Football Games

The Spartan Marching Band performs during the game (pepband) and half times of the home varsity football games at Maxx Marr Stadium at Berthoud High School. 

On football game days, the band has a short practice immediately after school. They do not have time to go home and will need to bring everything they need in the morning so their duffle bag should be packed with the following:

• • • Black athletic shorts or pants to be worn under the bibbers. This depends on the weather, and it does get colder as the season progresses.
      
      

    • Show Shirt
      
      

    • Black crew (or taller socks)
      
      

    • Marching shoes
      
      

    • Garment bag (containing marching uniform and all parts)
      
      

    • Flip folder with music and lyre (if they are using one)
      
      

    • Water jug (fill it about 3/4 full of ice and then add water and they will still have cold water and some ice after school)
      
      

    • Instrument and any accessories (valve oil, sticks, cleaning materials, etc)
      
      

    • Anything else they might need (fanny pack, deodorant, sunscreen, sunglasses, etc).

Itinerary

Itineraries for football games will be published through SportsYou App and emailed out at the beginning of that week. Itineraries will include schedule for the day, dinner information, and reminder for volunteer needs for the game. Our band doesn't travel to away games, however we might travel in the future.

Uniforms

Likewise if the hem on their bibbers comes undone, or if they feel their uniform is just not fitting right, they need to notify one of the uniform parents. The kids will know who they are after getting fitted in the summer. Any chaperone can also help them. 

For the “OH NOOO, I FORGOT…!” Don’t worry! It happens. We have a few loaner items and shoes in the uniform room. We do not have enough for everyone nor do we have all shoe sizes, but we can cover most needs.

When the Band travels to a competition, students are required to have all parts of their uniform in the garment bag, shoes and their separate bag of other equipment. We do not send home the shakos (hats), and students will need to grab those from the band room before the final bus loading. 

Dinner

Your band fee covers most meals at marching competitions, IT DOES NOT COVER MEALS BEFORE FOOTBALL GAMES. In the past, we have ordered a catered order from a local restaurant for the students to pay for. For instance, $10.00 covers a box meal from Chick-fil-a. Participation isn't required - some students bring lunch and dinner to school in the morning. The Boosters are working on obtaining sponsors to cover the fees for food on home football games. Stay tuned for more information about this - and if you would like to help find more sponsors for the band, please email bhsspartanmusic@gmail.com.

DoorDash, UberEats, and other delivery services are not recommended due to the complexity of the delivery location and the schedule of the evening.

Fun for Families Too!

Families have just as much fun in the stands on game night as the kids! Show your band spirit by wearing any Berthoud Spartan gear or show shirt. The band will sit on the east side of the stands, and you can sit wherever you want at the games. It is enjoyable to see them having fun together. Game nights are also another fun opportunity to get to know the other band parents. Also, make sure you bring a clear bag since the majority of stadiums have a clear bag policy.

We will need help for every home football game, whether it's the chaperone that attends to the students and assists the Director, or with the Pit Crew. The Pit Crew assists the band in getting equipment on and off the field at halftime. We start moving the equipment at the last half of second quarter to the visitor side of the stadium, to enter the field from the back. We then take the equipment off the east endzone - large percussion and props get put in the shed, and the drum line equipment goes back to the stands.

The students have 3rd quarter off, and they are required to stand while in the stands during the 1st, 2nd and 4th quarters. The goal is to have the band match the student section. Please do not go into the band area in the stands or contact your student via cellphone - they are in class. While your student is having fun, they are under the guidance of the directors and have rules and a schedule to follow. Also, do not buy them food during the first half of the game or during 4th quarter, they are not allowed to have food while they play their instruments. 

Theme nights at the game

The student body will often have a theme night for the home games. For this game the students typically dress with that theme, which makes it difficult for the band who are in their assigned band uniform. We do our best to include ourselves in the student section fun. Any accessories (necklaces, bandanas, sunglasses, tiaras, bracelets, etc) must be taken off for the halftime performance.

​After an Event

After a football game, students march together back to the band room. Once the entire band is in the room, they put their shakos (hats) in the assigned boxes, gather their personal belongings and can head home. We do not change out of our uniforms at the school. 

After a competition, the entire band unloads the truck of all props and instruments at the end of the long day. This is a team effort and it goes MUCH faster when the entire band stays to help carry things back into the school and to the storage pod at BHS. AFTER the truck is unloaded, personal belongings are removed from the bus, and all band items are locked up, students are dismissed.

Please keep in mind, while you may see the buses return to the school, it usually takes another 30-40 minutes to unload instruments and props. Often, the parents will help unload so we can all go home quicker. 

​HOMECOMING WEEK

Homecoming week is a big event at Berthoud High and the students are involved in several event throughout the week. We do have scheduled practices during the week, with the exception of the Wednesday due to the Homecoming Parade.

Parade: Wednesday, downtown Berthoud.

• • • The most important thing you need to know is that the band is one of the groups leading off the Homecoming Parade. So, if you want to see them, be sure to look at the beginning of the groups. The parade takes place on Mountain Avenue, starts at 6:00 pm at the 2nd street and moves west and then south on 8th street to end at the school. The students will walk down to the parade staging area together around 5:15 pm after heavy instruments are loaded into cars for delivery.
      
      

    • Participation and attendance in the Marching Band for the parade will be grade dependent. Please check with the Director about options, but please note, Marching Band is a class with grades.
      
      

    • Since the parade ends at the school, that is where you will pick up your student around 6:45 pm -  7:00 pm. Please note: Spartan Avenue and the parking lot at Berthoud High School will be full and very busy with parade floats arriving constantly. Make arrangements with your student to meet you where it is convenient to your family.

Football Game: Friday

• • • Introduction of the Homecoming court can be either before the game or at halftime, depending on the schedule that is done by the athletic staff. The band will perform at halftime at the game like normal. Details will be communicated the week of homecoming.

Dance: Saturday Night and competition scheduling issues

• • • For some years, depending on when homecoming lands, it could be on a band competition day.  The band directors will decide if they will stay for the finals of the competition or come home for the kids to go to the homecoming dance. The Spartan Marching Band is a competitive band and attendance of competitions is important for judge feedback. If the decision is made to stay at the competition and not have the kids attend homecoming, while some of the band students are disappointed that they can’t go to the dance, the majority are much more excited about competing.