By Rey Sifuentes Jr.

(Before I even get started, let me inform you all that this week’s column is influenced by neither any coach or band director.)

I have seen it happen numerous times. As a trumpet player on the Eagle Pass High School Marching Band in the early nineties, my group was told to shut up every now and then.

I marched with Texas A&M University-Kingsville from 1992 to 1997 and occasionally someone complained about our volume. Now you want to talk about a group that can smother your hearing, then look no further than the Javelina Marching Band. Don’t believe me, just sit next to them during a Hoggie football game.

A more recent local recipient of shut up orders was H.M. King’s Mighty Brahma Marching Band. Last Friday, the Brahma Band was told to stop playing by a referee while Laredo Nixon’s offense held the ball right in front of the ensemble’s bleacher section.

The one thing that all three aforementioned marching bands have in common is that they are phenomenal groups with well deserved histories and reputations.

So here comes the problem. Do marching bands’ decibel levels sometimes interfere with a football games. In my opinion, YES.

Take about a couple hundred kids with musical instruments in their hands and give them musical material which is meant to bring lots of pep to the game and their volume will be loud.

Now for the other side of the coin. Should marching bands’ high volumes be allowed to interfere with the game? In my opinion, NO. The game should be allowed to take place with as little or no interference as possible.

But you cannot silence marching bands because then what is next? Are the cheer-

Timeout leaders going to have to stop also? Will the fans no longer be allowed to shout and cheer?

In my opinion, every head football coach and head band director in Texas needs to sit down to some ribs and work something out and stick to that agreement. People show up to football games for the action and marching bands more than contribute to the festive atmosphere. Besides, who in their right mind is ready to tell the hundreds of band parents that their kids need not show up for football games anymore?

(Rey Sifuentes Jr. can be reached at rataman2@yahoo. com)