St Johns Drum & Bugle Corps

[DMGirlie]

Granted there's bound to be some haters, but we're all adults (for the most part) and I welcome the debate. However, these are words and sometimes words may or may not convey the expression of the individual.

Personally, I've always marched against St.John's and in those years, I had noticed that they carried themselves with pride and maintained a family-like atmosphere. I strongly believe that our staff and directors would prep us accordingly. DCI and DCA is far stronger in the US, however that doesn't mean Canada lacks talent on the field. I'm not about to hype it up or spazz out, but we'll bring our A game and see how well we do.

It's going to be awesome to get together with people I've marched with or against and make new friends and have a blast doing it. If I walk away with a medal or a new friend, one way or another it was worth it.

Cheers to everyone for keeping the thread alive. I can't wait to see whats in store for the summer!!

[Vagabond Skyliner]

Granted there's bound to be some haters, but we're all adults (for the most part) and I welcome the debate. However, these are words and sometimes words may or may not convey the expression of the individual.

Personally, I've always marched against St.John's and in those years, I had noticed that they carried themselves with pride and maintained a family-like atmosphere. I strongly believe that our staff and directors would prep us accordingly. DCI and DCA is far stronger in the US, however that doesn't mean Canada lacks talent on the field. I'm not about to hype it up or spazz out, but we'll bring our A game and see how well we do.

It's going to be awesome to get together with people I've marched with or against and make new friends and have a blast doing it. If I walk away with a medal or a new friend, one way or another it was worth it.

Cheers to everyone for keeping the thread alive. I can't wait to see whats in store for the summer!!

St. John's.

Please do not fall for the DCI Elitest people Propaganda. Drum Corps CAN be, without the Ring Chasers. Although having some of the top talented people that DCI has, would be great. You will still be able to put out a group of QUALITY. Hard work and Dedication will get you going on the right track. So what if it takes some time to be a Contender.

DCA offers a WIDE varity of styles in BOTH "Open" and "Class A". YOU will fit in just fine!!!! Slow and Steady is better than Flash in the Pan and Gone.

Thanks for staring up. Good Luck.

Helping to build a DCA-Canada Region. Maybe one day you will have more than one DCA Region up there.

[JOHNNY_A]

Is this chester guy for real.

I must say a few things as he is soooooo misinformed. Chester, you really need to do your homework before flagrantley disrespecting drum corps in Ontario. Let me make a quick coment before I rant here. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE DIV 3 AND 2 CORPS YOU MARCHED WITH I GUARANTEE YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER HAVE MARCHED DIV.1 !!!

Division 2 and 3 (open class) is the back bone of DCI. Without corps to provide younger kids with an opportunity to march and to give them structured instruction in music there would be no Div.1 or (world class). When I started marching in the early 1980's in Cambridge ONTARIO, there were a lot of corps in Ontario, a few in Quebec and a few to the west. The hot bed was Kitchener Waterloo ONTARIO (Kavaliers, Venturers, Dutchboy, Dutch Boy Cadets, St. Andrew's, Preston Scout House and the Royalaires). Within a on hour radius of K-W there was (Brantford Girls (St.John's), Emerald Knights, Oshawa rebels, The Ambassadors of Newmarket, Oakland Cruisaders, Cardinals, Durham Girls Ridge Raiders and Conquerer 2) Out of this radius there were the Canadian Knights, Lamplighters, Kresendos, Regionaires, Blue Saints, Blue Water Bucanneers, Bandettes. There were more that came and went but I hope your getting the picture Chester.

Here are some of the MEDIOCRE DCI showings of these MEDIOCRE CORPS FROM ONTARIO:

*Oakland Crusaders 1975,76, DCI open finalists

*Seneca Optomists 1974 open finalist

*Venturers 1980 A class DCI champions, 81, 82,84, A class finalists, 85 A class DCI champions, 86 A class finalists (2nd), 87 DCI A class champions, 88 2nd, 89&90 Dci div 1 champions

*Dutch Boy 1988 & 89 13th DCI Div.1, 1990 DCI div.1 12th, 91 18th div.1 dci,

*Canadian Knights 1984 Div. 2 DCI 2nd, 85 2nd, 86 Div.1 DCI champions,

*Kiwanis Kavaliers 1987, 88, 89, 90, 92, 94,& 95, Div. 2 finalist, 1996 jumped to Div.1 and placed 14th , 97 14th div 1

*** Check this out Chester *** 1985 &86 1st and 2nd place DCI a class both ONTARIO CORPS,

*** ALMOST FORGOT Cadets of Bergen County in 1989 had 14 members from ONTARIO. That is more than 10% of the entire corps.

***I"M ON A ROLL CHESTER***. If I'm not mistaken Dutch Boy won Div. 2/3 corps of the year in 2007

Yes we were all Div2 and 3 corps or A class and B class at that time, but each and every member of these corps marched for the same reason. FOR THE LOVE OF IT!!! During those 80's years there were many ONTARIO instructors around that marched Div.1 corps.

