I would like to preface by saying that this is an editorial. Usually we use this site to publish breaking news and sports coverage, but I’m changing the rules, if only for a moment.
To the referees of the October 7 football game and select RV and Monarch football players:
RE: Your inexcusable actions towards the Ralston Valley Marching Band
The marching band works extremely hard every year. They’re out practicing longer than the football team and they are so dedicated that they allow band to completely take over their lives for almost half of the year.
So, when they go out on the field to do their best routine in at least four years, they deserve a great deal of respect. And that means that they ought to be able to perform their full show.
That’s why it was extremely disrespectful, rude and downright disgraceful for the refs to run out on the field, blowing their whistles and signaling to Ralston Valley Drum Major Erica Kellenberger to stop her show short. How would you like it if during a game you were reffing, the band ran out and said, “Hey, you told us halftime would be one and a half minutes ago. Off the field!” during a football game? You’d probably be very unhappy. Yet, somehow, this was okay? Not cool!
But Kellenberger stood her ground. The student section began to cheer for her and the band and she directed her musicians through the entire show, which was phenomenal (and I’m told we didn’t see the full effect with props and everything).
Because of the band’s performance, the refs thought it fitting to flag Ralston Valley and penalize the football team 15 yards. So, some football players greeted the band members, who were quickly taking down their equipment and leaving the field, with a thorough cursing-out.
As representatives of Ralston Valley, that is not acceptable. Kellenberger doesn’t come down to the sidelines and call you dirty names, does she? No, instead she sticks to her job.
On the whole, the best part of the night was the band’s halftime show. Not only was it a well-composed, well-performed piece of artwork, but it showed that the student body of Ralston Valley doesn’t just care about football. We stand behind our performers and give them the support they deserve.
To the refs and those of you football players who don’t deserve to wear the RV jersey: for shame. Next time, try supporting your fellow students. And to those football players who didn’t join in the jeering: you get many thumbs up for allowing your classmates to show off their hard work. They have earned your respect, so make sure they get it.
Way to go marching band and serious points for Erica Kellenberger, who wasn’t intimidated.
I think it is very disgraceful that the refs alone would make this call. Interrupting their performance was rude, then calling out the football team 15 yards was extraneous. The football team should also NOT be upset for the marching band showing their full RVHS pride. (Was this the game that was being recorded and aired on tv next week??)
I completely agree. And I had no idea about the TV airing. I’d love to watch it again if you know when it is going to be aired.
A few things to say here:
First off, the fact that this story made the news, even school news, makes me very happy. It’s always nice to know that people really do care about marching band, and that at least a few people think we are important.
Second off, I must admit that I can’t lay any blame on the football team–while I was upset with them at first, I had to put myself in their shoes. If the band was penalized with one of our competitions fifteen points because of the football team (why we would, I haven’t a clue), I know that I (and the rest of the band) would be more then a bit upset. But there are several ways that the referee could have handled this better–had he gone off the side of the field and told Mr. Sawyer what was up, I’m sure we would have been happy to get off the field. But the second he blew his whistle and shouted “GET OFF THE FIELD” and just walked between our sets, he abandoned any respect for us–so why should we respect him?
I think everyone needs to be careful here. There is a set amount of time for the band to comduct out thier preformance, and apparently, that time was surpassed. The referee does have the authority to clear the field, but not in the manner in which he did it. As regard to the football players, it was a sad occurance and a poor display of school pride that certain players did use profain language towards fellow schoolmates, but none the less, the actions by the referees sparked this whole ordeal. Is it true that what happend was a sorry ordeal, but all in all, these people all go to the same school and should be working together, not bashing each other.
As students about to enter homecoming week, I’m sure people do not want any problems.
Also to the editor of a well conducted news paper, I was dissappointed at the bais which was contained in the artice above. Yes you have your own opinion and the right to create an editorial, but with a response to the event on your own site with such harsh criticism towards your fellow students is quite unacceptable, to say the least.
