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  What The Heck is a
Pit Dad? Toiling on the sidelines of every Bellbrook Marching Eagles band competition and football game are the Pit Dads. Pit Dads are a team of parent volunteers that help band students load and unload pit and band instruments, build show props, maintain band equipment, build carts and stands, drive trucks and pull trailers, set up the electronics, help with getting the pit instruments and show props on and off the field for competition, mow and stripe the band practice field, and most importantly, get a chance to work with a great bunch of kids. If you are interested in learning how to push, pull, drag, lift, and carry delicate musical instruments like marimbas, gongs, tympani, vibes, chimes, cymbals, snares, bass drums, podiums, backdrop walls, mixers, microphones, props and giant man eating tarps, on and off the hostile environment of the football field, gravel parking lots, tall grass, curbs, and up and down the 30% grade at the Pontiac Silverdome, then your our kind of guy!! All kidding aside, being a Pit Dad is a very rewarding experience. Working with this great bunch of kids every year from when they stumble around in August at band camp to the end of the season when they take the field at Grand Nationals is an experience you will not regret. The hugs and tears of joy as you enter the airlock with the kids after that flawless semi-finals performance are truly unforgettable. Not to mention the many lasting friendships and prop construction skills you will acquire. Bellbrook Pit Dad
Jobs and Responsibilities Like any well oiled parent volunteer organization, the Bellbrook Pit Dads have defined the many jobs and responsibilities that are required to support our kids and the music program at Bellbrook High School. Luckily over the years we have always had hard working parents to help with these jobs. Some of the jobs listed below only require a few hours a week during marching season, and some "many" more virtually year round. These jobs are constantly opening up due to kids graduating and parents "moving on" so if you are interested in helping at ANY job please speak up. Just remember, even if your kids tell you otherwise... they really do appreciate anything you do to support them. And I think that volunteering as a Pit Dad is one of the best ways for a Dad to support his kids and have fun doing it. Weekly Field Maintenance - This group meets every sunday afternoon during grass growing season (and sometimes mid-week to during spring) to repair, fertilize, and mow the band practice field. During band practice season (August-November) they also are responsible for keeping the practice field striped. Ron Applegate, Brooks Horseman, Mike Froning, Don Coppock, Jim Easter, 3 more needed Truck Drivers - The booster organization operates a semi tractor trailer (CDL required) and a 24 ft box truck (NO CDL required) to transport band equipment, instruments, uniforms, and props to football games, and band competitions. Drivers are also needed for winter band concerts, and OMEA competitions as well as winter drum line and winterguard competitions. Jeff Stahl-CDL Jim Easter-CDL Jim Yankel-CDL, Warren Sumner-CDL, Ron Applegate, Tom Lyle, Brooks Horseman, CDL driver needed. Load Masters - Loading all of the equipment and props requires organization and leadership to duplicate week after week. Without organization and repeatabilty the stuff just will not fit! The loadmaster directs kids and parents in the proper loading sequence and ensures that equipment is well strapped and will travel safe and secure. Larry Bouffioux 3 more needed. Prop Shop Foreman - During prop building season (September-November) the pit dads meet two days a week to plan and build props. We usually break up into 3-4 teams of 5-10 workers. Each team has a foreman to determine final design, supervise construction, order supplies, etc. 2009 team foreman TBA Communications
Secy - Maintain active pit dad lists and email addresses. Determine
prop building and
meeting schedule and communicate same to dads. Communicate truck loading
schedule during football season and competition season. Recruit new
pit dads. Organize and distribute job duties and field passes at competitions.
Send weekly email updates. Determine social activities... lots of
em' Pit Boss - Somebody has to supervise this unruly group of animals... 2011 Pit Boss - Ray Parks Worker Pit Dads - And last but certainly NOT LEAST. Without volunteers like you guys, Bellbrook's show could not go on the field. At least not as gracefully as we do it... :) This group of volunteers put in over 1000 hours last year building props, cutting grass, striping fields, painting and re-furbing the box truck, painting tarps, building carts, loading and driving trucks, repairing large instruments, working the invitational, and chaperoning band camp, and other stuff we don't even know about. If you would like to learn more about becoming a Bellbrook Pit Dad please contact Ray Parks at 672-3213 or Email Ray, or Jim Easter on 604-7510 or Email Jim |
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