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AlexL

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Posts posted by AlexL

    Oregon Crusaders to focus on cultural sensitivity

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by AlexL

    5 hours ago, luv4corps said:

    He marched with the corps for FIVE YEARS and saw none of this.  Yes, everyone knew that a certain percussion staff member known as MS was a jerk .  I wasn't surprised that he was gone for the 2018 season.  I'm sure there will be repercussions regarding his actions and I will attest that the information about him specifically could be fact but all the rest of this stuff I am having a hard time believing was as horrific as described.

    I have never stuck my neck out here on DCP but I'm doing it now.  Flame me all you want.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

    I believe you in that you and your son had a positive experience and didn't see things on the level reported. Unfortunately its rather meaningless that that's what you saw. 

    Here's the thing. It is incredibly easy to not see a lot of these things if you are not one of the ones directly affected. People get pressured not to talk, or feel ashamed to talk. Hell, in some of them the younger victim of mistreatment may even not recognize anything was wrong with that situation until years later. I'm actually quite amazed members are posting publicly their disapproval of the group, as it seems like most DCI groups have a 'keep issues within the family' mentality, for better or for wors.. 

    And it happens and has happened at far too many places. I, like your son, had the greatest few summers of my life with Blue Stars. But i know now, some from information that came out years later, that there were some that did not due to some staff members behavior. Hell, one of my favorite (at the time) vis techs from 05 is now serving 15 years for ####### 8th graders. You just never know.  

     

    • Like 3

    Staff Merry-Go-Round 2019

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    http://www.bluestars.org/story.php?story_id=902

    The Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps is incredibly excited to introduce Rick Barclay as our new Battery Arranger and Caption Head.

    Rick Barclay began his career in the marching arts as a member of the Rochester Patriots from 2001 to 2003. After moving to California in 2004 and marching with the Magic of Orlando in 2005, he began teaching percussion at Claremont High School. While at Claremont, Rick developed the percussion program from A class to their most successful seasons to date, winning Scholastic Concert World and placing third in marching Scholastic World at WGI World Championships in 2008.

     
    In 2010, Rick transitioned to the role of Percussion Director at Fountain Valley High School, a position he held for five years. While there, the indoor percussion program earned a bronze medal in WGI Scholastic Open in 2011, was promoted to World Class in 2012, and was a WGI Scholastic World Finalist in 2013.

    Rick was formerly on the percussion staff of The Arizona Academy Drum & Bugle Corps (2009 – 2011) and Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps (2012-2013). After some time off, Rick returned to the activity in 2016 and served as the Ensemble Coordinator for Pulse Percussion during the 2016 and 2017 seasons, earning the gold and bronze medals at WGI Championships. In the 2018 season, Rick transitioned to the role of Battery Caption Head with RCC Indoor Percussion, who earned the SCPA and WGI Percussion Independent World Championships.

    Rick holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in History from CSU Fullerton and spends his days teaching 11th grade US History at Da Vinci Design Charter High School in El Segundo, California.

    "Rick brings a wealth of experience and a history of success in his new role in the organization. We absolutely cannot wait for he and his team to get started this season," said Russ Gavin, Corps Director.

    • Like 3

    First The Cadets, then Pioneer, now Genesis

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    3 hours ago, cixelsyd said:

    I would guess that if someone equal or better was available and interested in the position, they would have been hired instead (contingent on background check).

    The question being, how hard was 'better' looked for?

    Over the years, its easy to notice that its often the same names getting recirculated among the corps. Drum corps prefer to hire people who already have a drum corps history, rather than go for someone 'up and coming'. By doing this, are others not given an opportunity? Could a section tech have excelled if given the chance at a caption head job that was instead given to a retread? Could a spot have been filled just as well by someone new, outside the existing staffing 'circles'. I've never been involved in hiring or the search for staff, so i'm kind of curious what the applications:hires ratio looks like.

    DCI Eastern Classic – Friday, August 3, 2018

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by AlexL

    15 minutes ago, Tim K said:

    A few things regarding Met Life Stadium. 

    It must be far less expensive to rent the stadium in Allentown for two nights than Met Life. Allentown is well attended and the crowd is enthusiastic, but the venue is not sold out. The good seats are, but there are plenty of open spots. I don’t think Met Life Stadium  would be filled, certainly not the way San Antonio and Atlanta are.