Kieth Mathews (Blue Devils soloist 1980 I believe)

Scott Benson (Santa Clara)

Bill Renault (Santa Clara)

Mark Blandford (Freelancers)

Jeff McKay (Bridgemen)

Steve Meikle (CAdets)

Pete Hodgeson (27th Lancers)

Rick Galleger (27th Lancers)

Mary Youden (Blessed Sac WGI)

Sven Frehe (Madison Scouts)

Rick Pethrick (Cavaliers)

JUUUUUUUUUUUUUUST TO NAME A FEW.

There were also many instructors of the late 70's into the 80's that marched with the Seneca Optomists and the Oakland Crusaders. That would put these guys marching in the early to late 70's. Don't forget now Chester they were open class Div. 1 champions back then too.

Lee Beddis also comes to mind Percussion arranger for Carolina Crown, also instructed Phantom, Scouts, Star, Crossmen and Glassmen (marched in Canadian Knights, Butch Boy and Cadets of Bergen County)

Jason Parent marched Phantom in the Mid 90's also won I&E snare (marched Emerald Knight and Kavaliers)

Gareth Skipp Drill tech Bluecoats

There are also a few Ontario boys In the Judging ranks of DCI and DCA as well as marching band circuits.

So as you can see by having some knowledge ONTARIO is far from being a MEDIOCRE base for drum corps. Nor are the instructors. Yes there are a number of instructors that never left ONTARIO to march. Hats off to them for aging out in DIV 2&3 corps in ONTARIO.

Sadly, economics, lack of sponsors, fuel prices and demographics started to cut into our ONTARIO corps leaving us with fewer and fewer corps through the 90's and 2000's just as it did in the USA.

Hats off to the St. John's Board for continuing to keep the name going. Regardless if St. John's comes in first or last there is one more corps where members won't age out and can play FOR THE LOVE OF IT!

I know I will.

In closing Chester. COMING TO A FOOTBALL FIELD NEAR YOU...ST JOHN'S FROM BRANTFORD ONTARIO CANADA.

[kusankusho]

I was on the guy too for what he said, but I think the Chester thing has been done enough now. There was a good cautionary tale of pacing and building a solid foundation. But the important thing is - St Johns is BACK!!!

[bedford]

I was on the guy too for what he said, but I think the Chester thing has been done enough now. There was a good cautionary tale of pacing and building a solid foundation. But the important thing is - St Johns is BACK!!!

On another subject; Jimmy you're a writer. I had no idea - good for you man. In Nomine Patris - being a Bernstein fan I'm already intruiged!!!

And to think, a product of the Ontario drum corps scene, influenced by poor management and rotten instructors, can actually string sentences together.

Hey Chester - check it out dude!!!!!

[JOHNNY_A]

Sorry , just had to add my say to the chester issue. His comments really ground my gears.

P.s. As Shannen mentioned. St John's. 5 time DCI Div.3 finalists in the 90's. Just to add to the "mediocre: Ontario corps.

[kusankusho]

On another subject; Jimmy you're a writer. I had no idea - good for you man. In Nomine Patris - being a Bernstein fan I'm already intruiged!!!

Sorry! Nothing to do with Bernstein - it's historical fiction. Thanks for checking it out! I'm ordering some copies to take to a local bookstore and then I can scratch one off the bucket list - "walk into a bookstore and buy my own book." Silly, because I can get them direct from the publisher, but there you go...

But we digress....

[Chester85]

Johnny: I said the past 15 years. Therefore, everything you said is irrelevant. The same applies to tenor-whatshisface that kept rambling on about Oakies and Optimists joining (which they won't because they've already tried it with Optimists alumni). But again … that was longer than 15 years ago.

Yes there was a brief good moment their with KK. But I was generalizing, and they certainly aren't all going to be lining up to join. It's just the way of things.

And I never said any drum corps was not important. As far as I am concerned, they are all vital!

BTW Johnny, you got some dates and corps wrong.

For the guy who didn't get that you need good DCI corps in the area to create a good DCA corps: What are you thinking? That drum corps people grow on trees?

You guys are all so eager to hate, that you ignored the primary intent of my post and, instead, made it personal. You ignored the facts. I could have said it more tactfully, and you would have likely agreed (Vagabond just did - whether you realize it or not). But that's just not me. I dish it out straight. So quit whining and pouting.

Division III is where most of the draw will come from. Division III is in a terrible, terrible state these days. The quality of music is just nasty. Getting third is not worth bragging about. Not these days. It's too bad if those involved are too arrogant to believe that. Perhaps if you all accepted a little criticism things would change for the better. As it is, div III is just a primary example of the decline of drum corps, as is all the dwindling numbers in all divisions.

As I keep saying, I want this corps to succeed. And I have never said anything to discredit the St. John's organization .Since you're starting from scratch, just leave the ###-kicking to others (for now), and have a good time.

If you want to comment on what I have said, I suggest you read more closely what I have written, and do so with an open mind. And also stop quoting me out of context, just so that it suits your purpose to rant about something.

[bedford]

Sorry! Nothing to do with Bernstein - it's historical fiction. Thanks for checking it out! I'm ordering some copies to take to a local bookstore and then I can scratch one off the bucket list - "walk into a bookstore and buy my own book." Silly, because I can get them direct from the publisher, but there you go...

