DEFINITIONS

Band - All members of the competing unit, including playing members, auxiliary personnel (flags, rifles, majorettes, etc.)

Eligibility - Open to all high school bands from any WSMA-member school.

Competitive Category - The name of the band, the place, score, and division award earned will be announced for all bands electing to participate in the Competitive Category. All Competitive Category and Division Award Only band directors will receive taped evaluations from the judges.

Division Award Only Category - The name of the band and the division award earned will be announced for all bands electing to participate as Division Award Only bands. No scores will be announced at the event for Division Award Only bands. The entry fee for Division Award Only bands will be the same as bands competing for awards.

Class – Class entered is determined by the school’s total enrollment size and the number of competing bands. In January, WSMA asks DPI for official enrollment figures for all schools who participated in the previous year’s State Marching Band Championships. Once received, WSMA then divides the total number of bands into four equally numbered classes (with any remaining numbers going into the larger classes) according to the school enrollments. Directors will receive this information in January, along with a Class Change Application Form. If a director feels they should compete in a different class other than the assigned class, he/she must complete the Class Change Application Form by May 1. All Class Change applications will be evaluated by the WSMA Marching Band Committee, and directors will be notified if their request was approved or denied by May 15.

Adjudication System - The improvement of marching bands can only take place with consistent evaluations. The following method provides uniform guidelines for judges to use in determining numerical scores. It uses the same standard of performance for all Wisconsin high school bands, and therefore is used in all Wisconsin marching band events.

POINT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

A minimum of six judges will be used to score bands in the following caption areas:

Caption Area Total Points

Visual Performance/Ensemble 20.0

Music Performance/Ensemble 20.0

Percussion Performance/Ensemble 10.0

Music Effect 20.0

Visual Effect 20.0

Auxiliary-Color Guard 10.0

SCHEDULING AND TIMING

1. Bands entering the WSMA State Marching Band Championships will be scheduled in random order within their assigned class. The schedule will be posted on WSMA’s web site www.wsmamusic.org by June 1.

2. Any band missing the previous year’s WSMA State Marching Band Championships will be scheduled at the beginning of their entered Class. New bands will also be assigned at the beginning of their entered class on a first-come, first-served basis.

3. Whenever possible, bands will begin performing at 12 noon. The scheduling sequence for the WSMA State Marching Band Championships is:

Novice Class Bands

Class A

Class AA

Awards Ceremony of Class A, Class AA and Novice Bands plus Dinner Break

Class AAA

Class AAAA

Awards Ceremony for Class AAA and Class AAAA

4. Bands will be scheduled in 15-minute intervals. All bands must be in competition for a minimum of 7 minutes to a maximum of 11 minutes. Timing and judging will begin with the first note of music, or the first step by a performing member following the acknowledgment of the drum major's salute. All judging will end with the drum major's final salute.

Competitive Area - The competition field will be a regulation-size football field, 160 feet deep by 300 feet long. The boundaries of the field will be lined every five yards and be divided into thirds by hash marks. High school hash marks will be added to the competitive field; however, NCAA hash marks may also be present. Visible flags will mark the comers of the field and the front and back of the 50-yard line. Yard markers will be placed every 10 yards on both sides of the field.

Entrance and Exit - Field entrance may be made from the left, back and/or right boundaries using the press box as the point of perspective. The band may form anywhere on or off the competitive field. Units are free to conclude their performances on or off the contest field as long as other requirements are met. At the conclusion of its performance, a band may exit the field using a percussion cadence. Bands will have a maximum of two minutes to exit the field after their performance.

Warm-Up - The warm-up is to be executed prior to the official introduction of the band and its performance. A 60 second warm-up may be used. Bands electing to warm-up on the field must face away from the press box. Timing penalties will be assessed to bands that take more than 60 seconds for their warm-up.

Grounding Area - The grounding area is forty yards wide and up to five yards deep, as facilities allow. The grounding area is available t o any unit to utilize as they see fit. Equipment may be placed outside the grounding area, but band members may not step over the line. See diagram:

DIVISION RATINGS

Each competing band will receive a trophy or division award. Division awards are determined using the following system in the five different classes (A, AA, AAA, AAAA and Novice). The system is based on the belief that it may be somewhat easier for a larger band to score higher in marching band competition.

