A Welcome to the Sundancer Family!

From Veteran Parents

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN!?

Pointers for New Drill Team Parents

 

Have you ever said, “Well, if I had known ahead of time…?”  Since you may be new to the dance team experience, we as “seasoned” (not old) parents would like to share some things that we have learned.  We hope our experience will help make your first year on the Sundancers go smoothly.

 

Being on the Sundancers is a major commitment of time and energy for your daughter and, at times, for parents as well.  It’s an exciting time watching your daughter perform--achieving her best!  Although at times you may wonder, “How much more can we cram into one week?!”, take the opportunity to become a part of this phase of her life.  Become involved…make some marvelous memories together.  Share these years and enjoy them.

 

HOW CAN SHE DO EVERYTHING?

Helping your Daughter juggle everything:  Grades, Practice, Performances, Social and Family Events

 

We found these “stress minimizing” suggestions helpful in staying on top of everything that needs to be done.

 

1.  Help your daughter stay organized.  Invest in an inexpensive monthly planner and encourage her to write everything on her calendar--assignments, as well as school, drill team, and social obligations.

 

2.  Mrs. Gaither gives the girls a year-long planner with most all events and practices scheduled.  She also hands out monthly calendars at Booster Club Meetings.  On these calendars are all sorts of info that you need:  rehearsal times, performance times, birthdays, and social events.  Make sure you come to the Booster Club Meetings to get your own copy!   So many times we have parents saying, “When did they change that?” or “How do we know when to be there?”….well, the answer is simple:  attend the Booster Club meetings. It is only one hour (we are good at keeping them short and to the point!) Then you can put the new handout on your fridge for your reading pleasure while you’re standing there trying to decide what to cook for dinner.

 

3.  Time management is a “biggie”.  If she doesn’t already budget her time wisely, this is a great time to begin and practice time management.  For example, suggest to your daughter that she take advantage of study hall in school to knock out some of her homework assignments.  You might also encourage her to get homework immediately after school so she will get plenty of sleep for the early morning practices.  Her wise management of time will become a major asset when things become busiest.

 

5.  Encourage your daughter to keep up with her school work and not get behind in assignments.  One way to do this is to do the “A” day homework on “A” day.  Tutorials are offered at school in the mornings, during lunch, and after school.  Almost every teacher will work with her if there aren’t tutorials.  Take advantage of this.  If there is a potential problem in a subject, tutorials can often help before her grades slip below passing.  When there is a borderline grade situation, sometimes showing up for tutorials carries weight with teachers.  It shows the teacher that your daughter cares about that subject.

 

6.  If she receives a failing grade, she becomes ineligible to perform.  This is a major disappointment, especially at competition time, when she has put so much time and energy into learning, practicing, and polishing routines.  In addition, when the girls take a trip, they have to be academically eligible.  You don’t want to have to pay for a trip that your daughter can’t go on because of grades.  Finally, it’s also important to know that if your daughter wants to try out for an officer position at the end of the year, she cannot have failed any class.

 

7.  Absences also become a problem for both grades and drill team practice.  Make sure that your daughter takes care of herself and is at school.  She must be at school to practice and perform.   Missing more than one practice in a week will keep your daughter from performing at any performances in that week.  And, the girls can only have 8 total absences from drill team practices before they are removed from the team.

 

 

UP AND DOWN WE GO

Dealing with Moods

 

1.  Support your daughter and encourage her to keep going when the “going gets tough”.  The toughest times are in October when we hit a lull in football season and in January just before dance contest season.  However, the competitions make it all worthwhile and things keep hopping through the end of the year.

 

2.  Expect some mood swings, especially during contest season when they work so hard and there is so much to do.  The girls get very tired and cranky!

 

3.  Encourage your daughter to work as “part of the team”.  Team becomes the very essence of what we do.

 

4.  Encourage your daughter to be constructive and positive in her ideas and suggestions:  offer encouragement and support to all our team members.

 

5.  When your daughter comes home after having a bad day or a problem, be there for her and listen, but (and this is the hard part) as her parent you need to be supportive and positive for the team as a whole even though it is an effort to have a positive thought when your child is upset.  In the end your efforts will be worth it.

