Open Class stigma

[JB109]

I've marched a year with my Open Class corps and will march this particular corps until I ageout. I have a number of reasons why.

1. I'm a part of building something great. Our corps keeps getting better and better every year. 20 years from now I can say that I made my current corps amazing when it gets up to World Class. Even if it doesn't, I want to be a part of making this corps different than any other. Be a part of building a reputation this corps is a great place to march.

2. The corps I march gives anyone a chance. Even if you aren't great, if you can show that you work hard and you're passionate, they will give you the experience a lot of kids dream of having. I feel this corps took a chance on me, so I want to give back to them for giving me the greatest summer of my life and many more to come.

3. I love being the underdog. My goal every performance (My corps performs a lot of World Class shows) is to make the audience go, "Wait, who's this? They're amazing! Who are they?" I want everyone who missed our performance because they showed up late to regret missing it. Not trying to be mean, but I love the element of surprise.

4. I love Open Class crowds. The crowds at most Open Class shows (Johnsonburg, PA to be specific) love and cheer for every corps. They realize we have lower budgets, members with not enough money to pay World Class but they don't care. They come to be entertained regardless of the uniform. I know several people in my corps get very emotional at Johnsonburg because they give everyone a standing ovation and always cheer during the show. This is common at every Open Class show, but very particular in Johnsonburg.

5. I was raised with a great family, and I found one within my corps. So why would I leave it? The people who stay are amazing. I want to march with these amazing people as long as I can. I know every corps has a family atmosphere, but this is MY family. And I'll stick by them to the end.

A season of drum corps is a season of drum corps, regardless of the class or division. You never know, you may find that you love it so much with an Open Class group you'll wanna stay.

[Trask]

JB, I'm in the same boat. I've found a family with my corps and I'm intent on sticking around. The crowd in Michigan City goes wild for us even though we wear the blue patch instead of the red one.

I made this post after hearing a lot of rookies coming in saying their aim was to jump ship after a season. My hope is that they find what I did at my corps.

[Stu]

While I understand that urge to see if you can make the existing structure better (I told my wife two nights ago that my next project is forming a Drum Corps - was I serious or not? hmmmm .....), I wonder how much the individual player can do. If the Corps is not on solid financial ground, or is not very-well organized (which costs valuable preparation time), or cannot attract and keep the top players or staff, then I'm not sure the players that stay have much ability to effect the necessary changes. Players can certainly raise their own level - but what if they do that and the rest of the Corps does not?

Edit: And please understand that I am not a Drum Corps insider, so forgive my ignorance when it arises. Wish I had marched DCI, but I can't go back in time. However, I have a good deal of experience with athletic clubs and organizations, and see the same issues there between lower, mid and upper level clubs, and what makes them and keeps them that way, and what makes players go to or leave them. There appear to be certain similarities with drum corps as to this issue.

This will give an indication of your thought process concerning the drum corps 'activity'. You say that you wish that you had marched DCI but cannot go back in time. While you may be too old now to march in DCI, there is DCA, Soundsport, and SDCA; all of which you still can participate in after the age of 22. Or are you only interested in DCI?

[Stu]

To JB109 and Trask: If you decide to keep the faith, love, and loyalty to those with whom you now associate that is wonderful. Helping to accomplish the building of something greater than yourself is just as, if not more so, rewarding than merely being another member in something great that was built by others many years ago.

[Stu]

Here is a question related to the problem I see with the current DCI OC model: If the financial burden to attend a Junior College (transportation, fees, tuition, supplies, etc) was very near the same as the cost to attend an Ivy League University, what incentive would there be to attend the Junior College?

[Eleran]

This will give an indication of your thought process concerning the drum corps 'activity'. You say that you wish that you had marched DCI but cannot go back in time. While you may be too old now to march in DCI, there is DCA, Soundsport, and SDCA; all of which you still can participate in after the age of 22. Or are you only interested in DCI?

I'm 47 years old with three school-aged children - doing DCA for myself might be nice, but at this point in my life I more greatly value doing things with and for my children than for myself. I wish I had done DCI when I was young, with the freedom to pursue what I wanted just for myself.

[Stu]

I'm 47 years old with three school-aged children - doing DCA for myself might be nice, but at this point in my life I more greatly value doing things with and for my children than for myself. I wish I had done DCI when I was young, with the freedom to pursue what I wanted just for myself.

Ok; the freedom to march DCI is in the past; and you now value doing things with your kids and not just for yourself. Great!!!! You and one, or two, or possibly even all three of your kids can be a part of a DCA corps, a SDCA corps, or SoundSport group and you all can all do this together as a family!!!!

[Eleran]

Ok; the freedom to march DCI is in the past; and you now value doing things with your kids and not just for yourself. Great!!!! You and one, or two, or possibly even all three of your kids can be a part of a DCA corps, a SDCA corps, or SoundSport group and you all can all do this together as a family!!!!

Actually, this is my son's first year marching a corps, and we looked at two DCA and one DCI Open corps. What swung him towards the DCI corps was specifically the point that he would marching with younger players, and I understand that. He's a teen, and this is his opportunity to get out a little more on his own and spend time working and playing with his peers on the road. He's happy to have me work with him at home on his marching and playing technique, but the thought of me marching beside him in a DCA corps wasn't what he wanted. I can accept that. Anyway, although I was tempted, my other two children's sports and activities really wouldn't give me the time to devote entire weekends to training and touring with a corps at this point. We all have choices to make. I wish I had made different choices at 18, but at 47 I know what choices I have to make.

Maybe when he's older - when I'm 55 or so - we could do DCA together.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Eleran

[chasgroh]

To JB109 and Trask: If you decide to keep the faith, love, and loyalty to those with whom you now associate that is wonderful. Helping to accomplish the building of something greater than yourself is just as, if not more so, rewarding than merely being another member in something great that was built by others many years ago.

...piggybackin' a "right on" here...I love it all, of course, but OC is special...hang in there and one day a person such as I will come up and shake your hand as you've aged-out of *your* drumcorps...