     

    Have to wonder how much of that is because of the show being on 2 nights (and 2 separate tickets) vs other regionals. A little harder than just flying in friday night\sat morning and coming to the show saturday. Combine that with the rain risk that isn't there at other regionals and it becomes difficult for some to pull the trigger on.

    DCI Eastern Classic – Friday, August 3, 2018

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by AlexL

    7 minutes ago, 27Socal said:

    Doesn't seem that hard to do.  A lot going on in the area schools on a Fri. night in early August, in the schools they are already in?  Are the Sat. corps in alternate sites?

    Its extremely hard to do. Just because there isnt much going on for the schools doesnt mean that every school wants to host a drum corps. And plenty of places don't want to. Hell, i think in 07 I was driving and we got our housing site while en route to Allentown.

    A few of the corps already didn't have housing until just a couple days ago. And ome of the sites flip out corps- so one comes, rehearses friday, goes to perform, then another corps comes and takes the site later that night for the next day.

    Finding another dozen housing sites on the contingency that some might need to stay around for saturday is not a reasonable proposition.

     

    DCI Eastern Classic – Friday, August 3, 2018

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by AlexL

    2 minutes ago, MusicManNJ said:

    Any domes on the east coast? It is what it is.

    Domes? Not many. Facilities that might better handle an all-day show with a full lineup? Probably. Still a rainout at risk either way.

    Maybe a flaw of having the final regional every year be the one place at risk for rainouts and having to split everyone up (and thus have a bit of inequality in the scoring as well)

    • Like 1

    DCI Eastern Classic – Friday, August 3, 2018

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    4 hours ago, brassboy said:

    Except in terms of importance it IS treated as a regional, as it is used in part to determine prelims seeding and all World Class corps appear on one of the nights. The split I believe is purely logistical due to limitations of the facility/area. 

     

    Yeah, i've never been a fan of it for that reason. Its always felt like those going on saturday have a slight edge in the seeding. Doesnt matter as much for those positions that are fairly locked in, but if you're talking tenths differentiating the prelims lineup, it has an impact.

    The Cadets and GH history of sexual abuse (news article)

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by AlexL

    Absolutely, @Jeff Ream

    This is an activity in which parents trust their kids to be left in the hands of staff for 2-3 months, 24 hours a day, hundreds to thousands of miles away from home, when many times these kids have never spent more than a week or two fully away. 

    This kind of damage will bleed over. Parents are going to be asking more questions. Prospective sponsors are going to be asking "what are you doing to make sure this isnt happening in your organization, as we only want to associate our brand with you if you are seen as a positive organization".

    I'm not sure what the next steps are. Should DCI start its own independent inquiry and effort to try to get people to come forward to DCI so that problem elements can be rooted out of the activity in a proactive manner, rather than through the press? 

    • Like 2

    Time for NO size limit in WC (or at least up it from 150)

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    7 hours ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

    Exactly - any rules change needs to look at all the consequences.  When the pit was allowed, within a few years everyone was getting concert marimbas et al, & all of a sudden needed another truck to haul them.  Same with electronics.  Someone suggested we should ignore logistical impacts, but I maintain that is the FIRST thing we should think about.

    Add the prop proliferation to this. How many corps are running an extra truck all summer long just to haul them around. 

    • Like 1

    2018 Staff Announcements (new thread)

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    2 hours ago, xandandl said:

    Troopers Texas camps is as much about the winter weather in Wyoming, the distance of a major airport (Denver is several hours on the interstate to Casper), the availability of major airports having multiple options for those flying in (one reason the Cadets are wintering in Texas {United and SW use the city as a hub} and welcoming school communities. Boston uses Tampa area for similar reasons.

    Yeah, that makes sense as well. There's a reason Blue Stars did similar starting many years ago, moving camps first to MSP and then to Indianapolis. 

    2018 Staff Announcements (new thread)

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by AlexL

    1 hour ago, Ghost said:

    Is the talent so strong in TX that those who audition are hoping to make a top 8 corps?  There has to be other kids who will not be making a top 8 corps who might want to spend a year or two with Casper

    Recruiting in texas isn't a mistake. Its a large state with large metro areas with lots of good programs, with a range of talent. Not everyone will make top 8\12. 

    If done like some do, with remote camps,  they can be a decent fundraiser. Charge $100 a head, get a couple hundred kids to show up. Hopefully you find some good additions, even if they no one from that site makes it to everydays, you've gotten paid. 

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