 

6.  If your daughter chooses to do a solo, let her lead you in how to give her support.  Some like to be left alone, others need their parents close by.

 

7.  A special tip for parents of girls who do solos:  they never start working on their solos as soon as we think they should!!

 

 

“EAT AN APPLE INSTEAD…”

Keeping a Healthy Dancer

 

1.  Make sure your dancer eats healthy foods, especially during the contest season.  Our girls have a very bad habit of sharing drinks, food, etc.  Encourage your daughter to refrain from this.  Yes, we want our girls to share, but not the bugs.

 

2.  She needs to drink a lot of water--not live on sodas.

 

3.  Your dancer needs to get plenty of rest when she can.  This is true all the time, but especially true during contest season.

 

4.  You may want to invest in an Igloo-type container (about 2qt. size) with a handle for camp and summer rehearsals.  During those long practices, she will be glad she has her own water (she may not admit it, but she will).  This also helps to eliminate drinking after each other. 

 

 

SO WE NEED ALL THIS STUFF

Uniform Tips and Handy Stuff to have in a Drill Team Bag

 

FYI:  Uniforms--the black body uniform with the sequins overlay that has 5 total pieces are called the field uniforms.  These are owned by the school so, thank heavens, you don’t have to buy them.  They are expensive.  Your daughter is responsible for their care.

The shiny red top with the long black dance pant is the pep rally uniform.  You must purchase the top and the dance pants.

The other stuff you buy is practice and team wear.  They wear these on assigned days.

 

1.  It is recommended by the manufacturer that you wash most drill team items by hand with a mild detergent and cold water then hang to dry.  This helps the items last longer and they won’t lose their color so quickly.  The field uniforms can also be washed.  However, to keep them lasting longer don’t wash everything every week.  You should wash the field tunic, bloomers, and tights after each performance, but not the items with sequins and fringe on them.  It is recommended that half way through football season you take the time to wash the entire uniform and then once again at the end of the season.  After being worn a few times they can become quite smelly.  It is mandatory that the field uniform is cleaned before it is returned to the school.  If the uniform is not cleaned or still has left-over odors, your daughter will not be allowed to turn it in until these conditions are rectified.

 

2.  Order extra tights.  The girls seem to go through these extremely fast.  Our girls get a discount at Dancer’s Closet.  (However, we are looking into selling them directly to the girls ourselves, via Booster Club, as a savings for you and then a profit for the girls! More info later on this.)

 

3.  Have your daughter put her name or initials with permanent marker on the tag inside everything you purchase:  shoes, tights, leotards, capris, pep rally shirts, jazz pants, solo costumes, etc.  The school owns the field uniform and all team contest costumes, so please don’t write in those.

 

4.  The field uniforms need to be hung up after they are worn.  If they lay on the floor in a heap for too long, they look as if someone, not our daughters, of course, slept in them.  This will also help ensure that the uniforms will last as long as possible.

 

5.  You will also purchase a drill team garment bag which will help your daughter have a safe, clean place to store her uniforms.

 

The Sundancer Drill Team Bag is truly an amazing thing.  You thought it was just something else to purchase.  In fact, at times, it contains your daughter’s life.  Occasionally, take a trip through it.  Look through her notebook for all those notes about events and calendars she meant to give you.  During your daughter’s drill team life this bag will go almost everywhere she goes with everything she needs in it.

 

1.  Essential items for the drill team bag:  hair brush, Kleenex, feminine products, deodorant, scented body spray, container of bobby pins, safety pins, drill team makeup, various dance shoes, rain poncho, and drill team notebook.

 

2.  Several other handy things to keep in the bag (which are all optional):  Tylenol, band-aids, bottled water, extra socks, extra pair of tights, extra undies (the girls come to school in their tights and often forget to pack these for the day), and small towel.

 

 

I NEED GIFTS FOR TOMORROW

Ideas and Tips for Gifts

 

There are designated times during the year that the girls will be expected to give gifts to their Big or Little Sister or Secret Sister.  Even after you have your drill team calendars posted in all the important locations at your house, your daughter will announce to you on the dark and rainy night before it is needed, those famous words we have all heard, “I need gifts tomorrow!”

