New Additions to DCA?

[Jocko the Wonder Llama]

... even if I have to sell my soul.

Don't do it. Have you checked the prices of souls for sale on ebay? This close to election day, there is an absolute glut

of souls for sale. Its a buyer's market when it comes to souls. Wait 'till around April or May, the market should be back up by then.

[Jeff Ream]

From my perspective, as just one member at Cincinnati Tradition, we had some challenges we met well and others we met less well. Here are some general principles, followed by examples. I hope that some of this will be helpful to others.

1) Put first things first. Rights and clearances uber alles. No permissions, no arrangement. I believe this so strongly that I just moved this paragraph up in my post.

2) Keep recruiting. If your goal is 42 overall and you've got 42, keep recruiting overall. If your drill is written for 24 horns and you've got 24, keep recruiting horns. If your book is written for 4 mellos and you've got 4, keep recruiting mellos. You're goig to lose people, and you're going to lose them long after you thought you could count on them. We lost half our guard between one Sunday and the next. We went from six middle voices to two in three weeks, after we started learning drill. We lost something on the close order of fourteen folks between the middle of June and the middle of July. Keep recruiting.

3) Focus recruitment energy. High school and college aged members are great! They can bring tremendous enthusiasm to a corps. That being said, they are subject to external factors more than adult members. A change in custody, a change in a parent's employment or other matters, a change in school functions etc can unexpectedly affect a members ability to make some performances, or even to remain in the corps. We had great kids in our corps this summer; some could stay all year, and some couldn't, some could have made it to Rochester, and some couldn't. If everyone remembers these facts of life it may help them to keep recruiting.

4) Focus recruitment energy even more. Recruiting high school and college aged members is terrific! Perhaps focusing this recruitment at schools that don't have marching musical programs, schools that won't have a football game on Labor Day weekend, will produce unexpected results. Focus on folks who've been to a rodeo or three in their day. There are junior corps, including dead junior corps, in all parts of the country. Do you have alumni of those corps available to you? Use 'em! Use the junior corps' alumni association, if it has one. Use corpsreps if the junior corps doesn't have an alumni association. Think laterally. Seek out like-minded groups of people, bagpipe bands and English brass-bands, and do joint music festivals/recruitment fairs.

5) Conduct recruitment that attracts members. If recruiting for a corps making away trips, the corps and the recruit must be clear, from the beginning, whether the recruit will make plans to go. Don't ask "Do you want to go" or "Would you like to go," but "Will you make plans to go?" All members, rookies or vets will have to make plans at some point. It is well to be clear on this from the outset. Depending on ones estate in life, this may mean scheduling vacation, checking with the spouse, checking with the parents etc. Help recruits by having specific information available and by asking specifically if they will go. It is good to remember that sometimes changes in plans are outside the control of the member, especially a younger member. On the other hand, sometimes they aren't. On the third hand, sometimes no plans were made.

6) Conduct all your affairs such that you retain members. See item 1. Statements like "Dues are x amount, payable any time before y date," "Our next rehearsal is such-and-such date at such-and-such time" inspire confidence in members of all ages, and are especially welcome to parents of minors. "See me after rehearsal if you haven't paid your dues" and "Hope to see you next weekend" are self-defeating statements.

7) Diversify leadership. If you ask around, you might find that Frodo the n00b cowbell player has been a director of an exempt organization with a seven-figure annual budget. He might possibly be ready, willing and able to take a flyer to the print shop and then a stack of flyers to the band contest. Especially if you offer him a ham sandwich. But you won't know unless you ask.

I'm going to stop here for two reasons. First, because I got to seven. Second, because nobody is still reading. Before going, I just want to say that none of the negatives practices in this post should be imputed to Cincinnati Tradition except for this: we didn't recruit as smartly as we could, and didn't really keep recruiting.

Robert

well said.

[PGHPercussion]

wait for it.....western PA......all-age class A.....news coming any day now.......any time now.......I can't stand, is it the Milton Keystoners? Allegheny Monarchs? Iron City Cadets? Our Lady of Rolling Rock? no......hmmmm.....

Its been a while,any news? Is there a new kid in the sand box,or not!

[Cabstuba04]

From my perspective, as just one member at Cincinnati Tradition, we had some challenges we met well and others we met less well. Here are some general principles, followed by examples. I hope that some of this will be helpful to others.

1) Put first things first. Rights and clearances uber alles. No permissions, no arrangement. I believe this so strongly that I just moved this paragraph up in my post.

