You should all switch off each weekend for who buys what--talk among yourselves, just make sure it gets done.

Get to practice at least 15 minutes early. BEING LATE FOR SATURDAY MORNING PRACTICE IS THE ULTIMATE BAND SIN! There is a tradition that if you're late for practice by even a minute, it'll cost you a half-spot in the next show (if you only have a half spot, you won't march the next week; if you have no spot, you lose your Fifth Quarter spot). Regardless of how dumb you may think the rule, Mike takes it very seriously.

You must wear your cleats to practice, and ANY time you're marching on the Camp Randall turf. Regular shoes will compress a grid into the field and ruin the field. Talk to Ernest to get cleats if yours don't fit right or you simply never picked them up.

Don't come in your uniform unless it's Band Day and Janice tells you. You'd look like a huge fool, and we don't want that, now do we?

Don't open the OJ or donuts until after practice. Put the OJ on top of the donut boxes to seal the sides shut. If we open the boxes before practice, the bees will ruin the donuts while we practice.

During practice, follow the sophomores, they'll know where you should go. You'll also probably have a chat with Janice about what goes on during the game. Stay on the away side of the field for pre-game with the rest of the saxes.

When we've done pre-game for the final time, please grab all of the sax flip folders and extra clothes and quickly come in for Mike's talk.

After practice, make sure all the boxes and cups make it into the trash so the bees stay under control.

Go back home and get ready for Union South and the game...

The only acceptable socks are black socks. If you don't have some, buy some now. The longer the better--you shouldn't see leg when you've got your knee up in a marching position. Go and get some knee-high ones and they'll last you your entire illustrious marching career.

Wear black shorts and a red t-shirt under your uniform. (This stuff will show and if Mike sees you wearing a bright green t-shirt, he'll blow a gasket.)

Sweaters: black shorts under your pants, and you must wear a white collared shirt under your sweater. (think polo or golf shirt.)

Long haired persons: your hair must be up. 

Leave your spats and gloves off until you get to Union South. Spats should go in your back right pocket, gloves between the buttons on your overlay on the left side if you're a uniform, or in the other back pocket if you're a sweater. (This is really stupid, but the field assistants will ask you to change things around if they see you walking around any other way.)

Listen during morning practice for whether Mike wants rain coats or not. If he wants them, they're REQUIRED! If he makes them optional, sweaters may want to bring them because you'll be very cold in a soaking-wet sweater all day.

Freshmen bring a backpack to Union South. ALL FRESHMEN. Don't pack it full. We'll only need one backpack for games on road trips, but don't forget to bring one!

Bring your spats, gloves, hat, instrument, flip folder and lyre. (Yes, people do forget this stuff) NO HORN CASES! Put your horn together at home and bring it like that.

If the weather is bad, bring a couple garbage bags to protect your horn from rain, and a couple extra to protect the upperclass's horns.

Bring a hat and sunglasses if you are so inclined. We spend the whole day looking into the sun, it can give you major headaches. Cold weather clothes like mittens may also come in handy. You may also want to bring a camera and money for food.

The Union South concert always starts one hour before kickoff. Encourage your parents to stop by, its a great chance to hear us, which they probably won't be able to do so well in the stadium.

Union South is located on Johnson and Randall, across from the Stadium and McClain Center. We play in the area between Union South, Computer Sciences, and Wendt Library.

Be there no later then 9:40ish (for an 11:00 kickoff). The first ten rows are assigned by rank, stay clear of those chairs. You'll sit in the back left (left looking at the band) corner near us.

When you get there, set your bags down and get plumes. They will be in big black bags with the field assistants (who have black uniforms.) NOT EVERYBODY GETS A PLUME! Be careful to get the plumes from the correct box. As of 2006, each rank has a designated slot with their plumes. Take plumes out of ONLY the saxes' slots (the ranks that saxes march in), otherwise the other ranks start whining like little babies.

Next, get yourself some spat tape from a field ass. Only get one piece, tear it in half longways. (Hint: you should now have two long and skinny pieces of tape.)

Put your spats on, buttons on the OUTSIDE.

Wrap the spat tape around your spats and shoes near the ball of your foot. (Just watch someone else do it if you're confused.)