DIVISION RATING SCALE

Class Division I Division II Division III

Class AAAA 80-100 50-79 0-49

Class AAA 75-100 45-74 0-44

Class AA 70-100 40-69 0-39

Class A 65-100 35-64 0-34

Novice 60-100 30-59 0-29

CAPTION AWARDS

Special caption awards will be presented in the following areas for each class:

Best Percussion

Best Color Guard

Best Visual Presentation (combines Visual General Effect and Visual Execution)

Best Musical Presentation (combines Music General Effect and Music Execution)

In addition, one band will receive the Esprit de Corps trophy, a special award presented by the WSMA Board of Director's President to the band exhibiting the best spirit, support of other bands, camaraderie and enthusiasm for marching band. The award will be presented during the final Awards Ceremony.

PENALTIES AND PENALTY SITUATIONS

Entry and Exit - 0.1 per violation (maximum of 2.0 points)

Boundary Violation (Free Form division only) - The contact of a unit member's body with the boundary line or area outside the line. Penalty: 0.1 per violation (maximum of 2.0 points). Drum Majors are exempt from this rule.

Timing - 0.1 per 5-second violation up to a maximum of 2 minutes.

No band may use the competition field for practice on the day of the competition. Penalty: Disqualification.

There is no penalty for dropping or retrieving dropped or grounded equipment.

Staff members, adults and non-performing band members are not allowed on the field during the performance of the band. Penalty: 2.0 points.

No mechanized vehicles are allowed on the field at any time. Penalty: 2.0 points.

Each band must report at its scheduled time. Penalty: 0.5 point per minute or fraction thereof.

Musical warm-ups, other than the 60-second field warm-up, must be done in an area removed from the aural range of the competitive field. The designated warm-up area will be away from the aural range of the field as much as the facility allows. Penalty: 5.0 points.

The use of light-out routines, animals, pyrotechnics of any kind, including fireworks, discharge of firearms, or any hazardous materials shall not be permitted. Penalty: Disqualification. However, electronic equipment is allowed on or off the field. Directors are expected to supply their own extension cords. Electricity will be provided at field level.

Band directors may only contact the Event Director during the competition. Directors are not permitted to contact any judges at the event prior to their performance. Penalty: Disqualification. Directors may contact any judge following the competition.

A representative Drum Major from each participating band is required to participate in the Awards Ceremony for their band class. There will be two Awards Ceremonies. The first will begin at approximately 4:45 p.m. and the second Awards Presentation will begin at approximately 10:30 p.m.

Any infraction or improper conduct for which no rule is given may be grounds for warning or penalty by the Event Director. Penalty: minimum of 0.10 point to a maximum of disqualification.

GENERAL REGULATIONS

Grounded non-musical equipment as well as musical equipment may be taken on the field by non-performing, non- uniformed personnel (students, boosters, directors, etc.) and placed on the sideline prior to performance. Such equipment must be placed after the preceding band has finished its show and is leaving the field. After the beginning of the performance, the boundary lines are considered inviolate by any non-uniformed personnel with the exceptions of persons responding to a medical emergency. All grounded musical and non-musical equipment must be removed from the field immediately following the performance.

Use of the American Flag is optional. However, if the American flag is used, it should be treated with dignity and respect. For example, no twirling of the American flag is allowed. Penalty: 0.1 point per violation.

Each judge will use a cassette recorder. These recordings provide each unit with an all-encompassing commentary and critique of their presentation as it occurred. The tape allows each judge to comment on the impression and the judge's analysis of the performance. The tapes will run continuously throughout the unit's performance. Directors should pick up these recordings approximately 30 minutes after their band's performance.

Judges and runners are the only persons permitted in the press box, or near the judges working area. The adjudication process is quite demanding and concentration is imperative. If distractions occur in the press box or judges working area(s), the Chief Judge shall delay the event until the condition is rectified. Cooperation in this process enables all facets of the adjudication process to evolve smoothly and in a fair and impartial manner.

Bands may troop the grandstand if the facility allows.

An indoor contest may be required if rain cancels the field competition.

WSMA or the Marching Band Championships Event Committee will not be held responsible for any physical injuries suffered by any competing member during the day's activities.

The Event Director shall be the final authority on the interpretation of contest rules. Any exception to these rules must be approved prior to the contest day.

The above WSMA rules and regulations (as revised 12/2002) are presented for general information purposes only and are not to be used or relied upon as the official WSMA rules and regulations.

Final Note:

The 2003 WSMA State Marching Band Championship will be held at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater Perkins Stadium on Saturday, October 18, 2003 and is scheduled to begin at 11:30 AM. The tentative schedule of performances can be found on the WSMA web site (www.wsmamusic.com) and clicking on the marching band section under the program information tab.