Fred Windish Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 I am a fan of Cadets2. I had suggested they might well win DCA last year. Solid, solid corps. An asset to any DCA show, but . . . . . there's an unanswered question, I think. With such a low upper age limit to perform, does Cadets2 enjoy a unique competitive advantage? In today's America, most young people under the age of 25 are unmarried, still in school, unemployed, not encumbered by the demands of home ownership, family management, etc. In other words, they are ALWAYS available. Therefore, practicing 7 days a week is doable for just about the entire membership. Besides the youthful ability to 'run and gun' better than much older members, the ability to participate in repeated, possibly nightly, practice (as in DCI) would likely produce a more proficient performance than we normally see. Is there some official control in place in this regard, an equalizer of sorts? Thoughts? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Holland Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Are you hinting that they rehearse as an ensemble 7 days a week, or as individuals? Just checking their schedule from last year, I see that (providing they stuck to this schedule) they only rehearsed on weekends like the rest of DCA. https://yea.org/programs/cadets/cadets2/news/655-2015-schedule If you're in a weekend only corps, and NOT practicing your charts everyday to get better on your own, you're doing the WRONG THING. seriously. That doesn't matter your age. Same as I practice my charts for whatever gig I have coming up. Honestly I don't think they're doing anything that's out of the league of what Reading, MN Brass, or Cabs could accomplish. The time constraints of weekend only corps seem to max out what is possible on the field. I do believe that Cabs stepped up their demand visually to the level of Reading, MB, and C2. I've not marched DCA, but I would guess that as the activity evolves, members cut themselves in regards to being able to do what is asked of them during performances. While the age cap may give them an advantage from a performer stamina or body durability perspective, I think the time restraint keeps them with everyone else. But is this really an elephant in a room at this point? Considering their placement since coming onto the scene? Had they come into DCA and won 4 straight, I would agree that this could be a concern. Or if their schedule was listed as 7 days a week, I could see a concern. Unless you know something the rest of the activity doesn't... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 Chris, I don't know anything more about this topic than you do, even with living 4 miles from where they practice! I have heard this concern expressed by others, however. No doubt, if Cadets2 does begin to actually win on a regular basis (and I believe they will) this WILL become an issue. Just seems like a good topic to induce some 'off season' chatter. Thanks for your contribution. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 I am a fan of Cadets2. I had suggested they might well win DCA last year. Solid, solid corps. An asset to any DCA show, but . . . . . there's an unanswered question, I think. With such a low upper age limit to perform, does Cadets2 enjoy a unique competitive advantage? ...or, by instituting such a low upper-age limit, does Cadets2 put themselves at a unique competitive disadvantage? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPeashey Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I tend to agree with Kamarag... I guess I can claim to being somewhat an expert on all aged, weekend warrior corps... I believe that the success of these corps has been by and large due to a blend of youthful talent and sage experience. By not dotting their positions with an occasional veteran, who knows what is required to accomplish a quality product with minimal rehearsal time, they are - to this point - limiting their success somewhat. The key to this has been looking at their deficiencies and - although it must be stated that each year they improve and were most successful this year which I put to bringing in Rich Templin with his vast knowledge of how to make an all aged corps work - but still performance visual has been a decided negative... That being said, I expect them to continue to improve and continue to contend... quality programs with quality teachers should work... especially with the influx of teachers who are used to what is necessary to accomplish without 7 day a week rehearsals... They are already élite... further success is inevitable... but I repeat... this success would come faster if they had more experienced dotted in the program for the younger less experienced to lean on and learn from... again... their age requirements are a disadvantage... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Detweiler Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) Their age requirements serve the purposes of the organization as a whole as they see it...whatever those are. As a member of a direct competitor I feel that they, as well as all the other corps out there, make decisions that best suit what they want to accomplish. Otherwise those stipulations and policies wouldn't be in place. I look forward to their continued growth and success. It only serves to further motivate the staff, administration and membership of my corps, as does the success of all of our direct competitors. This IS a competitive activity after all and that healthy competitive drive is one of the things that continues to motivate the activity and its member corps to new heights of achievement and excellence. C2 is C2, just like Bucs are Bucs and CV is CV. We all do what we do in our own