Does Drum Corps Build Character?

[steelchops]

Besides learning about winning and losing, what other things has the drum corps experience taught us all that has helped us in life? I keep thinking about the Madison Scouts during the 2007 season where the corps faced some major obstacles. They changed the show, persevered, never gave up, and this hard work paid off this year with their reappearance in finals. All of these qualities are going to help during life- I know there are other ideas out there where the experience helped us during our post drum corps life- any examples?

[sds554]

walking through the showers and falling a few times taught me when I come upon slippery times, take smaller steps.

[Piper]

I would say that it was mostly the cammraderie. In school, classmates were just classmates, and the teachers seemed very aloof. But in Drum Corps your corpsmates were more like brothers and sisters, and the instructors were more like older siblings - you just felt closer to them - which breeds the concept of teamwork - things not normally taught or learned in a classroom.

[DCIHasBeen]

In a word ... #### Yes.

Being in the Bridgemen gave me essential life skills that I have benefited from to this very day.

It was a tough corps, a tough environment, and you either developed a very thick skin or you went elsewhere. It was a corps that overcame amazing adversity just to survive as long as it did, and while the the Bridgemen, current and past, are viewed through some pretty loving nostalgic glasses these days, the reality was there were a number of times in our history that we weren't always held dear in the hearts and minds of all corps and fans alike ... There were elements in the activity that weren't happy sharing the stage with us, and some that actively tried to undermine us ... Some years involved a lot of rejection and pain, along with a struggle for survival. The part of the corps' song that says "#### on, ###### on, kicked around the Universe" isn't just self-deprecating humor, at times it was fact. We came to live for our fans when we were on the field, because in times of trouble, that love was always the silver lining, and one thing you could always count on.

Core values that came out of that:

Believe in yourself regardless of what anyone else tries to tell you, as they may be selling you short for purposes of their own agenda.

Don't let anyone tell you who, or what you are or can be ... Only you have the right to determine that.

Strive for excellence in what you do, and it will be recognized.

When push comes to shove, lay down for no one or nothing unless you want their footprints on your back.

and:

Never, ever, no matter what happens, leave a good punchline hanging in mid air ... Humor can't resolve every situation, but it can take the sting out of most.

It was a helluva' education, but to answer the original question, yes. It has helped me tremendously in life ... in the words of Tennyson, I came out of the experience "strong in will to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

Edited August 13, 2008 by DCIHasBeen

[TerriTroop]

To answer your topic title question: YES.

To list everything drum corps gave to me, sometimes much to my chagrin, would take far too long. It's like parenting. You just can't understand it until you do it. You can read about it, hear about it, think about it, but nothing defines it like the actual experience. I think of my corps experiences every single day, still, 20 years after aging out. I think of what I have gained, how I continue to use the skills I learned, and how I will now GIVE BACK something to the activity that did so much for me.

But here are some things I'll list, just because I feel like playing along a little:

1. Drum corps helped me find a better path for myself at a critical time in my life, and it continues to help me down the road.

2. Adapt and overcome.

3. Learn from experience, always improve your performance. (ok, that's a variation of #2 I guess)

4. Never, ever, ever let some jerk with an opinion get you down. Opinions are like... well.... let's say bellybuttons. It's a youth activity, after all. (and most people can gaze happily into their "bellybuttons" much easier than that other analogy. )

[BRASSO]

To paraphase a remark by a famous head football Coach.....

" Football ( Drum Corps ) doesn't BUILD character.... it REVEALS it ".

[JimF-LowBari]

Joined a Senior corps at age 16. Besides the age range, we had people anywhere from students to managers of business to jackhammer operator to guys making it from paycheck to paycheck. Didn't matter your age or background, what you did mattered as much as the person next to you.

Yeah, learned how to work toward a common goal with people from multiple backgrounds. Helped in my job when I had to go out of town/out of country to work with people different from me. I'm one of very few people who was invited back to a certain place so must have learned sumthin'.

Edited August 12, 2008 by JimF-3rdBari

[atlvalet]

Bluecoats '92. Got my ### beat every day by our Cadets snare tech. Was eating 5 minute lunches and practicing for 55 minutes. My feet hurt for about 2 weeks after tour (marching the last 2 minutes of the show @ 175 BPMs over and over on concrete in drum sectionals will do that).

Being good at anything gives one confidence. That's what drumming did for me, and it taught me what hard work really is. It also taught me that when you're doing something you love, it's not hard to work hard. Passion fuels discipline. In my mind, if someone is "lazy," it just means they aren't doing what they really love yet.

Edited August 12, 2008 by atlvalet

[TealEuph7]

Drum corps made me into what I am, inspired me to major in music, and helped me get into UF. I couldn't ask for more.

[kansasDC]

44 years of drum corps involvement have definitely made me a character.....

Seriously, I really feel that exposure to the work ethic and discipline of drum corps has a positive impact on at least 90% of the people who are involved for more than a year. The work ethic I see in my kids is light years above their contemporaries, and it shows up in their school grades, their performance in their extracurricular activities, and even in their ability to complete chores at home.