[dapperpoet]

My son gets on an airplane and heads for Mars tomorrow. He will be marching his age-out year, and I find myself pretty weepy about the whole deal. It seems like it was just yesterday when I was driving him to Jacksonville AL for his first camp when he was still 16. Drum corps, irrespective of where loyalties/preferences/tastes lie, is a fabulous thing for Thomas, and for thousands of kids each summer. He has literally grown up, one rehearsal, one run through, one performance, one bus ride at a time. He started as a boy, and now marches his last summer as a fully grown man. All of you who teach, who direct, who volunteer, are owed a great debt of gratitude by parents like me. We put our children into your hands, and you have earned our trust. I hope every single kid, no matter what judges sheet or someone screaming in a crowd or here has to say, gets to experience a summer of fun, of growth, of excellence, and, every now and then, of the transcendence and beauty that drum corps can bring into this often fractious world of ours. Good luck to everyone! Wear sunscreen! Find that quality within yourself that allows you to know that sometimes limits aren't limits, and there is always a little something more that you have deep down inside yourselves.

This post has been edited by dapperpoet: 11 May 2012 - 08:32 AM

[3rd Glasgow BB]

and remember no matter what your staff say, it's always really, really, really funny to fart on the bus.

[soccerguy315]

wishing everyone safe travels and comfortable gym floors

[rkfdPRphan]

...to 2012!
and.....
Safer travels
Less bus/truck breakdowns
Better gas mileage (and lower gas prices)
Yummy food
and Great shows while having the time of your lives!

See ya down the road!

[glory]

One of my favorite among many, many, favorite drum corps moments was from finals sometime in the 90s (I think one of the Orlando years) when a middle-aged man near me in the stands stood during a quiet interval and yelled as loud as he could:

My son marches bass for the Cadets. I love my son.

I tear up every time I think about his obvious pride and the emotion driving it. Shouting it out might not be for everybody, but it works for me. Thanks for the shout out.

HH

[JonW]

I've a feeling this will be another spectacular summer

/salute to all the marching members and staff!

[ibexpercussion]

Can I hit like about 20 more times on the first post?

[CaDevil]

3rd Glasgow BB, on 10 May 2012 - 02:55 PM, said:

and remember no matter what your staff say, it's always really, really, really funny to fart on the bus.

...and in the chow line...
...and in the shower...
...and in sectionals...

[emc2]

dapperpoet, on 10 May 2012 - 02:18 PM, said:

My son gets on an airplane and heads for Mars tomorrow. He will be marching his age-out year, and I find myself pretty weepy about the whole deal. It seems like it was just yesterday when I was driving him to Jacksonville AL for his first camp when he was still 16. Drum corps, irrespective of where loyalties/preferences/tastes lie, is a fabulous thing for Thomas, and for thousands of kids each summer. He has literally grown up, one rehearsal, one run through, one performance, one bus ride at a time. He started as a boy, and now marches his last summer as a fully grown man. All of you who teach, who direct, who volunteer, are owed a great debt of gratitude by parents like me. We put our children into your hands, and you have earned our trust. I hope every single kid, no matter what judges sheet or someone screaming in a crowd or here has to say, gets to experience a summer of fun, of growth, of excellence, and, every now and then, of the transcendence and beauty that drum corps can bring into this often fractious world of ours. Good luck to everyone! Wear sunscreen! Find that quality within yourself that allows you to know that sometimes limits aren't limits, and there is always a little something more that you have deep down inside yourselves.

Right on and thats the way (Drum corp) Youth activity has been for decades.

[BRASSO]

JonW, on 11 May 2012 - 08:51 AM, said:

I've a feeling this will be another spectacular summer

/salute to all the marching members and staff!

Yes.

This.