neholgate Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Rats. If only I was of age ... I would join VK! Looking forward to seeing your show! [/quote The kids thank you! If you live in the Southern California area you can march with Dream. They have several former members of VK there. .... and of course if you want to "join" VK you can be a member of our Friends and Family. Besides helping out the kids you get a nifty t-shirt and booster button. Lookie here or drop on by our booth at the show. Friends and Family Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeWee Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Thanks for your review. I'll get to see all of the Open Class corps this weekend in Walnut & Riverside. I agree with sentiments that some smaller corps should combine their efforts. So. Cal. has never had a large amount of successful corps at once. Some, or most, of the smaller corps should join together. I think Pacific Crest, The Academy, and now even Velvet Knights seem to be drawing members away from other groups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 I think Pacific Crest, The Academy, and now even Velvet Knights seem to be drawing members away from other groups. I'll agree with PC (success breeds success) and VK (a rebirth of the old, much-beloved classic), but I'm not so sure Academy's drawing a lot of people away...aren't they still MOSTLY Arizona people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neholgate Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Thanks for your review.I'll get to see all of the Open Class corps this weekend in Walnut & Riverside. I agree with sentiments that some smaller corps should combine their efforts. So. Cal. has never had a large amount of successful corps at once. Some, or most, of the smaller corps should join together. I think Pacific Crest, The Academy, and now even Velvet Knights seem to be drawing members away from other groups. ummm... the Academy is from Arizona. Gold is bigger than VK. Incognito is roughly the same size. Economics has a lot to do with the declining numbers this year. With record number of foreclosures and layoff parents are having a rough time paying for touring fees. The average price of home dropped nearly 200,000 from last year! In the "old days" when my sister an I marched there was no off season. There was always some type of activity, gig, parade, fundraiser etc. (oh yea and practice), for the kids to do that kept their interest and loyalty. That's when Southern California had many smaller corps. Many weren't Championship corps, only a couple could have that distinction. Many of the staff and youth didn't measure success that way. They were successful because they bonded and made great friends, they kept out of trouble, they learned a new skill and they had pride in their unit. The most successful corps back then (and now) were the ones that had "feeder corps". Both the Kingsmen and Velvet Knights had success with this. Many of their corps members "grew up" within the organization. The Velvet Knights feeder corps, the Squires, were so good that in 1975 they beat both the Kingsmen and the Velvet Knights at the Orange Show (a standstill performance). Southern California doesn't lack youth. It can support the number of corps that now exist. In fact, I think we still can use one down San Diego way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 ummm... the Academy is from Arizona.Gold is bigger than VK. Incognito is roughly the same size. Economics has a lot to do with the declining numbers this year. With record number of foreclosures and layoff parents are having a rough time paying for touring fees. The average price of home dropped nearly 200,000 from last year! In the "old days" when my sister an I marched there was no off season. There was always some type of activity, gig, parade, fundraiser etc. (oh yea and practice), for the kids to do that kept their interest and loyalty. That's when Southern California had many smaller corps. Many weren't Championship corps, only a couple could have that distinction. Many of the staff and youth didn't measure success that way. They were successful because they bonded and made great friends, they kept out of trouble, they learned a new skill and they had pride in their unit. The most successful corps back then (and now) were the ones that had "feeder corps". Both the Kingsmen and Velvet Knights had success with this. Many of their corps members "grew up" within the organization. The Velvet Knights feeder corps, the Squires, were so good that in 1975 they beat both the Kingsmen and the Velvet Knights at the Orange Show (a standstill performance). Southern California doesn't lack youth. It can support the number of corps that now exist. In fact, I think we still can use one down San Diego way. I think more corps...especially smallish ones...will ned to rethink the old touring model. Touring your corps into obl.ivion withthe "must go to finals" mindset killed corps back in our day....it's even more oif a worry now. That's one BIG reason why En Garde will not leave California any time soon.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMan2567 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I think more corps...especially smallish ones...will ned to rethink the old touring model. Touring your corps into obl.ivion withthe "must go to finals" mindset killed corps back in our day....it's even more oif a worry now.That's one BIG reason why En Garde will not leave California any time soon.... It took PC almost 10 years to leave California.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 It took PC almost 10 years to leave California.. And that was VERY smart on the part of the admin staff...same for Academy. Funny how they both seem to be pretty stable financially, yet they BOTH got crap for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neholgate Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I think more corps...especially smallish ones...will ned to rethink the old touring model. Touring your corps into obl.ivion withthe "must go to finals" mindset killed corps back in our day....it's even more oif a worry now.That's one BIG reason why En Garde will not leave California any time soon.... I see nothing wrong with being a regional only touring corps. That's the way it used to be, before DCI. Corps usually stayed in the own state doing the local circuit. Drum corps was affordable and accessible to kids from all walks of life, not just the privileged few. Nancy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeWee Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 The most successful corps back then (and now) were the ones that had "feeder corps". Both the Kingsmen and Velvet Knights had success with this. Many of their corps members "grew up" within the organization. The Velvet Knights feeder corps, the Squires, were so good that in 1975 they beat both the Kingsmen and the Velvet Knights at the Orange Show (a standstill performance). I'm aware that Academy is from Arizona. But they're still in our Southwest region. Well, when I first marched VK in 1986, the only other corps from So Cal that I can remember was the Kingsmen, and I believe they were Div. II/III by that time. There was no direct "feeder corps" for VK during their most succesful years in the Top 12 of DCI (1985ish - 1992ish). We had a member from Modesto Valley Fever (Hi Tammy!), but I wouldn't call them a feeder corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neholgate Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 (edited) I'm aware that Academy is from Arizona. But they're still in our Southwest region.Well, when I first marched VK in 1986, the only other corps from So Cal that I can remember was the Kingsmen, and I believe they were Div. II/III by that time. There was no direct "feeder corps" for VK during their most succesful years in the Top 12 of DCI (1985ish - 1992ish). We had a member from Modesto Valley Fever (Hi Tammy!), but I wouldn't call them a feeder corps. IMO, the best drum corps programs are the ones who give opportunities for kids to grow up within the organization. I think it was a big mistake when VK dropped their feeder program around '85. We have veterans from VK that marched within the organization up to 14 years. I marched six. VK dropped the program to save costs. They just lost the value of growing a family. Yes. Look to the success of feeder programs like SCV and BD. We should make drum corps accessible to younger kids. Give them an opportunity to march and be a part of the program. Whether or not they choose to stick with it the program is a success. Children who learn music do better in reading and math, are more likely to go to college and have better self-esteem. BTW, it was that huge base of dedicated alumni that got VK to finals in the first place. The vets that were there year after year, even during the lean years... sticking with "their corps", "their family" until finally fulfilling the dream of becoming a finalist. ... and yes, before they made finals we had people from outside of Southern California march with the corps too. That's not uncommon for any corps, any region. Nancy Edited June 26, 2008 by neholgate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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