The Pioneer Marching Band Escort Team assists the band in moving from the school, through the Pioneer parking lot, to Hollway Field on game day. This job is key to the safety of our Band members as they are guided through the parking lot. Our team stops all traffic at all intersections both to and from the game.

8-15 volunteers are needed to arrive at 6PM on Football Fridays to set up cones, choose locations, don a fashionable orange vest and grab a stop sign. We divert traffic away from the driveways bordering the school so that cars do not endanger or injure our band students.

Volunteers are admitted to the game free of charge. Early in the 4th quarter, we resume our stations to ensure the band makes it safely back to the band room.

VOLUNTEER JOBS

• 2 leaders to “supervise” (at least one of whom has a cell phone),
• 8–10 additional people to pair up to:
• route traffic on the drive from the clock tower entrance into the staff parking lot
• route traffic on the north drive from Main Street into the main parking lot before they get to the intersection by the band room
• route traffic on the south drive across from the ticket window into the main parking lot
• stop traffic coming in from Seventh Ave along the tennis courts from crossing the intersection where the band crosses that street
• stop traffic exiting the main parking lot into the driveway in front of the building at the intersection by Schreiber
• one person to walk on each side of the band to keep side walk observers from tripping up the band
• one person to walk behind the band
• one person to walk in front of the band
• 1 person to move car/van to block Flagpole drive in front of Pioneer.

TIMELINE

6:00 p.m.: Arrive outside Band room and assign stations, hand out vests and stop signs, and clarify jobs.

About 6:10 – 6:15 p.m.: “Car person” moves car to block Flagpole drive (may put trash can behind car to help block drive). Volunteers or those assigned to stations #3 and #4 ask people in cars parked along Flagpole drive to move their cars. Cars coming toward the Flagpole drive must divert into the parking areas.

• 2 people at station #1 start to block traffic.
• 1 person blocks traffic at station #2a to keep cars from going wrong way back toward the band.

6:20 p.m.: 2 people for station #2 start to block traffic, telling drivers to go into the parking lot.

6:25 p.m., or whenever Band starts to form up, “Car person” moves car out of way (either driving along Flagpole drive or to nearest parking lot entrance – near visitors’ parking). 4 people for stations #3 and #4 start to block traffic.

When Band forms up and marches, leaders carry stop sign/vest tote bag and follow behind Band. People at stations #1 and #2 follow Band also, using stop signs to make sure no cars get near Band. People at stations #3 and #4 keep traffic stopped until Band and other Escorts have gone thru the stadium gate. When Band has passed through the gate to the football stadium area, all Escorts turn in their stop signs and vests at the “escort meeting area” inside the football field gate. This is also where we meet to escort the band back to the school, at the beginning of the 4th quarter. Leaders keep the stop sign/vest tote bag in the stands with them.

Beginning of 4th quarter: (In case of bad weather, check with Band director; he may want to leave earlier.) Leaders, “car person,” and escorts for stations #1, #2 and #2A leave game and meet at the “field meeting area.” “Car person” goes and moves car back to block Flagpole drive and asks anyone in cars parked there to move out of the driveway. (Optional: block cars at entrance to Flagpole drive with people and stop signs instead of car.) Escorts for stations #1, #2 and #2A get vests and stop signs and report to their stations to be ready (but don’t stop traffic yet).

When game clock says “6 minutes,” Escorts for stations # 3 and #4 leave stands and report to “meeting area” to put on vests, get stop signs, and report to their stations (but don’t stop traffic yet).

With about 5 minutes to go in the game, Band will leave stands and form up behind the stadium. At this point, Leaders alert Police to open the stadium gate. Escorts at stations #3 and #4 start to block traffic; the leader calls the “Car person,” who alerts stations #1 and #2 to start blocking traffic. “Car person” also moves car back to parking lot.

• Leaders use rope to keep crowd behind stadium away from the Band as it forms up.

Band starts to march back to the Band room area. Leaders put rope back in tote bag and follow Band. Escorts at stations #3 and #4 leave their stations and follow Band as it passes. After the Band is done marching, Station #2 escorts move toward original meeting place to make sure no cars turn into driveway along the Band room. Escorts at station #1 stay on duty the longest, until Band disperses from roadway. Leaders and volunteers use “slow” signs to remind cars not to speed along drive where Band members are crossing to get rides home.

Then we are done!