{"id":4568,"date":"2021-03-12T10:49:58","date_gmt":"2021-03-12T15:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.musictravel.com\/blog\/?p=4568"},"modified":"2021-04-14T09:15:59","modified_gmt":"2021-04-14T13:15:59","slug":"rebuilding-your-program-after-a-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musictravel.com\/blog\/2021\/03\/12\/rebuilding-your-program-after-a-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Ready – Set – Recruit; Rebuilding your program after a pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"
Recruiting has never been more important than today. Driving down any interstate will guarantee three things: potholes, reckless drivers and plenty of billboards. From Big Macs to big rigs, hospitals to school corporations, the advertising world is fighting for your attention and your attendance. More than one year after the shutdown of every school activity, students are feeling the doldrums of too many meals at home, not enough social life and way too much parenting. Now is the time to up your recruiting game in the community as you work on rebuilding your program.<\/p>\n
Abolish Apathy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Current members have had months to relax, unwind and forget about the great times they had with their peers on a parking lot, on the stage or in a gym. They\u2019ve also found new friends in their neighborhood that may not participate in music activities. Your best advertising agent is your current member. Engage them and encourage their help in growing your numbers. Also, do what you can to incentivize their hard work.<\/p>\n
Fundraising companies learned long ago that if they wanted the students to sell more, they needed to give their reps, the students, rewards. Incentives like, \u201csell 20 or more items and get a giant bag of gummy bears,\u201d increased their return and was sure to give the seller belly aches for at least a few days. Try a bring a potential member to the call-out party and get a music department hoodie. Or coordinate a donation with a local fast-food joint and pass out $5 gift cards to your members for every new candidate that comes to the meeting.<\/p>\n
Back to School<\/strong><\/h2>\n
It\u2019s no secret that parents can\u2019t wait to send the kids back to school after a holiday or at the end of the summer. Obviously, that anticipation increases with each passing distance learning day. Get the parents involved in your efforts to get their children signed up and capitalize on the new smaller groups of neighbors.<\/p>\n
Our communities, as we once knew them, have changed from widespread across the county to several houses in the immediate neighborhood. Have your booster parents in housing additions host a meet and greet barbecue to let neighbors know they too are an important part of the program. The bond in local neighborhoods has never been stronger than it is today.<\/p>\n
\nMiamisburg (OH) Scholastic A Guard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
There really is no need to sugar-coat the number of rehearsals and time spent away from the home during the week or on weekends. The students are ready to get out and going about as much as the parents are happy to get them moving. Travel to a contest city or other destination has a brand-new appeal. Alleviate the challenges of transportation to and from the school by organizing a carpool on your Facebook page or website. Take every step to remove obstacles in the process of rebuilding your program.<\/p>\n
Start Sooner<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Many children fall in love with sports at a young age. It\u2019s no wonder we can\u2019t get them to drop those loves for a new activity when they turn 13. Starting feeder and youth programs will impact your ability to build. Lynsey Tyson, Guard Director of the Miamisburg HS (OH) Scholastic A and Sweethearts has been involved in these programs for more than 30 years, \u201cfirst watching my older sister perform, then as a performer, then instructor and finally director,\u201d she said. Sweethearts will perform 6-7 local shows while the A Guard attends 5-6 and one or two WGI Regionals in a typical season.<\/p>\n
The youth program, Sweethearts, was started in the early 2000\u2019s by former director, Cathy Barnes-Miller. Miamisburg A Guard is mainly for middle school students grades 6-8, but sometimes they do get high school students who are not ready to for the World Guard program or do not want the time commitment associated with the top tier group. \u201cMiamisburg Sweethearts is our elementary program. We take students in grades 1-5 into this program,\u201d Tyson said.<\/p>\n
The Miamisburg program thrives on members learning life lessons, even from a young age through color guard. Tyson said, \u201cWe talk about teamwork, hard work paying off, dedication and much more. We expect a lot from our performers and every year, they rise to our expectations and usually pass them.\u201d She continued, \u201cIt\u2019s pretty amazing that a group of 20 elementary school kids can learn a three-minute show and perform it with the confidence they do.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Sweetheart program is truly about falling in love with guard and gaining the confidence to perform. They learn skills but the skills are kept age-appropriate. \u201cWe\u2019d rather see them throw a single on rifle with technique and confidence than push them to a higher toss at their age. As our members grow into the A Guard, we start focusing more on the technical and detail-oriented sides of color guard,\u201d she said. \u201cStarting in a feeder program helps the members know the basics. The World Guard staff can then push the performers straight into intermediate and advanced level skills,\u201d Tyson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe talk about teamwork, hard work paying off, dedication and much more. We expect a lot from our performers and every year, they rise to our expectations and usually pass them.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Lynsey Tyson, director, Miamisburg HS (OH) Scholastic A Guard, Sweethearts<\/em><\/p>\n
Engage the Community<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Offer community color guard, dance team and percussion ensembles for the youth. It\u2019s never too early to start dancing, spinning a flag or tapping out some notes on a drum or practice pad. Current student leaders can help teach these young performers and encourage them to be a part of the group as they grow. These beginner groups don’t require a lot of hours of commitment. Both Miamisburg groups rehearse four hours a week during the fall switching in the winter season to 5-7 hours a week for the A Guard and two hours a week for the Sweethearts.<\/p>\n
\nUtilize social media banners to get your message out to potential members.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
Once you develop a learning plan for these ensembles, your regular rehearsal schedule might include summer camps. Once they’ve gotten started, get them out in the public at summer festivals or parades. Recitals are a perfect way to show off what the students have learned while perpetuating the cycle of recruitment. Miamisburg charges fees that are appropriate to cover budgets but that are still less than those charged by dance or gymnastic groups or little league baseball teams.<\/p>\n
![\"Miamisburg](\"https:\/\/www.musictravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ready-set-recruit-group-shot-2.jpg\")
![\"Miamisburg](\"https:\/\/www.musictravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ready-set-recruit-group-shot-1.jpg\")
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