The red tape will go around (the Euphoniums also use it, and you may need to get it from them). Uniforms, put this around the buckle on your right side to prevent it from scratching your saxophone to hell.

Once you have everything from the upperclassmen, sit and put your gloves/hat on (no chinstraps yet).

We play Chorale #1, On Wis twice, Away school song, park and blow and then halftime. We'll end with You've Said It All and On Wis again. Have your music ready to play all of this.

When we are through, stay in a group and find the upperclassmen. Now's also the time to put your chinstrap down.

When it's time to go, the upperclassmen will form our tunnel formation to march out. Line up behind us in groups of four, just continue the pattern. Try to keep with other saxophones, find some clarinets if there is an odd number. Half spots will line up first, with uniformed alternates, then sweaters last.

You may be asked to carry a ladder or other equipment bags by the field assistants. Don't ignore them or refuse, it'll come back to bite you in the ass later. (Remember if you are assigned something, it is your responsibility until we are back at Humanities at the end of the day.)

"Keep it tight": it's your responsibility to make sure nobody sneaks through the band between the rows. Remember: the band is not a crosswalk! Start learning the cadence chants. Some of them are pretty funny.

When we arrive at the stadium, you'll be told to go ahead of the band and onto the field. (Don't go until you're asked to.)

The sophmores will show you wear we sit, put your bags down and hang out until its time to go. Enjoy that Camp Randall atmosphere.

The rest of pre-game Janice will go over with you during Saturday's practice. Listen up for when you spread kick and stand with intensity.

During the game, be sure to play whenever Mike calls out a song. Don't go to the bathroom or to see friends if you know we're going to play soon. We'll "saddle up" at about 5:00 left before half, depending on what's going on before us that day.

You'll most likely line up in some fashion during halftime, again, Janice will help you out with this.

After halftime, freshmen are asked to get Coke for the ranks. A sophmore will show you where to go. Go quickly, or lines will form and they may run out. (It's all free.)

Bring the coke trays back to where we sit and distribute them. Someone should always stand guard near the tray until everyone has gotten what they need. When the trays are empty, they need to be returned where you got them.

Sometime during the 2nd half, they'll probably bring us apples. Grab some for yourself and the upperclassmen. Don't leave the cores sitting around, find the trash. (again, lots of bees.)

When we line up for 5th Quarter, we will be in the attendance block. The same thing we do to warm up at the start of regular practice. But, instead of lining up to our side, you'll form more lines of 8 behind the last rank. We'll march onto the field like that. Your lines will not make the field, there isn't enough room, but you still must be in lines. (Mike will go over this in practice.) All backpacks and sweaters must be in the very back lines.

TAKE YOUR BACKPACKS WITH YOU NOW; YOU WON'T GET ANOTHER CHANCE TO GET THEM LATER!!!

Don't turn your hat backwards until the game is over. It's unbelievably bad luck to do so, and you could jeopardize the outcome of future games!

Remember where this spot is in your line. You must return to this spot after every song during 5th Quarter for the first half or so.

For each song, find the upperclassmen, we'll show you what to do.

Please be careful during Chicken Dance, if you're not confident you can handle it, please don't try, we don't really want you to die.

After 5th Quarter, we'll line up to leave. The band will line up in the opposite order we came in. Dont' be fooled, you'll still line up at the back, in groups of four. 

We march back to Humanities like this. This isn't optional, you can't leave the stadium by yourself, you must stay with the band. If you are meeting someone, tell them to simply follow the band to Humanities, we'll meet with Mike and he will dismiss us from there.

Don't wear baseball hats or glasses while marching out, you're still in full uniform. Mike will shake everyone's hand as we march out, he will see you.

As we arrive at Humanities, we'll break into a marching step as we flip through the doors. This also isn't optional. Don't break out of formation and run into Humanities like you'll see some idiots doing.

Here, Mike will talk to us, we'll sing and be dismissed.

At this time, follow the sophmores to the back right corner of the plaza to find the upperclassmen. We'll sing, remove the red tape from our uniforms, and talk about where the party's at that night.

Please don't leave until everything is out of your bags, we don't like it when a freshman goes home with our keys!

We'll also talk about plans for the night at this time. Partying is by no means mandatory, but you'll have fun. Also, drinking is by no means mandatory. If you don't want to, don't let anybody make you.