way to better serve the goals of our organizations. I am sure if someone from Cabs or MBI or Bucs or whoever came to one of our rehearsal camps they would leave scratching their heads wondering why we do some of the things we do. Same if I went to one of theirs. Mine is not to question why. We are all looking to better our own organizations in our own way to become better next year than we were the last. Many, many different ways to skin a cat. I have nothing but respect for all of our competitors if for no other reason than they are out there every year going through the same grind we are. Trying to find the right combination that will make us better. That's all we can do. As always, just my two cents. CV16 All. In. Dan Edited December 1, 2015 by Dan Detweiler 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I am a fan of Cadets2. I had suggested they might well win DCA last year. Solid, solid corps. An asset to any DCA show, but . . . . . there's an unanswered question, I think. With such a low upper age limit to perform, does Cadets2 enjoy a unique competitive advantage? In today's America, most young people under the age of 25 are unmarried, still in school, unemployed, not encumbered by the demands of home ownership, family management, etc. In other words, they are ALWAYS available. Therefore, practicing 7 days a week is doable for just about the entire membership. Besides the youthful ability to 'run and gun' better than much older members, the ability to participate in repeated, possibly nightly, practice (as in DCI) would likely produce a more proficient performance than we normally see. Is there some official control in place in this regard, an equalizer of sorts? Thoughts? well.......in theory you may be right. They MAY be always available. yet knowing a few kids who have marched there, as well as some who have taught there, they really aren't. between kids and staff, and even facilities, there are multiple hurdles to not doing it this way. In fact, C2 knows they will have kids who have jobs or school commitments that keep them from going 24/7. Even last year with the rehearsal the day of their performance at Allentown on Friday, there were some attendance issues. So while on paper, your theory could look great, in reality, it's not happening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 Chris, I don't know anything more about this topic than you do, even with living 4 miles from where they practice! I have heard this concern expressed by others, however. No doubt, if Cadets2 does begin to actually win on a regular basis (and I believe they will) this WILL become an issue. Just seems like a good topic to induce some 'off season' chatter. Thanks for your contribution. doesn't MBI hold a mid week rehearsal? Even C2 isn't doing that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I tend to agree with Kamarag... I guess I can claim to being somewhat an expert on all aged, weekend warrior corps... I believe that the success of these corps has been by and large due to a blend of youthful talent and sage experience. By not dotting their positions with an occasional veteran, who knows what is required to accomplish a quality product with minimal rehearsal time, they are - to this point - limiting their success somewhat. The key to this has been looking at their deficiencies and - although it must be stated that each year they improve and were most successful this year which I put to bringing in Rich Templin with his vast knowledge of how to make an all aged corps work - but still performance visual has been a decided negative... That being said, I expect them to continue to improve and continue to contend... quality programs with quality teachers should work... especially with the influx of teachers who are used to what is necessary to accomplish without 7 day a week rehearsals... They are already élite... further success is inevitable... but I repeat... this success would come faster if they had more experienced dotted in the program for the younger less experienced to lean on and learn from... again... their age requirements are a disadvantage... how can performance visual be a negative with no judge on the field? They won ensemble visual and guard. they were .25 behind in music. In 3 of the 4 effect caption and 3 of the 4 communication sheets they weren't all that far behind. One judge on those 2 sheets helped widen the spread from first. if his numbers were anywhere close to the numbers of his counterpart...well, do the math. That would have made for an interesting off season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I am a fan of Cadets2. I had suggested they might well win DCA last year. Solid, solid corps. An asset to any DCA show, but . . . . . there's an unanswered question, I think. With such a low upper age limit to perform, does Cadets2 enjoy a unique competitive advantage? In today's America, most young people under the age of 25 are unmarried, still in school, unemployed, not encumbered by the demands of home ownership, family management, etc. In other words, they are ALWAYS available. Therefore, practicing 7 days a week is doable for just about the entire membership. Besides the youthful ability to 'run and gun' better than much older members, the ability to participate in repeated, possibly nightly, practice (as in DCI) would likely produce a more proficient performance than we normally see. Is there some official control in place in this regard, an equalizer of sorts? Thoughts? Since there is no rule prohibiting any other corps from instituting a similar age limit for their own corps, C2 has no unique advantage in that regard. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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