DncnJDub

It's quite fascinating after being out there for three months to get back and read some of the stuff that people actually think about what went on this summer. I've read more interesting posts the last couple days, both extremely positive and extremely negative, but it's really amazing to see what people have to think. It's really amazing how people will forget that we're just kids out on a football field. So many people get so caught up in this George Hopkins thing that I feel like some people think he goes out and finds 135 gang members to fight his war on innovating drum corps. But realistically that's just not the case. We're just 135 kids who want to be a part of something amazing. So when we work for three long months on a show that is the hardest thing I think any of us had ever done, and come to finals to get booed, it's hurtful. Now whether the booing was directed directly at the kids or at George, whatever the case, people forget that what they're looking at out on the field is 135 kids, not a professional football team. And if you think that 135 kids while out on the field about to perform their show for this first time at quarter finals are all automatically thinking, well of course they're not booing us, they're just booing George, that's probably not the case. So while I suppose every fan has the right to boo or cheer or whatever they want, I'm shocked that so many people would want to put a kid through something like that. But I'll definitely say it was quite an experience to be out there and experience that. I never thought I'd get booed my first time at Div I Quarter finals lol.

Certainly are. Be there tomorrow night.

Haha. I'm praying for a lack there of. We'll see though.

I head down today to West Virginia for move-in/spring training/whatever you wanna call it thereby ending my time in the forum for the next three months lol. So I just wanted to wish everyone a great drum corps season and I hope to see you all out there. And also a big thank you to those who helped me get out there for my age out. So thanks and I hope you all have a great summer. Take care!

Yeah definitely not necessary. I certainly prefer having the strap. Just more traditional. I feel like Emerald Marquis tended to not use straps. I don't know of many others that didn't. You definitely can't get the same typical slap sound without that strap though. Some even take it to the next level and will put little metal clickers on the gun and strap to make it slap even louder. I find that the strap itself is plenty of noise for my taste. That's just my oppinion.

Okay, so it's not a div I pic so I apologize. But I just love this picture so I had to add it. Hope you enjoy!

It kind of depends on what you're looking for though. Because personally, I don't like the guard gloves sometimes because it can be too much padding for me. I feel like I can't grasp my equipment as well. Whatever you pick you'll get used to eventually. I wish I could find some tan non-padded gloves. I'm not looking forward to trying tp spin with a pillow already in my hand lol.

Couldn't agree more. Granted, Drum Corps inherently comes with far more detail than something such as figure skating or ice dancing. Since there are 100 plus people in mulitple sections doing umpteen different things, vs. judging what one or two people are doing, but the judging division sets it up for a much more level playing ground.

Thank you for being someone with some positive input on the matter . See folks? Not everyone has to shoot down my dreams. Haha B)

A further point for brown rifle care. We used clear packing tape to wrap the rifle to make sure it wouldn't break. Doesn't get much stronger than that. Then covered it with masking tape. Usually not identical to the wood color, depending on the rifle and what type of wood it is, but it's usually close enough. Especially if you dont' wanna stain or paint. Hope this helps!

West Virginia Wesleyan College 59 College Ave Buckhannon, WV 26201 05/17 - 06/08

I realize it is indeed a logistical nightmare on many fronts. It is more about just trying to get a wider audience of appreciation for the activity. At least that's why I was thinking about it. And also I think it would be an amazing thing to just have like an all-star USA drum corps. Looking at the talent levels of div I, I can't imagine taking the 120 best performers from all of them and having them do a show. I don't think there'd really be anything like it. Again, logistically - disaster. Just a nice thought. In a perfect world.

I would say that the best way is to order unpainted and stain them to the color you wanted. We used brown ones for Pats 03 and all we did was sand the paint off the white ones. Definitely a big pain in the ### but a great money saver. You can always paint them white again.

I wasn't really expecting such a negative response lol. But I guess it's just not as logistically feasible as I had hoped. I wonder if winter would be any more doable. Since apparently - So maybe 25 countries would be doable. And the demand for people would be far less with winterguard or winter drumline than for drum corps. I don't know. It's just wishful thinking I guess. Doesn't seem as doable as I had hoped.

I was just wondering if there's ever been any push for getting Drum Corps into the olympics. I know art forms tend to not be the first choice of new Olympic sport applications, but there are some such as figure skating. I was just wondering since DCI already has such a well laid out scoring and point system, and the activity has a pretty strong following, if anyone has explored this idea yet or if no one's really given it a go. It's definitely something I'd like to look into in my future with the sport. I just think it's such an amazing activity and I'd love to see it go more world wide and mainstream. Any information? Thoughts? Comments?

Does anyone know how to get in contact with them? I've been searching for a while for just an email or a phone number or something and absolutely nothing. The only thing on the website is the mailing address and this list of audition requirements you need to send. I'm trying to just start putting all my videos online so I was trying to just email it to them but it is nowhere to be found. Sorry I couldn't answer your question but I'm also on a Blast! quest. lol They seem to be very enigmatic lol.

I always just called it move-in. I've gotten accustomed to hearing Spring Training now from Cadets. On my own time I like to refer to it simply as heL. Not even hell week, or weeks. Just heL. lol

Definitely had to go with 2000 for my favorite one two. I love the Cavies and Cadets and they were both on fire that year. For the switch, I went with 06 just cuz I'd like to see Phantom get a championship lol.

It's one of those things that just takes time to master. I tend to judge my tosses based mostly on the height. I try to keep the rotation as even as I can, because it's much harder to guage your rotation than it is to guage the height. So the key is to keep your rotation the same each time and just vary how high you're tossing. Video taping yourself is a great way to see what you're tossing. Try to remember what you were doing or what you thought you were doing and then go back and watch the tape in slow motion so you can count the rotations. Hope any of this helps.

I appreciate the use of the less offensive version. lol

For sure.

I definitely started off very spoiled. Patriots winterguard 03 was 50 bucks. The Div. II 2nd place drum corps was 100 bucks. Then again they did fold the folling fall...

No I realize where it's coming from. I just wasn't quite anticipating that magnitude of a reaction from it. I didn't think it'd be a favorite video on there or anything but I've just gotten an almost uproar it seems out of I guess outright fear of something different. Just amazes some of the people that are out there. I almost wonder if some these commenters have like feelings or emotions. Aside from blatant fear of the unknown. Whatever the case it blows my mind. So there's not much to be done for it but laugh about it.

That's how I feel about it too. It's just ridiculous. It's funny I keep hearing it looks very Patriot-ish. I miss it like crazy.

It's cool. I am a little rusty. And I haven't had a screaming guard instructor on me in a long time lol. I also wasn't wearing gloves so I guess I was padding the catches a bit. Dog paws though. I like that. That's good. lol