BAND CAMP SURVIVAL GUIDE

All band camp days are mandatory.  Students can NOT miss any days for any reason.  Please plan ahead with vacations, Drivers Ed, student jobs, doctor, dentist, and orthodontist appointments.  If a students misses one day of camp, its like missing an entire week of school.
THINGS TO PURCHASE BEFORE CAMP STARTS
  • Black compression shorts (all students except guard)
    • Students must wear black compression shorts only when they are in FULL uniform which starts in mid September.
    • If the compression shorts has a flap, that is underwear.  Don't buy it.  No flaps allowed.
    • Guard will wear compression shorts too.  Color not known yet, so don't buy any until we tell you to.
  • Snark Tuners (for brass and woodwind players only) $12 on Amazon.  Put your name on it.
  • 1/2 gallon size cooler.  Put your name on it.  See below for more details.

APPS ON YOUR PHONE
  • UDB app
  • BAND app
  • Music Speed Changer app
  • Access to Google Classroom

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU EACH DAY TO CAMP
  • DEODERANT
  • Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • 1/2 gallon water cooler (fill with ice water before you come to camp)
  • Light snacks such as pretzels for mornings outside
  • Lunch (leave in cafeteria each day)
  • DEODERANT
  • Instrument/Equipment
  • Music and pencil
  • Change of socks, shoes, and shirt for the afternoon indoor practice
  • DEODERANT
WEATHER
  • Spend time outside each day during  your Summer break.  Get yourself  use to the heat. 
  • You MUST wear a hat while outside.  This is not an option.  The sun beating down on your head will cause heat exhaustion very fast.  We don't want that to happen.  Hats, Sunglasses, Sunscreen, Water, Light Snacks!!!!
  • Wear sunscreen. The best thing to do is apply the sunscreen to your skin before you leave your house.  Re-apply often while outside.
Picture
FOOD/DRINKS
  • ***Students are required to bring a 1/2 gallon cooler filled with ice water from home.***​​
  • Use a sharpie pen and put your name on it.
  • ​We will provide ice water to refill throughout the morning practices outside.
  • DO NOT BRING ANY TYPE OF PEANUT PRODUCTS.  THEY ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED FROM CAMP AND ALL  YEAR LONG.
  • "Monster" drinks and other high energy/high caffeine drinks (including soft drinks) are prohibited from band.   Across the country too many teenagers (including athletes) are getting seriously hurt or worse.  The one thing each case has in common is the constant consumption of energy drinks.  These energy drinks can severely interfere with an individuals heart rate, which can lead to SERIOUS complications.  This is for everyone's safety.
  • Eat something light for breakfast each  day before camp starts.
  • NO greasy foods.  You will get sick in the heat.
  • NO dairy. You will get sick in the heat.
  • Bring a healthy lunch each day.
  • It is encouraged to bring a light snack to eat while outside in the mornings, such as a pack of  crackers, but NO peanut products (including peanut butter crackers).  Pretzels and goldfish crackers are good examples of a snack to eat while out side during breaks.
  • If you want to bring a bottle of Gatorade, that is optional, but highly encouraged.  For every 1 bottle of gatorade you drink, you should drink 2 full bottles of water of the same size before drinking more gatorade. Too much gatorade can hurt the body as well.
  • DO NOT BRING ANY TYPE OF PEANUT PRODUCTS.  THEY ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED FROM CAMP.

CLOTHING
  • Brass, Woodwinds, and Pit  must wear a WHITE t-shirt every day of camp.
    • You are more than welcome to bring  another shirt to change into during lunch.
  • Drumline will wear BLUE tshirts each day.  The shade of blue does not matter.
  • Guard will be more "colorful" each day of band camp.  Please contact your Guard Captain for more info.
  • Wear loose fitting clothes (athletic  shorts).  Tight clothes trap heat in.  This will cause you to get sick on the field.
  • Shoes... see below.
    • It is highly encouraged to change your socks and shoes after morning field practice.  They will be wet and gross.  We will have a designated place outside for each section to put your wet and gross shoes.
    • NO students can go barefoot at any time while on Piedmont's campus.  This is a school wide rule.​ ​

SHOES
  • Students must wear a light weight, running shoe.  It doesn't have to be expensive.  Walmart running shoes are fine, but maybe get an athletic insert to put in them for better support.  They just need to be bendable and lightweight.
  • All shoes must have laces on them.  We want them to be secure on their feet to help prevent injury as we move around.
  • When outside, all students must wear tennis shoes.  NO  flip flops/sandals.  The grass will be wet, which means your shoes will get wet.
  • After we come in for lunch, if you want to bring a change of shoes for the afternoon rehearsals inside, you are welcome to.
  • The following shoes are NOT allowed.  They are either too heavy, don't offer the proper support for moving around like we do, or they are not safe for the kids to wear due to possible injury such as falling or rolling their ankles.
    • ​Flip flops
    • Slides
    • Sandals
    • ​Burks
    • Vans
    • Converse
    • Hey Dudes
    • Air Forces
    • Blazers
    • Sanuks
    • High-top shoes (such as basketball shoes)