College, High schoolers and Labor day

[paradiddle]

It seems we all have a fair amount of high school and college people in our DCA memberships.

How does everyone deal with schedule conflicts of late August shows and Championships?

[CabsMelloGirl]

It seems we all have a fair amount of high school and college people in our DCA memberships.

How does everyone deal with schedule conflicts of late August shows and Championships?

In all my years of marching (which I marched most of my high school/college career) I only ever missed two shows. Both in 2000, once to see my sister age out at DCIs, and the other was for College Orientation. They understood. In high school, I always left band camp early on the last day to make it out to Allentown for DCAs for the parade we did then and rehearsals. In college, I would miss my late Friday class if need be to drive up to Syracuse for DCAs. It was just the way it was. My professors understood in college, and my band director in high school was used to it since my sister had been marching for 3 years before I joined. On Memorial Day, I always marched in our local parade with the band, and made it back to meet up with the corps for the afternoon parades. Otherwise, I didn't have any other conflicts with school and corps schedules.

[paradiddle]

How about the West Coast corps with the long travel and date conflicts?

Does everyone else have college that starts last week of August? ( and high school that starts 3rd week of August)

[Brigscontrachik05]

I was fortunate enough to be able to never have my school interfere with drum corps.

For my last year of highschool I switched from a private school to a public school, so I barely knew anyone and my graduation ceremony wasn't really that important to me anymore, so I left for tour with my junior corps.

Then in college I used to move in 2 weeks early and not go to any kind of orientation or freshman meetings. I would maybe miss one or two classes on DCA weekend, but just a talk with the professors and it was usually all good.

But that's 10 years ago. ( geez... already?)

Edited August 6, 2008 by Brigscontrachik05

[CallipygianKing]

It's easy... Those who truly want to be in the corps make arrangements and march. If there's a will, there's a way. Those who aren't committed, well, don't.

[randomnoise]

The poster above is correct - you just do it. I had to take two days off from school to go to DCA (High School Band Director). My principal considered it staff development.

[Dale Bari]

It seems we all have a fair amount of high school and college people in our DCA memberships.

How does everyone deal with schedule conflicts of late August shows and Championships?

Not sure what happens in other states, but in PA the high school football season starts the same weekend as DCA. Those HS kids in MB and DCA will have to miss something. Lots of corps make the DCA Friday rehearsal mandatory. Unless the band director (and school admin) is pretty forgiving, that might make life tough. This is one reason I have been ambivalent about recruiting kids younger than HS seniors. Sometimes it takes more than, "if there's a will, there's a way."

College is a different story, obviously.

[CorpsBuff]

I just told my college director that I had to miss Labor Day weekend and he understood.

[Contra Joe]

How about the West Coast corps with the long travel and date conflicts?

Does everyone else have college that starts last week of August? ( and high school that starts 3rd week of August)

Our High School Starts the Thursday after Labor Day

[SPINCYCLE]

You have to set the tone for how it will be..Dont take the kids if they cant committ to everything especially Championships...some kids have to learn you cant have everything .