NON COMPETITIVE MARCHING BAND

The "non-competitive marching band" distinction exists from the beginning of the school year only until Thanksgiving break. Non-competitive was created for students who wish to participate in the band all year long but for any of a number of reasons wish to limit their participation to (mostly) school hours. Non-competitive band students perform during home football games and parades, but not in tournaments.

Practices are held primarily during class time. When there is a home football game (Fridays), there is practice after school as well as the performance during the game. Students perform at the Poway Days parade on a Saturday in September as well as any Disneyland parade performances. Students perform at one evening concert in November. There is usually an evening rehearsal the night before.

Non-competitive practices during class time. Competitive adds Tuesday evening, Wednesday afternoon, and Saturday practices. Non-competitive performs during home football games, the Poway Days parade, and one concert in November. Competitive performs during home football games, the Poway Days parade, and several tournaments throughout the fall.

Practices are almost exclusively during school hours. No Saturday commitment for the fall semester, except for the Poway Days parade. More time for studying or other non-band related activities.

Competitive band students spend an incredible amount of time together during marching season. This naturally leads to a strong sense of community and fosters strong relationships and friendships. It is easy for a non-competitive student to feel left out of the loop. Encourage your student to join in and participate in as many activities as possible!

With little money from the state and district, the program relies heavily on donations from the parents. Without them we wouldn't have year-long coaching for every student, a field show, or concerts with lighting and props. We wouldn't have the money for transportation or entry fees to festivals and tournaments or instruments. We would have no Solo & Ensemble festival, which is the highlight of festival season. While nothing is mandatory, if every family makes a contribution then the program will continue to flourish and grow. If the donations received cannot cover these costs, the excellence of our program will be in jeopardy. Great thought has been given to dividing these costs fairly between our 4 groups (non-competitive marching, competitive marching, orchestra, color guard) based upon usage of funds. There are suggested amounts for each group on our donation page. They can be found in the pull-down menu under Coaching Donation. Not every family can afford these suggested amounts, so at the bottom of the donation page, you will find an Open Amount Donation option. In there, any amount can be entered. For your peace of mind, the directors have no information on who has donated or how much. The only person with access is the Booster Board treasurer and all information is kept completely confidential. Whatever the amount, consider doing what you can to help your child's musical experience be the best it can be!

No. If you go to the donation page, you will notice two big differences. First you will notice a Competitive Show donation. This money goes towards the costs of producing the field show: the music, tournament fees, and transportation. Non-competitive families are not asked to help with these costs. Second you will notice the non-competitive Coaching Donation is less than the competitive. Again, the difference is in the extra coaching required for competitive during tournament season. The cost of GOLD camp is also reduced for non-competitive students as they participate for a shorter day than the competitive student

The formal marching uniform is provided for every student. A pair of gloves is generally provided; lost gloves can be replaced for $5. In addition to that, each family will need to purchase a casual uniform (AKA travel uniform), short black socks, marching shoes (AKA Dinkles) and long black socks. The students are required to wear black t-shirts and black athletic shorts under their formal marching uniform but that requirement is very general and doesn't require purchasing anything special.

GOLD camp is only mandatory for competitive and color guard as they will begin to learn the field show. However, ALL students are encouraged to attend! This is a great time of fun and fellowship for all the students and where their sense of community begins. Every student who attends spends the afternoon learning new music. Section coaching also begins at camp. Once the provided dinner and the team-building activities are over, the non-competitive students leave for the day, and the competitive students remain and begin to learn their field show. Your child will participate in all activities while they are there. The cost for GOLD camp is adjusted for non-competitive students to reflect the shorter day.

Non-competitive band students do not perform at Westview's tournament. However the tournament is by far the biggest fundraiser for the program and benefits ALL students by defraying the costs of the year-long coaching staff. The volunteer need is enormous for this event! Therefore we encourage each GOLD family to donate 10 hours toward the tournament. This can include any related work done prior to or on the date of the tournament. Students who help can earn hours toward lettering, CSF (California Scholarship Federation) and NHS (National Honor Society) making it a great volunteer opportunity for non-competitive students.

The distinction between non-competitive and competitive is gone. All students begin working towards the same shows and festivals. But because the semester isn't over, the groups will still rehearse separately. In January when the semester changes, all students are split between the 3 concert bands in different periods and the distinction vanishes completely.

Join! Parents are strongly encouraged to join Westview GOLD Boosters. For $30 per family per year, you have a vote in matters pertaining to the program, you receive early access to GOLD show tickets, and a nifty license plate holder to display your GOLD pride! Volunteer! Westview GOLD would not be what it is without the hours of dedication of our fantastic parents. There are many opportunities to become involved, such as serving meals at band camp, chaperoning, building and decorating, and a whole lot more. Find your niche and become an integral part of this awesome GOLD family. Band Dads! Would you like to be adored by women and children alike? Westview GOLD's Band Dads are! These dedicated dads (Moms are welcome, too!) are at every event, setting up, moving equipment, and having a blast doing it. You are not expected to be on hand for every event (although some guys are), just come and lend a hand when you are able. For your service, you will receive the aforementioned adoration, the much-coveted Band Dads t-shirt, and free entry into the events you volunteer for. There are even rumors of "debriefing sessions" after the events are held!