tape. Then everyone goes home – except for the truck driver and other volunteers who go back to Edison to supervise the unloading of the truck with all of the percussion players and selected section leaders who put all the equipment away neatly.

Students should not leave the area without letting their Section Leaders or chaperones know. Pick up is usually at about 9:30 (if the game started at 7:00). Chaperones are required to wait until the last student is picked up.