Dear Anonymous,
I’m not about to get defensive, but it does need to be pointed out that the band’s show went slightly (a minute or less) over the allotted time because of a technical error with the Ralston Valley Poms show. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, so the refs had absolutely no right to force the band off the field the way they did.
In response to your attack on me, I would like to point out that I made it perfectly clear that this was an editorial. I pointed out twice before the actual story even started that I would be editorializing. Moreover, I purposefully attached my name to the story, rather than posting it as being written by “RV Xpress,” which I have the ability to do. According to our editorial policies, all opinions are those of the listed writers, except in the case of unsigned editorials. This is a signed editorial and my name is attached to it. I mean everything I said, including those comments aimed at those football players who acted immaturely. I realize that the referee was initially in the wrong and that most of the football players were respectful (even if they were angry). But I am entitled to my opinion, and I am entitled to my right to publish it on RVHSnews.com or in the print Xpress if I so desired.
In all sincerity, thank you for actually reading the post and I encourage you, and all readers, to write a letter to the editor about this, and any other, issue by clicking here.
Miachel,
I apologige if you felt you were being attacked, that was not the purpose of the statement.
In regard to the alloted time, technical difficulties do happen, and yes the preformance did go over the time provided. These kind of things do happen quite often, and according to CHSAA, there is a time set for half-time, and a three minute period added to that for warm-ups or whatever is needed to be covered. I completely agree with your comments on how the situation was handled, in all aspects the referee was in the wrong on how he handeled the situation. He does have that authority to clear the field sadly, so under rules, he was in the right, but yet he was still very very wrong.
I appreciate your responses to the football team, but they were threatened of being penalized for something they had no control over, so it was only natural they be upset. Yet is was immature that some player felt it necessary to use profanity towards the band, so there I definately agree.
Thank you for the response.
• Michael,
I apologize if you felt you were being attacked, that was not the purpose of the statement.
In regard to the allotted time, technical difficulties do happen, and yes the performance did go over the time provided. These kinds of things do happen quite often, and according to CHSAA, there is a time set for half-time, and a three minute period added to that for warm-ups or whatever is needed to be covered. I completely agree with your comments on how the situation was handled, in all aspects the referee was in the wrong on how he handled the situation. He does have that authority to clear the field sadly, so under rules, he was in the right, but yet he was still very very wrong.
I appreciate your responses to the football team, but they were threatened of being penalized for something they had no control over, so it was only natural they be upset. Yet it was immature that some player felt it necessary to use profanity towards the band, so there I definitely agree.
Thank you for the response.
Anonymous-
Though there may be a set time for half-time, an additional 1 or 2 minutes won’t hurt anything. It was the last game of the day, so no other games were affected. Neither team was getting an advantage over the other; both would have had a slightly longer half-time, so it’s totally fair. The ref may have acted in the wrong but that doesn’t excuse the utter disrespect with which the football players treated the band. Those band members I know or have spoken with about this (admittedly not all of them, but most) would not have reacted in the same way. They would have been displeased, but certain football players were extremely rude to Erica, who certainly doesn’t deserve their contempt. I spoke with her after the band performance and she was livid, as she should have been. I know for a fact that many band members are writing letters to CHSAA regarding the disrespectful referees and I would urge everyone else to speak up somehow on this issue.
Mike, (if I may call you that)
I do not like the concept of CHSAA, for years, I have disagreed with their policies and continue to disagree with them. The fact is, they have rules, and they expect them to be followed. Yes, one or two more minutes would not hurt any other games and what not, but the time allotted for half-time, plus the three minute period is a definite rule. The football players were defiantly wrong, and I am sure those who were involved using the profanity will be punished accordingly, but as I mention in my first letter, the band and the football team should be working together to solve the issue within themselves and then working to involve CHSAA in the ordeal regarding the referees at the game, which as you suggested, I have already written.
Yes, you may call me Mike if you would like.
