[noneofyourbusiness]

MelloHorn13, on 26 May 2011 - 10:57 AM, said:

Hornline sizes from last year:
(ballpark numbers for some)

BDB - 64
SCVC - 48
OC - 36
Spartans - 30
Revoluion - 28
Music City- 30
Raiders- 26
Legends - 26
7th Regiment - 25
Genesis - 35
Forte - 25
CC -25
Velvet Knights - 17
Racine Scouts - 14
Les Stentors- 25
Stragnas - 12
Blue Saints -10

####. That drops off pretty quick. Not a very pretty picture IMHO. Kind of a shame that recruiting at this level is so hard nowadays. There are so many kids that get cut from WC corps that could benefit soooo much with just one year in OC. Wish those kids could understand that concept. It would help the whole activity so much.

[Dir_en_X]

noneofyourbusiness, on 26 May 2011 - 04:53 PM, said:

####. That drops off pretty quick. Not a very pretty picture IMHO. Kind of a shame that recruiting at this level is so hard nowadays. There are so many kids that get cut from WC corps that could benefit soooo much with just one year in OC. Wish those kids could understand that concept. It would help the whole activity so much.

Not necessarily. I agree in some areas of the country recruitment of members can be a challenge. But with what marching costs today, and the amount of strain put on members physically, the average time people spend marching is a lot shorter. If you figure you have one, maybe two years tops (three plus if you're lucky), Most people don't see the Open Class corps for the value they are. They only see the Blue Devils' and the Crowns and the Bluecoats' and think they'd have a better summer there.

Most World Class corps post their attendance rates for auditions, which range anywhere from 150 to 400. Assuming these auditionees only try out for one World Class corps, and the average number of people auditioning is 250 per corps, that's 5,750 people, which means 2,300 of those will be cut. If they don't already, I would think that the Open Class corps should talk with their World Class counterparts and reach out to people that were cut. We all know that the more people on the field, the better.

That being said, Go Open Class! June is so close!

This post has been edited by Dir_en_X: 27 May 2011 - 12:46 AM

[thirdcoast]

Dir_en_X, on 27 May 2011 - 12:46 AM, said:

Not necessarily. I agree in some areas of the country recruitment of members can be a challenge. But with what marching costs today, and the amount of strain put on members physically, the average time people spend marching is a lot shorter. If you figure you have one, maybe two years tops (three plus if you're lucky), Most people don't see the Open Class corps for the value they are. They only see the Blue Devils' and the Crowns and the Bluecoats' and think they'd have a better summer there.

Most World Class corps post their attendance rates for auditions, which range anywhere from 150 to 400. Assuming these auditionees only try out for one World Class corps, and the average number of people auditioning is 250 per corps, that's 5,750 people, which means 2,300 of those will be cut. If they don't already, I would think that the Open Class corps should talk with their World Class counterparts and reach out to people that were cut. We all know that the more people on the field, the better.

That being said, Go Open Class! June is so close!

Word! Get fired up!

[Gary Matczak]

Dir_en_X, on 27 May 2011 - 12:46 AM, said:

Not necessarily. I agree in some areas of the country recruitment of members can be a challenge. But with what marching costs today, and the amount of strain put on members physically, the average time people spend marching is a lot shorter. If you figure you have one, maybe two years tops (three plus if you're lucky), Most people don't see the Open Class corps for the value they are. They only see the Blue Devils' and the Crowns and the Bluecoats' and think they'd have a better summer there.

Most World Class corps post their attendance rates for auditions, which range anywhere from 150 to 400. Assuming these auditionees only try out for one World Class corps, and the average number of people auditioning is 250 per corps, that's 5,750 people, which means 2,300 of those will be cut. If they don't already, I would think that the Open Class corps should talk with their World Class counterparts and reach out to people that were cut. We all know that the more people on the field, the better.

That being said, Go Open Class! June is so close!

Good points,..................but the majority of the Open Class corps have memberships that are locally based, which is far from the typical World Class model,........ if a student from Nebraska tries out and and doesn't make the cut for several WC corps, I don't see them taking the same passionate approach to peforming that season with a OC corps,...........

[CSGreen]

I don't know Gary, we have a few KS/NE students in Forte, I know Revolution has one or two, and I would think (being geographically close) that Colt Cadets would as well.

When you think regional, it's more than just 'local'. Last year MOST of Forte's corps wasn't from the DFW area, with MS, Houston, TX, OK City area and OH being the largest contention.

This year we are 85% local, but still have a large component from MS. Our 'region' is basically a Triangle from Kansas to Dallas/Austin/Houston and over to MS. all but about 4 students come from this area (and 2 of those are from El Paso, which is far away, but still in TX)

Some WC are great about telling their kids about Open Class options, even to the point of calling corps to tell them about certain students, or provide lists of potential candidates. Some WC choose not to share their lists, and may or may not suggest Open Class.

I tend to think that Percussion cut from WC seek out Open Class more so than brass or guard. If brass/guard would do it with the same passion as the majority of percussion cuts (especially percussionists who know they were 1-2 spots from making it), you would probably see a bigger swell of new members in April/May in Open.

Last year, we had several students who auditioned for WC and didn't make it, come march with Forte, and then went back to those WC corps and made it. The WC corps in question are mostly top WC.

