Students in high school bands earn grades and credits, and meet during the school day, because bands are considered educational. Playing on an athletic team is usually not part of the school curriculum, and athletes usually do not receive credits for playing on a team. Therefore, athletic teams can focus on winning rather than learning. Few high school band students pursue a career in music, and few of them should. Band directors should teach far beyond the fundamentals needed for performing their next concert.
Average players are important.
They are frequently enthusiastic and loyal, and are sometimes more committed than the star players. Yet too often, band directors neglect their average and below average players, concentrating on their star players, just for the sake of putting on a better show. There is a tendency for directors to do whatever it takes to put on a better show. Band directors must realize that they are music educators. Spending vast amounts of time learning a few pieces of music by rote does not fit in a modern educational setting.