2) Keep recruiting. If your goal is 42 overall and you've got 42, keep recruiting overall. If your drill is written for 24 horns and you've got 24, keep recruiting horns. If your book is written for 4 mellos and you've got 4, keep recruiting mellos. You're goig to lose people, and you're going to lose them long after you thought you could count on them. We lost half our guard between one Sunday and the next. We went from six middle voices to two in three weeks, after we started learning drill. We lost something on the close order of fourteen folks between the middle of June and the middle of July. Keep recruiting.

3) Focus recruitment energy. High school and college aged members are great! They can bring tremendous enthusiasm to a corps. That being said, they are subject to external factors more than adult members. A change in custody, a change in a parent's employment or other matters, a change in school functions etc can unexpectedly affect a members ability to make some performances, or even to remain in the corps. We had great kids in our corps this summer; some could stay all year, and some couldn't, some could have made it to Rochester, and some couldn't. If everyone remembers these facts of life it may help them to keep recruiting.

4) Focus recruitment energy even more. Recruiting high school and college aged members is terrific! Perhaps focusing this recruitment at schools that don't have marching musical programs, schools that won't have a football game on Labor Day weekend, will produce unexpected results. Focus on folks who've been to a rodeo or three in their day. There are junior corps, including dead junior corps, in all parts of the country. Do you have alumni of those corps available to you? Use 'em! Use the junior corps' alumni association, if it has one. Use corpsreps if the junior corps doesn't have an alumni association. Think laterally. Seek out like-minded groups of people, bagpipe bands and English brass-bands, and do joint music festivals/recruitment fairs.

5) Conduct recruitment that attracts members. If recruiting for a corps making away trips, the corps and the recruit must be clear, from the beginning, whether the recruit will make plans to go. Don't ask "Do you want to go" or "Would you like to go," but "Will you make plans to go?" All members, rookies or vets will have to make plans at some point. It is well to be clear on this from the outset. Depending on ones estate in life, this may mean scheduling vacation, checking with the spouse, checking with the parents etc. Help recruits by having specific information available and by asking specifically if they will go. It is good to remember that sometimes changes in plans are outside the control of the member, especially a younger member. On the other hand, sometimes they aren't. On the third hand, sometimes no plans were made.

6) Conduct all your affairs such that you retain members. See item 1. Statements like "Dues are x amount, payable any time before y date," "Our next rehearsal is such-and-such date at such-and-such time" inspire confidence in members of all ages, and are especially welcome to parents of minors. "See me after rehearsal if you haven't paid your dues" and "Hope to see you next weekend" are self-defeating statements.

7) Diversify leadership. If you ask around, you might find that Frodo the n00b cowbell player has been a director of an exempt organization with a seven-figure annual budget. He might possibly be ready, willing and able to take a flyer to the print shop and then a stack of flyers to the band contest. Especially if you offer him a ham sandwich. But you won't know unless you ask.

I'm going to stop here for two reasons. First, because I got to seven. Second, because nobody is still reading. Before going, I just want to say that none of the negatives practices in this post should be imputed to Cincinnati Tradition except for this: we didn't recruit as smartly as we could, and didn't really keep recruiting.

Robert

Hey Robert I read it all the way to the end and I agree with all of your steps. I can tell you from experience that even starting out the year with over 60 brass you keep on recruiting. We wrote for 50 and still had to recruit through June to fill those spots. The younger the recruit the more reasons there are for not commiting to entire season....Just keep recruiting. Be open about your fees and what is expected of the member. Keep your fingers crossed and keep on recruiting...and keep the faith it will happen for you...

[Borg Bari]

Its been a while,any news? Is there a new kid in the sand box,or not!

[/quote/]

answer = almost definitely. I'm told that next week all will be revealed.....

[Shadow_7]

Remember, Jerald, that the "logic" from this one particular poster on this thread goes like this:

.....And it's DCA's fault.

...

Fran

My logic as it were is that the 35 rule is bad for DCA. And that is DCA's fault as it's their rule. If only because of threads which turned into this and others.

The logic as it's been presented to me for it's existance.

* To protect corps from over extending themselves by going to DCA.

- IF a corps is bent on going despite their financial abilities, then this rule does NOT protect them. In fact it forces them to over extend further by choosing to rent additional members and equipment to play the numbers game.

* To set a minimum standard.

- Perhaps a valid reason. But I'd rather see other minimums met first. Like a lined field (even if it rains). Photos (even if it rains). Videos (even if it rains). HD media content (pipe dream). And others. --- Completely over look the 1% or more affected negatively by the rule. At 1%, could have had 70 more people (audience) assuming 7,000 attending. From a business perspective, $200 each (on average) in ticket and souvie sales is $14,000 LESS for DCA because of the rule. Which is probably a low ball estimate.