There is some incredible quality instruction at the Open Class level from many corps at all levels. The more students check out (especially a regionally close corps) these corps, the more it is realized.

Right now, I feel, half the battle is simply letting kids know these corps exist. The more the Open Class corps are seen, listed, reported about, pictures shown, videos, etc, the more students will research these corps and potentially find the experience they are looking for... or a training ground to help them prepare for the experience they are looking for...

[MelloHorn13]

Dir_en_X, on 27 May 2011 - 12:46 AM, said:

Not necessarily. I agree in some areas of the country recruitment of members can be a challenge. But with what marching costs today, and the amount of strain put on members physically, the average time people spend marching is a lot shorter. If you figure you have one, maybe two years tops (three plus if you're lucky), Most people don't see the Open Class corps for the value they are. They only see the Blue Devils' and the Crowns and the Bluecoats' and think they'd have a better summer there.

Most World Class corps post their attendance rates for auditions, which range anywhere from 150 to 400. Assuming these auditionees only try out for one World Class corps, and the average number of people auditioning is 250 per corps, that's 5,750 people, which means 2,300 of those will be cut. If they don't already, I would think that the Open Class corps should talk with their World Class counterparts and reach out to people that were cut. We all know that the more people on the field, the better.

That being said, Go Open Class! June is so close!

It's REALLY hard to get a cut list from World Class Corps. I got a cut list from Cavaliers in 2008 ad got 5-6 brass players from that list. They marched for 2-3 years to help the corps (Racine Scouts) build, which we did. And they all went on to march, SCV, Crown, Xmen, Pioneer, Cavaliers and Madison. A few this year decided to stay local and march 7th Regiment and Spartans.

If the bigger corpswould share their cut list, or just take the smaller corps under their wings for guidance and support.

[Dir_en_X]

MelloHorn13, on 27 May 2011 - 04:55 PM, said:

It's REALLY hard to get a cut list from World Class Corps. I got a cut list from Cavaliers in 2008 ad got 5-6 brass players from that list. They marched for 2-3 years to help the corps (Racine Scouts) build, which we did. And they all went on to march, SCV, Crown, Xmen, Pioneer, Cavaliers and Madison. A few this year decided to stay local and march 7th Regiment and Spartans.

If the bigger corpswould share their cut list, or just take the smaller corps under their wings for guidance and support.

That's unfortunate. I could understand keeping some names in case people leave the corps for whatever reasoning, but to only release a few names out of a larger pool seems a little stingy IMO.

[thirdcoast]

MelloHorn13, on 26 May 2011 - 10:57 AM, said:

Hornline sizes from last year:
(ballpark numbers for some)

BDB - 64
SCVC - 48
OC - 36
Spartans - 30
Revoluion - 28
Music City- 30
Raiders- 26
Legends - 26
7th Regiment - 25
Genesis - 35
Forte - 25
CC -25
Velvet Knights - 17
Racine Scouts - 14
Les Stentors- 25
Stragnas - 12
Blue Saints -10

Isnt Music City marching 80 horns this year? Will all the OPEN CLASS Corps be performing at Quarter Finals? Just some random thoughts, looking forward to seeing all these Corps this year. The 2011 season is right around the corner, lets get fired up.

[Gary Matczak]

thirdcoast, on 31 May 2011 - 04:07 AM, said:

Isnt Music City marching 80 horns this year? Will all the OPEN CLASS Corps be performing at Quarter Finals? Just some random thoughts, looking forward to seeing all these Corps this year. The 2011 season is right around the corner, lets get fired up.

I am pretty sure that Open Class corps at quarters would be doing so at their option,...........

[kansasDC]

Dir_en_X, on 27 May 2011 - 12:46 AM, said:

Not necessarily. I agree in some areas of the country recruitment of members can be a challenge. But with what marching costs today, and the amount of strain put on members physically, the average time people spend marching is a lot shorter. If you figure you have one, maybe two years tops (three plus if you're lucky), Most people don't see the Open Class corps for the value they are. They only see the Blue Devils' and the Crowns and the Bluecoats' and think they'd have a better summer there.

Most World Class corps post their attendance rates for auditions, which range anywhere from 150 to 400. Assuming these auditionees only try out for one World Class corps, and the average number of people auditioning is 250 per corps, that's 5,750 people, which means 2,300 of those will be cut. If they don't already, I would think that the Open Class corps should talk with their World Class counterparts and reach out to people that were cut. We all know that the more people on the field, the better.

That being said, Go Open Class! June is so close!

Just wanted to pipe in on the highlighted statement above. There are many more members marching more than three years than I think people realize. My son is in his seventh season of DCI this year, and there are quite a few other people marching with him this year that are in their fifth through seventh year in the same corps. The financial part is not as bad as people think with all of the sponsorship options and fundraisers available, and the members who take care of themselves physically all year long normally do not have any problems marching many years. Yes, there are quite a few one-and-done people in drum corps today, but there is also a significant group that marches in DCI for five plus years still.
And, based on the numbers at my son's corps, I can tell you that the average number of total auditionees at the upper WC corps is much higher than 250. Several of the corps get numbers in the 600-800 range. And I think many of the "cuts" are steered toward OC corps, but the corps doing it just don't advertise that fact.