 

1.  Be on the lookout for cute, inexpensive spirit or comfort type items.  Buy it when you see it and keep it till you need it.  It’s convenient to keep a small stock of things for occasional gift times.

 

2.  Stock up on inexpensive gift bags, curly ribbon and tissue paper (school colors are not always a must).

 

3.  Plastic picture frames that can be decorated, poems that they compose themselves, body lotions & soaps, small stuffed animals, small photo albums, copies of a favorite photo, “survival kits” consisting of bobby pins, safety pins, etc., balloons, single flowers, and handmade items are all great alternatives to giving candy as gifts.  The Dollar Tree and the dollar section at Target are excellent places to browse for ideas.

 

4.  Flowers from parents and “Important others” are appreciated by the girls on special occasions such as competitions, last football game, & spring show.

 

5. We are often asked by new parents about homecoming mums. They are worn to school that Friday! However, they are brought to the game on a hanger (one where the neck swivels) and they are displayed in front of the girls along the rail during the game until 3^rd quarter. They then get to put them on. Not everyone has one, so don’t panic and think you have to provide one if they don’t have a date. Your daughter will not be alone. Another point…Freshman and Sophomores should have red, black, white and silver in their mums. Juniors have black, silver, and white only! Seniors have white and silver only on their mums. This has been a tradition at Martin forever. J

 

OTHER STUFF YOU WONDERED ABOUT

Remember: Early is on time and on time is late! Always show up 15 minutes before you are required to be there!

More FYI for Moms and Dads

 

1.  Come to as many football games as you can.  Believe it or not, the girls look for you in the stands.  It means a lot to them if you are there, even though they may never mention it.  Most of the Sundancer parents sit behind the girls in the stands so join the crowd.  It’s a great way to get to know the families of your daughter’s new friends.

 

2.  In the fall, try to attend the pep rallies.  There is a parent section in the center of the east side of the gym (across from the band).  Don’t worry, you will not be alone!!  Plan to attend the show-off and dance competitions in the spring as well.  Bring all family members--grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts, uncles, cousins…everybody!!! The girls love to know you are all out there watching them dance their hearts out!!!  Cheer loudly…that inspires them to do even better!!!!!!

 

3.  Purchase a Sundancer Mom or Dad shirt.  Wear them to the football games, working concessions, contests, parades, etc.  This helps promote team spirit.  It’s a great way to help find each other in large crowds, at contests, and your daughter can always find you when she needs more money. Most of the parents wear the RED Martin Dance shirt for the Fourth of July parade, also. This can be purchased at the Picnic in May. Mom/Dad shirts will be ordered closer to football season; probably around the week of summer camp.

 

4. Solos are optional but worthwhile, if your daughter is interested. Doing a solo can become expensive. Each contest has an entry fee ($45-$95) and she can enter as many competitions as she wishes, or as you have the $$$. In addition, she must provide her own costume. The costume can be as extravagant or as simple as you wish. She does not have to have a different costume for each contest. It is recommended that she use the same routine at each competition so that the scores and comments she receives benefit her the most. However, she may choose to change her routine. Borrowing a costume from a former or current member can be an alternative to buying one, and she can see what there is in our costume closet also. There is also the option of performing in ensembles, but once again, there is a fee and costuming must be provided by you.

5. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS! If you or your daughter has a question, the first source you may want to turn to is her officer or big sister. If they can’t answer the question, you can always check with a parent or email Mrs. Gaither. She will be happy to respond.

6. If you have a problem with anything, talk to Mrs. Gaither with an open mind. Small problems have a way of becoming large burdens if you don’t take care of them as they arise. As we all know, there are two sides to every story and a solution is only a conversation away!

7. Take lots of pictures. Capture the moment on film, and then share them with others. You will have no trouble getting the girls to pose for you; they are always on the lookout for Facebook material. These are some IMPORTANT camera tips that come from experience:

·         Have plenty of memory

·         Put the memory card in the camera

·         Charge the battery

·         Have a back-up battery…competitions last 18 hrs sometimes!

