It’s Show Time!

For many performers the hardest part of the performance is controlling the nerves you feel prior to and during the performance.

What Could Have Been…

Monday, it looked bad. Tuesday it looked worse and by Thursday it looked terrible. MEPA shows are rarely canceled so the idea that we may have to do that was not something I wanted to think about. While it is inconvenient for units, it’s catastrophic for the show sponsor and our circuit. Flights still have to be paid for, judges paid, food and trophies purchased, and many more costs. The right thing ended up happening, though. The safety and well being of all of our units is far more important than money.

Bellbrook wasn’t looking much better on Saturday. Roughly half of the registered units were forced to cancel their performance. I’m sure that those units that were performing this weekend were tired of seeing my name in their e-mail box because often, it was more bad news or schedule changes.

What could have been, never happened, though. Directors could have been far less flexible as things changed. Even at 10:00PM on Saturday, I was texting people changing their performance times to avoid classes being split by large amounts of time. Fans could have stayed home instead of attending the Bellbrook show, and judges and other contest personnel could have used the weather as a reason to not battle the elements. In short, directors were patient, fans came out enough to fill the stands twice, and all judges and personnel were there. What could have been a logistical disaster ended up running smoothly.

On top of all of that, watching performances today made me see again this week what judges said to me last weekend. Our units are some of the best in the country. We are setting standards in the activity and all over the nation, we are being talked about. Hearing that from judges who travel the country reminded me of what we have in MEPA and what we have to continually work hard to preserve.

Thank you to everybody who worked with me to make what could have been much worse in to something great. I would like to say that I’m smart enough to make all of this work out but it’s all of us working together that makes MEPA as great as it is. The board of directors are incredible, our judges association and their leadership is invaluable, and our directors and show sponsors are flexible even when it is inconvenient for them.

Snowy Weekend

It’s a snowy weekend and sadly, one show has already been canceled. Here are a few announcements for the weekend.

1.) MEPA Apparel sales will begin at Bellbrook this Sunday. I have posted the designs online for everybody to see. We have 3 designs as well as many more colors than last year. We also have sweat pants this year. 100% of proceeds go directly back to MEPA.

2.) The MEPA Scholarship application is now online. We would like to see a record number of performers apply this year. The application is easier than it has ever been.

We hope to see you at Bellbrook on Sunday!

Tim

Scholarship Application Now Online

The 2010 MEPA Scholarship Application is below. The deadline for this application is March 1st.

MEPA Apparel Designs Released

MEPA is proud to release this year’s apparel designs. Last year there was one design in multiple colors. This years, there are three designs in even more colors. Along with T-shirts and hoodies like last year, we’re also adding sweat pants. Click on the links below to see the designs. Each shirt has a front and back and the sweats have the MEPA logo printed on the left leg. Prices are as follows:

T-shirts: $14
Hoodies: $26
Sweats: $22

Other circuits hire people to sell their merchandise allowing money to leave the circuit. MEPA sells all merchandise by volunteers meaning that 100% of the profits made from the sales of merchandise are used to benefit our members. You will not only look good, you’re supporting your circuit and by supporting your circuit, you’re keeping costs down for your unit. Merchandise will be on sale at selected shows and at circuit championships.

Design #1
Back of shirt
Design #2
Design #3

“Conduct Becoming”

Your conduct off the field/floor is as important, if not more important, than your performance.  As members of a competitive ensemble, you are ambassadors of your school and community.  Your individual performances, sportsmanship and conduct both on and off the field will shape the impression others have of your entire organization.  It is important to represent your organization with pride and professionalism.  Here are a few things to keep in mind!

RESPECT

Respect should be the value at the heart of all of the decisions you will make as a participant and spectator at a competition.  If you show respect to others you will earn their respect in return.  The behaviors listed below all demonstrate respect.

