Storm pushes h.s. band
competition to new date
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — When Tropical Storm Isabel threatened the East Coast on Sept. 18, no one realized the effect it would have on a local high school band competition.
With a Category 3 storm approaching and the chance that school in the Freehold Regional High School District might be canceled on Sept. 19, it became necessary to reschedule a football game between Manalapan and Jackson.
The game, which had been scheduled for the evening of Sept. 19 at Manalapan, was moved to 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at the high school. That conflicted with a band competition that was scheduled to be held on the Manalapan football field from 5-8 p.m. Sept. 20.
"Due to the anticipated hurricane, all activities were canceled for [Sept. 19]," said Principal Terri Grey. "Because of the tight scheduling of prescheduled football games through the Shore Conference, which is done a year in advance, [Sept. 20] was the available date to which both teams were able to reschedule."
The decision to play the football game at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 forced the cancellation of the fourth annual United States Scholastic Band Association Marching Band Competition. The Manalapan band and other bands from around New Jersey were scheduled to take part in the competition on the Manalapan football field.The marching band event was being supported by the Manalapan High School Music Parents Association.
In a conversation with the News Transcript, Joseph DePasquale, the president of the parents association, said parents and band members were upset when they learned that the competition could not be held. He said much time, effort and money ($8,000) went into planning the band’s fund-raising event. He said the band members felt they were taking a back seat to athletics.
DePasquale said he tried to work out a compromise that would allow the bands to use the football field as planned on the evening of Sept. 20. He said that on the morning of Sept. 19, the day school was closed, he went over to the building and found Scott Liptzin, Manalapan’s new supervisor of extracurricular activities, in his office.
DePasquale said he asked Liptzin if the football game’s starting time could be moved from 7 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 20 to allow the band competition time to finish. DePasquale said he suggested that the football teams could warm up on an adjacent field.
He said Liptzin told him that moving the game time would not be possible. DePasquale said Liptzin explained that two hours are needed before a football game for the teams to practice and for the field to be prepared.
DePasquale said Liptzin asked him if he wanted to be arrested for trespassing in the closed school. DePasquale said at that point he realized there would be no compromise and left the building.
In an interview with the News Transcript, Liptzin denied that he ever asked DePasquale if he wanted to be arrested for trespassing in the school.
The band competition was officially canceled at noon on Sept. 19 when DePasquale said he notified USSBA officials that the football field would be unavailable on Sept. 20.
Grey said band director Peter Korey was told of the change in plans during school hours on Sept. 18. She said students were notified before dismissal that the change had been made. Grey said that at the time the event was canceled she did not think there was a problem with the change.
Korey said although some students were upset about what had happened, the band members decided in a vote on Sept. 20 to perform at the football game that night.
Grey said she met with one class of band students when school was back in session on Sept. 22 in an attempt to resolve any lingering issues.
"I will do anything [that is necessary] to solve the problem," she said.
The band competition has been rescheduled to Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. on the Manalapan High School football field.