Patch Peer Panel Question of the Week

Curtis Walls of Ladue offers this week's question. He wants to know if the student in the band in the stands gets as much recognition as the athletes performing on the field?

Victoria Watson, Villa Duchesne

One of my favorite parts of football games is the band. I go to a school where there is no band, so I guess that makes me appreciate it more. The music makes the game, and the musicians spend just as much time practicing for their performances as the athletes do for their games.

It really just depends what people can identify with: athletes will respect the team more while musicians will respect the band more. Overall, yes, more people will respect the players than the band.

Catherine Toman, St. Joseph's Academy

I don’t think the band gets as much recognition as the players do, but they definitely add to the spirit of the game. Should they get as much attention as the players on the field? Well, I have no doubt that the band members work just as hard, but it’s not called a band recital; it’s called a football game.

Rebecca Antony, MICDS

As I don't go to very many sports games (maybe in the future?) I can't be altogether sure about this, but judging from the hype around the "game last night" and the pride most schools hold for their top players, it's not hard to guess that no, band members probably don't get as much respect as their athletic counterparts of the school games.

You don't see the pride for the best trombone players like you do the best basketball ones. I think the main problem around this is that most people view the band members as a "side" to the main players, the main stars of the show--the athletes, and this is why they only get the respect due to the "sides;" the "backup dancers" of the performance.

Allison Hermann, St. Joseph's Academy

I do not feel you can compare the band and the athletes. The band is there to support the team, not to be the stars of the game. Yes, the band does put in a lot of time and should be recognized for their hard work, but they should not be the main focus of the events.

There is always someone working behind the stars. The band is playing because they want to support the team, not to get the fame.

Spencer Desai, MICDS

I don't think that they do and although it doesn't sound like a very nice response, I don't think they deserve it either. Athletes are the reason that the band is there in the first place and they are going through a much tougher experience than the team. Let's take football for example.

People come to see the football game not the band play. Although the band is a huge part of the football experience, the players are the ones who make the entire experience possible