I think for the most part we are in agreement. I disagree on a couple points (such as that the refs had the right to cut the band short), but we are fundamentally saying the same thing. I would say that I agree that the band and football team should work together. The only snafu with that is the nature of high school. Everyone has their cliques and certain cliques or “popularity levels” (I use quotes because I think the elitism of high school is ridiculous) refuse to cooperate with those who they see as being below themselves. Not all football players fit this mold. I can think of multiple off the top of my head who do not, but plenty of football players and others who fit the “jock” mold treat the rest of us with contempt. Last year, we printed a caption that was unpopular with the football players because it showed them in an unfavorable light. Until they heard about the caption, many football players refused to pick up a copy of the Xpress. And then, when they picked it up, all they had to say was criticism against the writer, who is now Sports Editor, because he pointed out the obvious: something to do with that they hadn’t been playing very well. It’s the same with band. Some football players refuse to respect the band (or the newspaper or the choirs or the French club or even other sports teams). By no means is this restricted to football. Almost everyone diminishes the legitimacy of some other group, but in this example, I think the band would love to work with the football team to resolve the conflict. I just don’t think certain football players would be willing to support their classmates when they are perfectly happy blaming and cursing out Erica and the rest of the marching band.
Um, the Academy Awards run over almost every time, and these are professionals. This is high school football for cryin’ out loud, a game, and high school is a place for learning, not performing perfectly each and every time. Honest mistakes will be made. A couple of minutes is not the end of the world, and is not deserving of a 15 yard penalty, imposed on the team who had nothing to do with the minor infraction. Some folks take things waaay too seriously, and seems like everybody here found the wrong scapegoat.
I am part of the band, and I would like to say that I agree with the comments made above.
CHSAA does have their rules, which are naturally meant to be followed, and the referees had every right to give a penalty.
I can also understand the football players’ disappointment and it is easiest to push the blame onto those who caused the penalty – the band.
However, I am most shocked by the behavior of the referees. They should have maintained a professional behavior during this. Instead, they acted immature – and gave example to other high schoolers to act the same way. Their behavior was absolutely unexceptable.
I am also someone who constantly works to keep up the participation and awarness of non-athletic clubs and activities. I have high respect for football players and other athletes – I have many good friends on those teams. But I also know that so many other groups – the orchestras, the choirs, the community service groups – try to keep up the image of Ralston Valley. The marching band works extremely hard, both individually and as an ensemble, to represent the school, and I think we deserve to be treated with just as much respect as any other RV group. I would have hoped some of the football players (which I realize is not all of them, but they were representing their team) would have supported the marching band, who is there to support them at their games.
It was a high school football game. It was by no means professional. There was absolutely no need for the behavior there, especially by the referees.
And thanks, Michael, for all of your support, and making sure this story isn’t forgotten. I hope this sort of thing will bring positive change!
Hey Michael,
Great editorial, as always. I sincerely hope that this does not happen in teh future as it is made clear that this is not appropriate for any two groups within the Ralston Valley Community. Way to kick off Senior Year, might I add.
So to be honest, I am not a football supporter. Quite frankly, I don’t really like football at all. But the main point of this whole fiasco is that it was a FOOTBALL GAME. It wasn’t a band presentation..they were just filler during halftime. That’s no disrespect but the fact of the matter is the band has their competition. It’s like cool, you’re getting some good practice…but it’s a football game. And as much as I feel it was unnecessary to curse at the band members…keep in mind they are 18 year old FOOTBALL players…enough said.
Great editorial, Michael . . . This made my day, and I’m not even IN band
Next time the band goes on first, THEN the poms and Mini Mustangs.
Let’s see the referees try to pull this stunt with them. That is, let’s see if they would blow their whistles, wave their flags, generally harass a bunch of cute little kids, try to get them to cut their show short, and then penalize the football team because of them. No way!
- P.C.
BREAKING NEWS >> Obama says refs “acted stupidly”, invites Kellenberger to White House for Root Beer Summit.