* To appease show sponsors.

- There are other ways to accomplish that without p***ing on ALL small corps in ALL regions.

* To encourage growth.

- As the corps in the void take a larger financial hit in having no performance/transportation funding from DCA show sponsors. Which is encouraged by the rule. And the members of the corps feeling alienated for falling into the void. See over extention above.

* To discourage the formation of smaller corps out of larger corps with challenges.

- It "didn't" work. Anyone wanting and able to form a corps is going to do so, regardless of what the rules are. Smaller corps benefit from other corps strife as much as the larger corps. We should NOT be creating conditions/rules that make strife intentionally.

This IS my point of view. Like it or not. Support it or not. From the outside looking in. As a past member of corps that DO fall into the void. And some of those seasons, before the rule, with a competitive corps of 22-34 members. And as a general "supporter" of drumcorps.

[Gary Matczak]

My logic as it were is that the 35 rule is bad for DCA. And that is DCA's fault as it's their rule. If only because of threads which turned into this and others.

The logic as it's been presented to me for it's existance.

* To protect corps from over extending themselves by going to DCA.

- IF a corps is bent on going despite their financial abilities, then this rule does NOT protect them. In fact it forces them to over extend further by choosing to rent additional members and equipment to play the numbers game.

* To set a minimum standard.

- Perhaps a valid reason. But I'd rather see other minimums met first. Like a lined field (even if it rains). Photos (even if it rains). Videos (even if it rains). HD media content (pipe dream). And others. --- Completely over look the 1% or more affected negatively by the rule. At 1%, could have had 70 more people (audience) assuming 7,000 attending. From a business perspective, $200 each (on average) in ticket and souvie sales is $14,000 LESS for DCA because of the rule. Which is probably a low ball estimate.

* To appease show sponsors.

- There are other ways to accomplish that without p***ing on ALL small corps in ALL regions.

* To encourage growth.

- As the corps in the void take a larger financial hit in having no performance/transportation funding from DCA show sponsors. Which is encouraged by the rule. And the members of the corps feeling alienated for falling into the void. See over extention above.

* To discourage the formation of smaller corps out of larger corps with challenges.

- It "didn't" work. Anyone wanting and able to form a corps is going to do so, regardless of what the rules are. Smaller corps benefit from other corps strife as much as the larger corps. We should NOT be creating conditions/rules that make strife intentionally.

This IS my point of view. Like it or not. Support it or not. From the outside looking in. As a past member of corps that DO fall into the void. And some of those seasons, before the rule, with a competitive corps of 22-34 members. And as a general "supporter" of drumcorps.

wow,.............that's a lot of words,...............maybe the second time through, you can modulate,.................and you might have to restructure wording a bit to fit the melody.........here are the original words,.........sung by the Chairman of the Board

[Kamarag]

Like a lined field (even if it rains).

Oh, Christ, here we go.

I wondered how long it would take for you to start whining about this again. Once again, EVERY corps had to deal with the lines issue. It wasn't a conspiracy against Shadow 7's corps, as hard as he tried to make it into one. You missed finals because there were ten other corps better than yours. Period.

DCA did an outstanding job of dealing with the horrific weather that year, as did the corps. Part of a 'minimum standard' is dealing with unexpected problems as best you can, and DCA is incredibly good at that.

For the record, my bet was that we'd get to page 15 of the thread before Shadow 7 mentioned lines on the field.

[cymbal_steve]

Oh, Christ, here we go.

I wondered how long it would take for you to start whining about this again. Once again, EVERY corps had to deal with the lines issue. It wasn't a conspiracy against Shadow 7's corps, as hard as he tried to make it into one. You missed finals because there were ten other corps better than yours. Period.

DCA did an outstanding job of dealing with the horrific weather that year, as did the corps. Part of a 'minimum standard' is dealing with unexpected problems as best you can, and DCA is incredibly good at that.

For the record, my bet was that we'd get to page 15 of the thread before Shadow 7 mentioned lines on the field.

15 pages at default settings or max post per page, cause I'm only on page 5.

[Kyle B]

* To set a minimum standard.

- Perhaps a valid reason. But I'd rather see other minimums met first. Like a lined field (even if it rains). Photos (even if it rains). Videos (even if it rains). HD media content (pipe dream).

This is what most people think:

If not having a lined field prevented you from having a good show, then maybe we shouldn't look at God for his wrath of rain, but inward.

Edited September 30, 2008 by Kyle B