·         Take off the lens cap

·         Don’t drop the camera off the bleachers

·         Don’t forget to pack the camera after you have checked all these things J

8. The Sundancers are allowed limited fundraisers a year. The 2 major ones are:  the Junior Clinic in the fall and the Spring Show in the spring. There is also a Kick-a-Thon, New Officer Garage Sale, and Camp in the summer.  Per UIL rules, all funds raised are divided equally among the girls to offset expenses. The parents (aka Booster Club), however, are not going to be limited in fundraising. We have the #1 concession stand at The Ballpark, and we will be brainstorming for other ideas throughout the year. It is essential that each family participate in The Ballpark as it provides over $30,000 of our annual budget! Want to know where that money is spent? Attend the Booster Club meetings and be a part of the decision making!

 

HOW YOU CAN BE INVOLVED

Opportunities for Parents

The best way to know what is going on is to get involved and become a part of the “action”. The Sundancer Booster Club is one of the most active parent groups at MHS. The Sundancer parents are known as enthusiastic, fun supporters that accomplish a lot in support of the team and their daughters. Each parent is a vital part of making the Sundancers a success. Sundancer Dads are just as active as the Moms! There are equal numbers of dads and moms involved in every event. Dads participate in hauling ice chests for drinks and ice at the camps, lobbing water balloons at the girls during the picnic, videotaping each event, designing and building props for performances, and loading and unloading props from the trailers to the dance floor just to name a few! The girls, the Director, and the parents are all a part of the Sundancer family.  We spend a lot of time behind the scenes working hand in hand with the Director and the Booster Club Board Members in an atmosphere much like that of a small community or family unit.  That unity is further strengthened as we work side by side at the Texas Rangers Ballpark!

The Ballpark is our most successful and profitable fundraiser of the entire year! Over half of our entire budget is earned working the concession stand. This money is divided equally among each drill team member regardless of who is doing the work, so it is imperative that each family do their share! As parents, we pride ourselves in being responsible and setting examples for our children. The Ballpark is the most important opportunity that you have as a member of the Sundancer family to show your willingness to do your part. We work hard, but also share many laughs as we wrap dogs and fill ice buckets. The atmosphere at The Ballpark is one of camaraderie and lighthearted banter with all the soda and nachos you can eat!

The sign up process for The Ballpark is easy.  Log on to the Sundancer website at http://www.martinsundancers.com/ballpark.php), pick out fifteen to twenty slots, and sign up. Each person that works fills a slot, so bring your family and friends and the slots fill up faster! There are 660 slots to fill and any slots we can’t fill, we have to pay to fill. This can eat up our profits very quickly at $70 a slot! Anyone over the age of 16 can work! The girls (over 16) can work any Friday or Saturday game until school is out and anytime in the summer. All the information you need is right there! A Ballpark packet is also attached to answer questions about when to show up, where to park, and what to wear!

Other opportunities are available as well. We ask for your help with every major event. Whether it is to help work concessions at camp, set up for Spring Picnic, bake cookies for snack bags, or chaperone a trip, you can help play a vital part in your daughter’s success! Be sure and keep the director, as well as the Booster Club President updated on your current phone numbers and email addresses! I can’t stress this enough. We have parents every year that are upset that they haven’t heard from us, and it is because we have no current information for them.

The Sundancer Drill Team is going to be your daughter’s life. Please be a part of the Sundancer experience and show interest in her activities.  This will give you the unique opportunity to stay connected with your daughter in a time when teens tend to become distant. If you stay active and involved in your daughter’s activities, you can become closer and form bonds at a time in their development which is critical to their success as adults. The younger girls seem to be embarrassed at their parent’s involvement at first, but as they see the older girl’s parent’s involvement, this perception quickly changes! They are disappointed when you are NOT there! The girls take pride and truly appreciate your involvement. You will never regret one single moment spent supporting her Sundancer Experience. It is truly a team sport…team being girls, directors, parents, family and friends.

EVENTS 

What is it and what do I need to do?

May:

Officer Mock Tryouts: This is when the girls that are trying out for officer for the following year get to do a dress rehearsal of the actual Officer Tryout. Parents and friends are encouraged to attend.

