How to encourage the development of Open Class Corps

[Kansan]

I doubt DCI has told us, or that we'd listen if they would. But corps policy is such that individuals that are not adults in the eyes of the law are excluded. With the standard loopholes of course for guardians and sponsors. Not my call as I don't write the rules. Not that it'd be different if I did.

Local gigs are an option. We have one this Saturday. But local gigs are also a problem. Since it's almost possible to make a living as a musician in this town, any drummers with chops are working and are therefor NOT doing drumcorps. No amount of recruitment is gonna change that.

As far as the 35 rule. I just don't see it doing what it is/was intended to do? Sure there's more corps this year. But what happens when Class A attendance goes +/- 10 corps between seasons because of the rule? When long time staples of DCA are excluded from DCA? And do we have more Open Class corps now than when the rule went into effect? Not that it wont win out in the long run. But for us corps on the fence in terms of numbers. We've got to make some hard choices. Now not only is it we may or may not go to DCA if we raise X amount by Date X. We've also got to throw in AND if we can grow by two marching members, and not loose three in the process.

This season we have a guard. It accounts for 50% or more of our corps. Therefor we do drill. Because if we didn't we probably wouldn't have our guard and 50% of our corps. But this year the 35 rule keeps us out of DCA. And it may do it again next year, and every year there after. We could be the best corps ever known to man. But the DCA championships wont be seeing us anytime soon. Your loss and your rule.

Say what you mean Man! Don't beat around the bush!

[Gary Matczak]

This season we have a guard. It accounts for 50% or more of our corps. Therefor we do drill. Because if we didn't we probably wouldn't have our guard and 50% of our corps. But this year the 35 rule keeps us out of DCA. And it may do it again next year, and every year there after. We could be the best corps ever known to man. But the DCA championships wont be seeing us anytime soon. Your loss and your rule.

It is herd to imagine why you look so pesimistically on your ability to recruit.

[TomPeashey]

oh my... nice try Gary

what can you say to this guy?

Negativity breeds failure

I am just so dumbfounded by this whole series of posts because this corps has a GREAT leader who knows what must be done... I will to Brent Unger all the "patience" I can stand to share.

so they decided to be a "senior" corps... that's the only kind of corps I would ever be involved with... (18+ unless you have a parent or guardian in the corps - same rule I had in the Crusaders) that is a corps life style decision... not a negative...

[Mike_B]

I know you guys are frustrated. I've tried to do small corps (Erie Excaliber in the late 80's). Erie is a drum corps town too, ask Empire, Brigs, Cru and Steel City. The problem with us was the drum corps community didn't believe in our leadership, and rightly so. Maybe your problem is the geographic area just doesn't have enough interest, I don't know. We tried for 4 years. Honestly, I wish the 35 rule had been in force then. I could have went to an established corps and had 4 amazing years. Now, we still had a great time and I made some great friends. I met my wife there. You can still do that, maybe as a parade/mini corps. Or, if you can say you gave it your best shot and want the field experience, cut your losses and get a carfull of folks and go to an established organization and find out what it's like not to struggle. It doesn't suck.

[Shadow_7]

what can you say to this guy?

Not much apparently. Because no matter what I say, you're gonna find a negative twist to it. All you see is the negativity. You don't see the desire. You don't see the sacrifice. You don't see that your snide remarks can and will drive me and others away (eventually). Recruitment is everyones resposibility, not mine alone.

One Note Samba

Naysayer... Naysayer... Anti-Christ...

What great recruitment slogans...

[AlbionNY Drum Line]

I don't know how ANY of the NE corps would survive with out younger influence...

[Jeff Ream]

I doubt DCI has told us, or that we'd listen if they would. But corps policy is such that individuals that are not adults in the eyes of the law are excluded. With the standard loopholes of course for guardians and sponsors. Not my call as I don't write the rules. Not that it'd be different if I did.

Local gigs are an option. We have one this Saturday. But local gigs are also a problem. Since it's almost possible to make a living as a musician in this town, any drummers with chops are working and are therefor NOT doing drumcorps. No amount of recruitment is gonna change that.

As far as the 35 rule. I just don't see it doing what it is/was intended to do? Sure there's more corps this year. But what happens when Class A attendance goes +/- 10 corps between seasons because of the rule? When long time staples of DCA are excluded from DCA? And do we have more Open Class corps now than when the rule went into effect? Not that it wont win out in the long run. But for us corps on the fence in terms of numbers. We've got to make some hard choices. Now not only is it we may or may not go to DCA if we raise X amount by Date X. We've also got to throw in AND if we can grow by two marching members, and not loose three in the process.

This season we have a guard. It accounts for 50% or more of our corps. Therefor we do drill. Because if we didn't we probably wouldn't have our guard and 50% of our corps. But this year the 35 rule keeps us out of DCA. And it may do it again next year, and every year there after. We could be the best corps ever known to man. But the DCA championships wont be seeing us anytime soon. Your loss and your rule.

as state to you in this thread and in others, the 35 rule came from complaints from show sponsors. You can try all you want to attach sinister intentions to it, but it really is that simple.

