SaveAround's Community Conversation

Summertime is filled with leisure time and vacations, but for some student-athletes, it means one thing - C A M P S! That’s right - camps - which means two-a-days, morning, noon, and night rehearsals and collapsing at the end of the day only to get up and do it all over again tomorrow. There are definitely some long hours and days involved with camps, but those who are successful know that these camps are vital to success and achievement of the goals. Here are a few suggestions for targeting these camps and making the most of the time during these sessions and when the students are together at one time in one place. Below are a few strategies for these camps:

C - CHOOSE a time during the camps (sports or music) that makes sense. Perhaps in the heat of the day when the players or participants should be inside might be an ideal time to sit down for an hour and work the fundraiser. Also, try to do it early in the week of camps (if longer than a single day) so that incentives and prizes can be redeemed during the duration of camp.

A - take ADVANTAGE of the opportunity to engage with the students, conduct a Sprint sale and effectively utilize the time when they are available.

M - MESSAGE - this needs to be clear communication for the students - whether a script for a phone call or a text message with clear instructions for their customers to make a purchase. Print these out ahead of time or have them written out on a large poster or whiteboard for students to copy down during the Sprint sale.

P - PROMOTE / PLAN AHEAD / PRIZES

Promote the fundraiser ahead of the time students will be at the camps. It’s summertime so they’ve probably checked out. Older students will/should have their phones with them, but maybe not a customer list to call. Continue to remind them through your chairperson.

Planning ahead to help the chairperson and their team/band be successful is key. There is a lot of preparation involved with the camps anyway, so by making this streamlined and easy you (and the group) will most likely be more successful.

Prizes are key - talk with the coach or the band director ahead of time about prizes that are meaningful during the week of the camps. Winning section goes through the lunch line first. Winning group gets to sleep in 30 extra minutes. Winning groups get an extra hour break. Things like this are GREAT incentives for the kids with zero cost to the chairperson, coach, or teacher. Who wouldn’t love an extra break, extra sleep, extra anything if it means they can get some extra rest while the others continue to practice.

S - SUCCESS - Be ready to report the success at the conclusion of the Sprint sale. Report the winning group, section, or “team” of students. Announce the prizes that they have earned. Keep a tally sheet or running totals during the sale during the camps - that does two things - keep track of who earned what and also as an incentive when comparing to other teams/sections/groups and how everyone matches up.

Confirm Contacts this Summer

During the month of July, you will find some administrative and office staff working in the schools - some on abbreviated schedules or partial days. This is a GREAT opportunity to drop by, bring a small thank you and confirm contacts, teachers, emails, etc. The secretary or main person in the office will remember this kind gesture during the summer when there isn’t so much craziness with the kids at the school. This will also give you an opportunity to learn of any changes (new staff, old sponsor left for another position or another school) and stay on top of things before Fall comes in like a woman with hair on fire. Take advantage of this opportunity to confirm information, gain valuable knowledge about any changes, and say thank you to those who help get you in the door throughout the school year. It will make a big difference. Remember you are in the RELATIONSHIP business!

Clean House

As you know, cleaning house can be a process and one that is time-consuming. In this instance, “cleaning house” is referring to any lingering or outstanding balances on 2020-2021 accounts that are unpaid, not closed out or not wrapped up. If you have questions about your groups or need information on any that may fall into these categories, please reach out to grouprelations@savearound.com to get a list of your groups and a status update on them so you can assist in getting things finalized before Fall 2021 starts up. Our hope is that this Fall will be busier than ever and you will be covered up with business and customers needing to raise funds with you and SaveAround.

1. American football was invented in 1882.

2. Football was founded after rugby rules, but originally played more like soccer.

3. The football shape is actually a prolate spheroid which means “long sphere”.

4. Huddles became commonplace thanks to Paul Hubbard, an 1890s quarterback. He was deaf and didn’t want other teams to read his hand signals.

5. Deion Sanders played MLB and NFL at the same time. He hit a home run and scored a touchdown in the same week and also the only person to play in the Super Bowl and a World Series.

6. NFL footballs are manufactured in the village Ada in Ohio at the Wilson factory.

1. The leader of a marching band is known as the drum major or the field commander. Sometimes marching bands will have more drum majors or field commanders especially if the band is large in size.

2. The main sections of the marching band include brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments.

3. Marching bands are generally categorized by function, size, age, instrumentation,
marching style, and type of show they perform. Most high school bands and some College bands are accompanied by a color guard which adds visual presentation to the performance and uses flags, rifles, and sabres along with other props.

4. Most bands perform at sporting events, marching band competitions as well as parades along with indoor concerts.

5. The oldest American college marching band is the University of Notre Dame Band of the Fighting Irish was founded in 1845 and first performed at a football game in 1887.

6. Summer training for the marching band season “band camp” involves basic marching fundamentals and music for the show.

7. Band groups are known as “sections” or “sectionals” as a specific group will divide up and work specifically on their marching techniques or musical parts. (Woodwinds or just clarinets for example or brass or just trumpets).

8. Band camp usually lasts 1 to 2 weeks, but for an advanced band, it might last up to a month. Most university bands include an earlier move-in date for university students in the band.

9. Most high school marching band competitions occur in the fall when the majority of schools begin classes. In the US there are 2 national competition circuits - Bands of America and the United States Scholastic Band Association.