Uniform Fitting: A required event for the girls and one parent. This event gives you an opportunity to get to know the organization a little bit better, buy some spirit wear, join our booster club, or just fill out a volunteer form for AISD. While the girls are trying on uniform pieces in the other gym, parents are seeing video of the girl’s performances, learning about our fundraisers and finding out where the money goes. It is a lot of fun and full of information.

Kick-a-Thon: This is one of two fundraisers the girls participate in each year. Each girl gets as many pledges as possible and then gets to kick to her goal! It is held in one of the gyms at MHS.

Officer Garage Sale:  Our officers are required to purchase all new uniforms and also have to pay for a very intensive but expensive summer camp, so to help them with their expenses, we ask the line members to gather up any unwanted items to be sold at their garage sale to help offset some of their officer expenses. All money raised at this event goes directly to offset Officer Camp expenses for the officer line.

New Team Picnic:  This is a don’t miss event for parents and girls alike. It is the first opportunity for everyone to interact in a social atmosphere where the parents get to visit and the girls play games coordinated by their new Social Committee. We serve hot dogs and picnic foods and there is usually a few water balloons floating around…like maybe a thousand. If you are a parent and you haven’t made your daughter mad lately, you will probably stay dry, however if you are one of the girls…prepare to be drenched.

Free Physical at Martin:  Martin High School sponsors a free physical one day a year for anyone who is interested. It is held in one of the gyms at Martin.

 

July:

City of Arlington 4^th of July Parade and Practice:  The practice is held in the parking lot on the west side of Martin (the band lot). The girls will march behind the band through the neighborhood across from MHS. It is nice if we have some volunteers to spray the girls as they march as it gets hot and there are some hills in that neighborhood. The parade is mandatory for girls and we have parents and siblings volunteer to help keep the girls cool while they march. We spray them with ice water as we walk along with them through the route. Let us know if you want to help with this. It is a lot of fun. Otherwise, get with your friends and form a sea of red Martin Dance shirts along the parade route! Wear sunscreen and make sure your Sundancer has applied some as well!

Pre-Camp:  This is an introduction to drill team for the new members. The girls work on drill team basics. They will learn basic technique. The girls also find out what squad they will be for the next year. This is an exciting time as the girls work together and get to help each other. Parents will not be needed at this event.

Team Camp: We hold our own camp at Martin High School. Our team joins with other teams from around Arlington to learn their football and pep rally routines. They will also be able to try out for All City Jazz and All City Kick. Because we, as a Booster Club, host this event, it is extremely labor intensive for our Booster Club Board and parent participation is crucial. We will have volunteer opportunities for just about everyone. The camp runs from about 7am to 10pm some days. We will need parents to help sell spirit wear, run concessions, pick up and pass out lunches, bake cookies/brownies, etc. We make good money for our girls during this event and it is a great chance to get to see what your girls are doing every day! They will be too tired to explain when they get home!!

 

August:

Back-to-School Boot Camp:  This is when the girls learn stand routines, basic “what to do when” things, pre-game performance, and work more on their technique.

Morning Practices Begin: It’s early, so most the girls show up with clean hair in some kind of knotted pony tail and no makeup. They get ready for school after first period. It is amazing how they learn to get ready so quickly!!

Big/Little Sis Day:  This is when the girls find out who their Big/Little Sis is going to be for the year. This is the team’s mentoring program. Your Big Sis will lead you through each season and will always be there for you if you have any questions. They also exchange gifts from time to time.

War Party:  This is the football team’s idea of their own Pep Rally! All the “football” related teams come; drill team, all three cheerleader squads, the band, and all seven football teams! Yes, we have seven! Our girls perform so it’s fun to watch and is usually catered for free by Spring Creek BBQ and is held out on our football field behind Martin. All parents come to this.

First Event:  This is a wonderful event. It’s like a craft fair in that every club, organization, and team at MHS has their own booth and is selling various Martin spirit items. Bring an entire checkbook because you have to write a check at each individual booth. And the girls will want t-shirts from other clubs even if they aren’t in them. You will also sign up for various organizations at this time; Key Club, PTA, newspaper subscriptions, etc. At the end there is a big pep rally in gym A in which our girls will perform. We have a booth and usually have veteran parents run it in one hour increments.