Remain Quiet and Attentive During Performances

Nothing feels worse than to be in the middle of a performance and realize that people in the stands aren’t paying attention, or worse to see them laughing or giggling and think they’re laughing at you!  We all know that it takes a lot of hard work and preparation in addition to a good dose of courage to get out there and perform at a competition.  Think about how you would like spectators to behave while you are performing.  You want to see them paying attention, smiling, enjoying your performance.  Support your fellow performers by being a great spectator and giving them a chance to show you what they’ve been working on!

Do Not Enter or Exit the Stands During a Performance

This is distracting to both audience members and performers.  Don’t do it!  Many contests have monitors who rope off the stands or close the doors during performances but even if they do not, it’s a good idea to stay put during a performance!

Do Not Make Negative Commentary at a Competition

We all know how hurtful it feels to hear someone say something negative.  It feels even worse when you have spent as much time preparing for your performances as we do in color guard.  Even if you think no one can hear what you say, you never know whose Grandma, Mom and Dad, or friend is sitting just a few rows away.  You’d be surprised how voices can carry!  Keep any negative commentary to yourself and focus on the positives.  Not only will you avoid hurting someone’s feelings, you will be demonstrating good sportsmanship and you may learn a few things along the way about what makes a great performance!

Clean Up After Yourself

Not only should we show respect to our fellow performers but also to the parents, spectators and staff who run the contests we attend.  No one likes to clean up a huge mess and it reflects poorly on your team if you leave one behind.  Instead, go out of your way to leave the areas you visit better than they were when you arrived.  Take a moment to pick up your own trash or even a stray piece left behind by someone else.  You and your team will earn a reputation of being considerate and respectful.

Sportsmanship

Good Sportsmanship should be a primary goal of every competitor.  We all recognize the hard work that goes into preparing for a competition.  We all can relate to the excitement that accompanies a great performance.  It is important to be able to show your appreciation for the activity, your respect for the work that all competitors bring to the arena and your ability to be gracious even in moments of disappointment.  Here are some behaviors that demonstrate good sportsmanship.

Wish Other Ensembles a Good Performance

You may be thinking, “If I want to win, why would I wish the other team luck?”  Perhaps you’ve found yourself secretly hoping the other team “messes up.”  The truth is, a victory is not as sweet when you know it was only due to someone else’s mistake.  Aside from that, we all know how awful it feels to make a mistake in public performance.  We shouldn’t wish that feeling on anyone!  Wish everyone a great show, and then if someone comes out ahead of you, admire their achievement and let their performance motivate you to work even harder for the next show.

Applaud for every group

This one needs no explanation.  Be a great spectator!

Be Gracious both in Disappointment AND Excitement

Most think about sportsmanship in terms of dealing with disappointment.  You should always be gracious even when disappointed with the outcome of a competition.  Smile, congratulate the winner, and put aside your disappointment until you get back to the bus.  No one likes to see a sore loser and your team will earn a negative reputation for sour faces at awards retreats.  Again, thinking back to the value of respect, show respect to your competitor for a job well done and treat them as you would like others to treat you when you come out on top.

Good sportsmanship should also be demonstrated by the winner of a match-up as well.  Avoid “overdoing it” when celebrating your victory.  Be sensitive to the fact that there are others in attendance who worked equally as hard and may be disappointed.  Make sure to congratulate other competitors letting them know they also did a great job.  Try to think of something specific you enjoyed about their performance and let them know.  Finally, make sure that your cheering and celebrating at the announcement of your team’s results doesn’t mask the next group’s results.  Make sure everyone gets a chance to hear their name announced.

Gratitude

Finally, there are a lot of people that work really hard to make your team, trips and competitions run smoothly.  From parents to staff, bus drivers, judges, volunteers, floor crew, and student helpers, take the time to let them know they are appreciated.  They sacrifice a great deal of time and without them our activity would not be possible.

Take a moment to smile and say a simple, “Thank You.”  It really means a lot!

Strive to display both amazing skills during performances as well as impeccable sportsmanship and behavior at all other times and you will help to earn your team a reputation for excellence!