[Jeff Ream]

Not much apparently. Because no matter what I say, you're gonna find a negative twist to it. All you see is the negativity. You don't see the desire. You don't see the sacrifice. You don't see that your snide remarks can and will drive me and others away (eventually). Recruitment is everyones resposibility, not mine alone.

One Note Samba

Naysayer... Naysayer... Anti-Christ...

What great recruitment slogans...

Shadow, no offense, but what do YOU say that's positive? Tom is very positive, and like it or not, he has done more to push for the Class A corps than all but a few others. he has championed them time and time again....and still does.

You don't add anything but negativity. You offer issues, but no solutions. I'm not saying I have all the answers either, but at least I try to throw out suggestions. I know recruiting's not easy...I tried doing it 10 years ago to keep Westshore alive. I paid corps bills out of my own pocket to help keep things afloat.

I do understand your pain. it cant be easy.

but it also isn't DCA's fault.

[Kansan]

oh my... nice try Gary

what can you say to this guy?

Negativity breeds failure

I am just so dumbfounded by this whole series of posts because this corps has a GREAT leader who knows what must be done... I will to Brent Unger all the "patience" I can stand to share.

so they decided to be a "senior" corps... that's the only kind of corps I would ever be involved with... (18+ unless you have a parent or guardian in the corps - same rule I had in the Crusaders) that is a corps life style decision... not a negative...

I decided to form a Senior Corps.

We have the same 18 and older and younger than 18 with a Parent or Legal Guardian.

Why: 1. Because we are not a baby sitting service and 2. For obvious legal reasons that arise when mixing minors and adults.

Senior/All Age Corps? I like the concept and I like it when parents bring their kids and enjoy an activity together.

Myself and others will be working to make it even better in 2009 for everyone involved.

My predictions for TX, LA, CO, KS Newbies.

Austin Stars? I predict they will continue to grow and be a strong influence in Texas and our Region. They will make it to DCA.

Masquerade? Not sure, I'll find out more at Brass Hysteria. I think they plan on Slow Growth to create a strong corps.

High Country Brass? I predict they will continue to get stronger. If the economy was better I think they would bust out of thier relative Isolation and reak havok in class A.

Prairie Sound? We'll continue to improve on the organization. We'll grow to a strong 12 man horn line in 2009 and add Drummers and Color Guard. Internally we'll see our membership be more local from the Kansas City Metro due to the economy but that's not really a bad thing. I'm hoping local member = more local performances.

If Fuel prices continue to Isolate people further away than 1 hours drive, we may see an effort in Wichita to build a Senior Corps.

Prairie Sound in DCA? We'll try for DCA Central Approval as soon as we can. Next year We'll plan on Denton, TX and the St. Peter/St. Paul, MN weekend. That's pleanty for us to chew on for 2009.

Why 12 man horn line? Number of Brass we want at each performance which may mean we could have more than 12 players on the rolls. I have learned it takes having a pool of people to pull from rather than trying to count on everyone to be at every rehearsal and event 100% of the time. That's not really bad, it's just the nature of the activity.

Overall Goal is 12 in each section plus Drum Major.

Shadow 7?

I think Shadow 7 speaks out of frustration more than anything. We (smaller corps operators) may need to form a support group to keep our sanity.

[Shadow_7]

You don't add anything but negativity. You offer issues, but no solutions.

So suggesting that DCA organize some sort of group buy is being negative? If we were to depend solely upon the DCP Marketplace for our equipment acquisitions it'd take about a decade until we had enough used horns to field an Open Class sized hornline. Even with the marketplace, when a corps sells a line of horns, I often get out bid by a HS or other non-drumcorps entity buying the entire section(s) of horns. DCI has the friends of DCI thing to help acquire horns for any startups there. Why not at least try something similar? Keep corps horns in the hands of corps. Which would be less of a problem if we still used G bugles.

I support this activity as much as I can. I've got one Contra ($2,500), two Euphs ($650)/($1,835), and one Trumpet ($900) in use by my current corps. I'm even using a professional field recorder ($1,200) with pro grade mics ($550) to record us during practices and performances. And sponsored a member for the Kilties ($300) this season. Paid money towards HCB($20) and even the Sun Devils uniform fund ($20). I'm participating with my local corps ($350). I've even gone out of town to record some of the other semi-local Texas corps($40 gas). Am I happy about having over $8.000 of my dollars tied up in drumcorps at the moment. Of course not, I can think of soo many other ME things to use that money on. Like paying off my car, going to the 2008 Freelancers reunion, and maybe even checking out the DCI world championships this year. But to imply that I'm nothing but negative is to miss the big picture. Without me drumcorps in this local region would be diminished. Without others like me across the board, drumcorps may not even exist in this day and age.