Preseason Training
Brass, woodwind, and percussion students who are officially enrolled at FSU (or dual enrolled at a qualifying institution) and plan to audition for membership report to Preseason Training in August. Flag and majorette students who have successfully completed the audition in April also report to Preseason Training to begin rehearsals for the season.
What do I do when I arrive for Preseason Training?
Report to the check-in location as indicated in the Welcome Book. Please note that the report date may vary depending on your instrument and/or membership status (new, returning, or leadership).
How do I get a Welcome Book?
The Welcome Book is sent to all brass, woodwind, and percussion students who plan to audition in August and to all flag and majorette students who successfully completed the April audition.
If you have not received a Welcome Book by July 15 of the year in which you plan to audition for the first time, you should call the FSU Band Office at (850) 644-3507 immediately.
Why do you have a Preseason Training session?
The Marching Chiefs are noted for excellence in performance. To achieve this excellence, we must be able to execute the fundamentals of marching and playing at a very high level. Because we learn and perform a different halftime show for each home game, everyone must be able to learn and polish a new show quickly and efficiently.
Preseason Training provides all Chiefs, new and returning, the opportunity to get into shape physically, mentally, and musically so that we can work together to produce exciting performances.
The emphasis is on fundamentals, but we will also be learning music and drill maneuvers for the season ahead. The quality of our Preseason Training Session has a lot to do with the success of our season.
I heard that the training session is pretty tough.
We approach this important training period very seriously. It is intense and we work under strict time limits. Preseason Training is designed to train our members for the tough season ahead. We work hard during rehearsals, but you will enjoy the camaraderie and satisfaction that comes from working hard to accomplish something worthwhile.
Thousands of Chiefs have gone through this same training period before you. We believe that you will find the training session to be carefully planned and extremely efficient. We promise to do everything possible to make your experience informative and rewarding.
What will the schedule for the training session be like?
The normal daily schedule for Preseason Training is as follows:
- 07:30 am – 11:30 am Drill (Chiefs Field)
- 11:30 am – 01:30 pm Lunch
- 01:30 pm – 04:30 pm Music Rehearsals
- 04:30 pm – 06:00 pm Dinner
- 06:00 pm – 09:00 pm Drill (Chiefs Field)
Keep in mind that this is only a sample schedule. You will be given a detailed daily schedule when you register for training. We make every effort to use this time in a productive and efficient manner.
What if I have to attend Orientation and Registration during the Training Session?
We will excuse you from rehearsal when you have something important to do regarding orientation and/or registration. All you need to do is advise the staff that you must leave and when you will be back. We do not want to keep you from conducting important business.
Please remember that it is your responsibility to catch-up and practice anything that you miss while away from rehearsal.
What about medical appointments?
You will be excused from rehearsal for important medical appointments, but please make every effort to schedule these so as not to interfere with Preseason Training.
What about meals during Preseason Training?
You must provide your own meals during Preseason Training. There are many fast food and family-style restaurants to be found in the area around campus. Many students also bring breakfast items to be eaten in their residence hall or apartments.
Due to the extremely rigorous physical activity involved in our training sessions, all students are CAUTIONED against missing regular nutritious meals. It is IMPERATIVE that you eat well balanced meals three times a day.
What about going through sorority/fraternity rush?
If you wish to go through sorority/fraternity rush, you may certainly do so. However, if you are a first-semester freshman, it is not recommended that you try to do too much your first term in college.
Being in Chiefs and a sorority or fraternity will place a lot of demands on your time; some of that time should be devoted to studying! Some students are able to do both, but you should weigh the pros and cons carefully.
If you decide to go through rush during our Preseason Training Session, you will be responsible for keeping up with everything that is taught in rehearsals that you miss, and you will be evaluated on the same standards as those who attended all rehearsals.
Where will I stay during the training session?
If you live in campus housing, you will be able to move into your residence hall on the first official day of preseason training. Important information concerning residence hall move-in is contained in the Welcome Book.
Please remember that you will move into a residence hall ONLY if you have secured a room for the fall semester. The FSU Band Office does not provide housing. You must secure your own contract for housing through the FSU Housing Office.
Membership in Marching Chiefs DOES NOT guarantee you a residence hall room. It is a common misconception that FSU has special rooms available for marching band members. THIS IS NOT TRUE! If you have not yet applied for housing through the FSU Housing Office, do so immediately. Do not call the Band Office for this information, we cannot help. We can only provide early check in to students who have made their own arrangements for University housing.
If you live in off campus housing, those arrangements are left to you. Be sure to communicate with your landlord and/or roommates. Students living in private residence halls or apartments must make their own arrangements with those places in order to get in early. (The FSU Band Office will not make these arrangements for you.)