 

September:

Football Season: Parents, family, and friends are encouraged to attend. We sit above the girls at home games, and usually beside them at away games. Remember that while your dancer is in the stands, she is performing at all times. Please only speak to them during 3^rd quarter. They will be under the stands or by concessions.

Pep Rally Performances: Parents are encouraged to attend. Sit across from the band in the middle of Gym A. And Homecoming Pep Rally is a DON’T MISS event!

Homecoming:  Some have mums, some don’t, so don’t sweat it! They do wear their mums/dresses to school and then they carry the mums on a hangar to the game to be displayed in front of the drill team in the stands. They will be allowed to wear them during third quarter at the game. Once again, don’t miss the Homecoming Pep Rally!

 

October:

Football Season continued

Pep Rallies continued

Junior Clinic: This is the girls other fundraiser for the year. They put out flyers at the elementary and junior high schools inviting them to come learn a routine to be performed on the field at a Friday night football game with the Sundancers. They work all day Saturday to learn the routine and play games with the Sundancers. This gives them a taste of what it would be like being a Sundancer and hopefully inspires them to join when they get older.

AISD Dance Gala:  This is an event where the drill team and dance classes both perform in a recital type format.

 

November:

Football Playoffs:  We perform at every game, even if it involves travelling for the playoffs.

Competition preparations and practices:  This is one of the only times during the year when Saturday practices might need to be scheduled. If the football team goes far in the playoffs, then it runs into our competition practice schedule and Saturday practices become needed. Either way, this is an intense time for the girls. They are all excited but at the same time exhausted because they have push their skills to the limit for these routines. Normal practices are still in the mornings before school. Parents will be working hard at this point building props and backgrounds for the competition routines. If you have any wood, craft, or painting skills, please let the booster club know.

 

December:

Elementary Holiday Tour:  In an effort to spread Holiday Cheer and to get the girls more “face time” with the younger girls, the Sundancers take a day to go perform Holiday routines for the elementary schools that feed into Martin. They go from school to school all day one day. Parents may come watch but must provide their own transportation.

Team Holiday Party:  This is just another opportunity for the girls to get together in a social atmosphere. Parents are welcome to come take pictures. The girls play team bonding games that are directed by their Social Committee.

Competition preparations and practices continued

 

January:

Basketball Performances:  These performances give the girls the opportunity to practice performing their competition routines. Parents are encouraged to attend.

Competition preparations and practices continued

 

February:

Basketball Performances continued

Continue Contest Preparations

Competition Dress Rehearsal:  This is an opportunity for all the parents and friends to come see the final result of all the girl’s hard work. The girls will perform all of their competition routines and solos in full costume and allow our Prop Parents to practice the set up and take down of all props. (I encourage you to volunteer to be a Prop Parent if you plan on attending any one of the competitions.)

Competitions:  This is the moment we all wait for! Parents are encouraged to come. The girls will perform all their routines, usually in several different places at the event. We all move around together following a schedule that Mrs. Gaither will print up for us so we don’t miss any performances. Wear your Martin Spirit Wear!

Future Fish Night:  In the spring, Martin invites all of it’s 8^th graders from Young and Boles to attend a information night. For our team, it  is a chance to show video of performances and the director can sell them on being a Sundancer. The girls go to promote the team and answer questions.

 

March:

Tech Rehearsals, Dress Rehearsal: These are the practices the week of Spring Show that work out all the kinks involved in fitting a routine on to a small stage! Dress rehearsal is just that…a run through of the show. Parents are welcome to come watch.

Spring Show:   Spring Show is a celebration of the year and a “good-bye” to our Seniors. It is an amazing production put on by our girls and some other dance groups from Martin. All family and friends are encouraged to come and if you are a Dad, well, you get to do more than watch! It is a long standing tradition that the girls perform a Daddy/Daughter dance. Yes, all the dads participate and there is no dance experience required. It is all done in fun and everyone loves it!