But we digress....

I mention Bernstein only because Act 2 of The Mass bears the same title.

That is silly but good on you Jim!

As for digressing... show me a string on DCP that doesn't and I'll buy the book for you.

[KeithHall]

Let me add Daryl Langworthy who marched with me in NY and then spent a year with Seneca and Oakland then...went on for three years with Santa Clara.

Is this chester guy for real.

I must say a few things as he is soooooo misinformed. Chester, you really need to do your homework before flagrantley disrespecting drum corps in Ontario. Let me make a quick coment before I rant here. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE DIV 3 AND 2 CORPS YOU MARCHED WITH I GUARANTEE YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER HAVE MARCHED DIV.1 !!!

Division 2 and 3 (open class) is the back bone of DCI. Without corps to provide younger kids with an opportunity to march and to give them structured instruction in music there would be no Div.1 or (world class). When I started marching in the early 1980's in Cambridge ONTARIO, there were a lot of corps in Ontario, a few in Quebec and a few to the west. The hot bed was Kitchener Waterloo ONTARIO (Kavaliers, Venturers, Dutchboy, Dutch Boy Cadets, St. Andrew's, Preston Scout House and the Royalaires). Within a on hour radius of K-W there was (Brantford Girls (St.John's), Emerald Knights, Oshawa rebels, The Ambassadors of Newmarket, Oakland Cruisaders, Cardinals, Durham Girls Ridge Raiders and Conquerer 2) Out of this radius there were the Canadian Knights, Lamplighters, Kresendos, Regionaires, Blue Saints, Blue Water Bucanneers, Bandettes. There were more that came and went but I hope your getting the picture Chester.

Here are some of the MEDIOCRE DCI showings of these MEDIOCRE CORPS FROM ONTARIO:

*Oakland Crusaders 1975,76, DCI open finalists

*Seneca Optomists 1974 open finalist

*Venturers 1980 A class DCI champions, 81, 82,84, A class finalists, 85 A class DCI champions, 86 A class finalists (2nd), 87 DCI A class champions, 88 2nd, 89&90 Dci div 1 champions

*Dutch Boy 1988 & 89 13th DCI Div.1, 1990 DCI div.1 12th, 91 18th div.1 dci,

*Canadian Knights 1984 Div. 2 DCI 2nd, 85 2nd, 86 Div.1 DCI champions,

*Kiwanis Kavaliers 1987, 88, 89, 90, 92, 94,& 95, Div. 2 finalist, 1996 jumped to Div.1 and placed 14th , 97 14th div 1

*** Check this out Chester *** 1985 &86 1st and 2nd place DCI a class both ONTARIO CORPS,

*** ALMOST FORGOT Cadets of Bergen County in 1989 had 14 members from ONTARIO. That is more than 10% of the entire corps.

***I"M ON A ROLL CHESTER***. If I'm not mistaken Dutch Boy won Div. 2/3 corps of the year in 2007

Yes we were all Div2 and 3 corps or A class and B class at that time, but each and every member of these corps marched for the same reason. FOR THE LOVE OF IT!!! During those 80's years there were many ONTARIO instructors around that marched Div.1 corps.

Kieth Mathews (Blue Devils soloist 1980 I believe)

Scott Benson (Santa Clara)

Bill Renault (Santa Clara)

Mark Blandford (Freelancers)

Jeff McKay (Bridgemen)

Steve Meikle (CAdets)

Pete Hodgeson (27th Lancers)

Rick Galleger (27th Lancers)

Mary Youden (Blessed Sac WGI)

Sven Frehe (Madison Scouts)

Rick Pethrick (Cavaliers)

JUUUUUUUUUUUUUUST TO NAME A FEW.

There were also many instructors of the late 70's into the 80's that marched with the Seneca Optomists and the Oakland Crusaders. That would put these guys marching in the early to late 70's. Don't forget now Chester they were open class Div. 1 champions back then too.

Lee Beddis also comes to mind Percussion arranger for Carolina Crown, also instructed Phantom, Scouts, Star, Crossmen and Glassmen (marched in Canadian Knights, Butch Boy and Cadets of Bergen County)

Jason Parent marched Phantom in the Mid 90's also won I&E snare (marched Emerald Knight and Kavaliers)

Gareth Skipp Drill tech Bluecoats

There are also a few Ontario boys In the Judging ranks of DCI and DCA as well as marching band circuits.

So as you can see by having some knowledge ONTARIO is far from being a MEDIOCRE base for drum corps. Nor are the instructors. Yes there are a number of instructors that never left ONTARIO to march. Hats off to them for aging out in DIV 2&3 corps in ONTARIO.

Sadly, economics, lack of sponsors, fuel prices and demographics started to cut into our ONTARIO corps leaving us with fewer and fewer corps through the 90's and 2000's just as it did in the USA.

Hats off to the St. John's Board for continuing to keep the name going. Regardless if St. John's comes in first or last there is one more corps where members won't age out and can play FOR THE LOVE OF IT!

I know I will.

In closing Chester. COMING TO A FOOTBALL FIELD NEAR YOU...ST JOHN'S FROM BRANTFORD ONTARIO CANADA.