 

April:

New Team Tryouts:  This is the tryouts for all new members. A clinic is held after school each day for a week. The girls learn a routine they will use for tryouts that Friday.

Officer Auditions:  This is the dance/interview portion of the tryouts. They have a week-long clinic where they learn the officer strut, a routine, and other technique they will be required to perform for the judges that Friday. The girls also have to complete an extensive notebook including essays, letters of recommendation, report cards, etc. that is due prior to the week of the clinic.

SOCO Auditions: This is a judged presentation tryout for a position on the Social Committee. They are responsible for planning all the get-togethers, team building, birthdays, and gift ideas for each event for the entire year within a given budget. These girls must also complete a notebook full of ideas from coming up with a theme for the year to planning team building ideas for everyday of the week and at football games. This notebook includes plans and ideas for every event for the entire year.

Banquet: Banquet is the end of year party for the girls. They get awards, watch the senior video, and get to dance the night away with family and friends. It is a formal event and parents are encouraged to come.

 

 

Other Events:

Booster Club Meetings:  These meetings are crucial to the success of the drill team. This is when you have an opportunity to speak up, find out what is being planned and volunteer to help. Attendance is HIGHLY encouraged. This is also when you will receive the upcoming calendar of events and important dates from the director.

BallPark:  Yes, this is the Texas Rangers Ballpark at Arlington. We have had stand #115 on the lower third base side for the last 17 years. This is the best money making stand in the park. Our parents work all the home games from April through July each year. This earns our booster club about $35k a year. This money is divided equally among all Sundancers, so don’t be shy about signing up to work. Your daughter is benefitting directly from this fundraiser! It is a lot of fun and you really get to know the other parents well. No experience required. Just go to our website and click The Ballpark, select your daughter’s name from the pull down menu, write in your name, and then just hit submit! You are now ready to work. A shirt and hat will be provided for you at the game so just put on some khaki pants or shorts, tennis shoes, park in the employee lot H (directly west of the Siemens building) and enter through the homeplate entrance. We’ll see you there!

 

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERIENCED VETERANS!!

This booklet was compiled from the thoughts of drill team parents. These quotes seem to sum up their thoughts:

“Being a part of the Sundancers has many benefits.  First, I am a part of my daughter’s life, because in a few short years, she will be out on her own.  Secondly, I am meeting her friends and their parents, so that I know what types of people she is hanging around with. 

 The most unexpected benefit was that I have made some friends with the parents that I truly cherish.  One of my best friends on the Booster Club lives about 8 houses from me, and I never knew it until we were working at the Ballpark!

 I think that my daughter’s involvement with the Sundancers will be a memory that she will look back on in the years to come as a really great time.  She will say that it was all good.”  Steve Burley

“Be involved.  We are all busy, but our kids are the most important aspects of our lives.  Make sure they know that, and be involved in all they do. Being a part of the Booster Club is a great way to do that.

 

Willingness to help is a better trait to leave your kids, than regret.” Gena Walton

 

You only get one chance to make a positive impact on your daughters dance experience at Martin. Four years will be gone before you know it! And your daughters will appreciate your efforts well beyond the four years! This I can guarantee.   We work hard for the girls but we have a blast every step of the way.  Come join us.  You AND your daughter will be glad you did!!  Wade Perry

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
Winston Churchill

“I’ve had parents from other schools marvel at how many of our parents are involved in our activities. They ask, “How do you get them to show up?” and the truth is, our girls on Sundancers are so successful because they ALWAYS have parents that “show up”! These are the kids whose parents are actively involved in their children’s activities, and it shows in their success rate!

 I encourage YOU to be one of those parents if you aren’t already…and one day, you will have your child look up at you in the stands and smile with a little more confidence or come by where you are selling at a table just to give you a hug. It’s in those moments, you’ll see the extra security in her personality and feel the love in her heart that ‘you always being there’ has given her…trust me, it’s worth it.” Julie Burke

“Most important thing of all---HAVE FUN!”

“You are important to your daughter and the team. Never underestimate your part! Be involved; come to the meetings so you are informed! Have a great time!”

“You will enjoy being a part of the Sundancers as much as your daughter. Drill Team NEVER ends.”