mn trumpter guy Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Well, Blue Stars aren't the LaCrosse Blue Stars are they? Boston Crusaders. Having one audition camp in Boston for only about 40 people really doesn't do a corps justice when 20, 30 years ago their focus was working with membership from the community, the boston area. I'm not saying they should be pulling kids off the street like they used to but maybe 10 years ago they should have really established themselves in the region and worked with the talent in New England instead of taking an easier way out and reaching for membership outside of the region to make it into the top 12. Massachusetts drum corps fans are just bitter. That is why Crusader's get so much crap about how theyre "from Orlando" now. New England has had a drum corps dry spell for a long time when it comes to junior corps. Not counting crusaders there are only 4 DCI corps in all of New England, 6 states, serving approximately 200 kids total. Thousands used to be served. As the years go by fewer and fewer people in the area are familiar with drum corps. Crusaders had a responsibility in some peoples eyes to keep drum corps, the activity, alive in the area not diminish it even more.sure, they have a "home" show... Sorry, just a side question: are you from La Crosse? Because everyone I have heard give the Blue Stars crap was from... well mostly from New England. If you go to La Crosse, many people have heard of the Blue Stars, and all of them are fans. Would you rather have fewer great corps who recruit from all over, and a bunch of sub-par ones who are strictly local? really? that would deprive SO many kids of the opportunity. As in anyone from a state/city that DIDN'T have a corps. Also, if truly only 40 kids audition for Boston in Boston, then how are they supposed to 'develop talent'? To develop talent, you need to have talent first: hard to develop something in people that aren't there. The world has changed: not every little city can have a corps, it just doesn't work. Deal with it, as almost all of the community seems to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpssaavy Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 I am glad for the Blue Stars. They have really come on strong these past few years. The fact that Aungst is willing to come on board says a great deal about the organization and Aungst as a person. Agree 100 %!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 (edited) Wow, you answered your own question. They hold a camp in Boston, and it gets 40 kids. Are they the ones failing new england, or is new england failing them. I doubt boston wanted to recruit in florida, but i dont think 40 members is going to do it... salad315 is correct......in addition, if alot of kids would simply rather go to Florida for a weekend in December than Lynn, Massachusetts, frankly, who could blame them? As a New Englander, I would rather go to Florida that time of year as well! The management of the Boston Crusaders is pulling out all the stops this year to attract more New England kids. The pool is quite different up here, however, from places like Ohio, Florida and Texas. The average size of a high school marching band in New England is less than 50 kids, and the total number of competitive bands in Massachusetts is only about 25, plus another another dozen or so very small groups in Maine...Connecticut is better off. Ultimately, although BAC would LOVE to have more New England kids and is working toward that end, the corps is committed to having the best, most audience engaging program possible, and the members will be decided by their determination, not their zip code. Back to Blue Stars, I commend them on an unbelievable season and I am convinced that 2009 should be a spectacular year for them. Edited September 8, 2008 by craiga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golfman1198 Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 So is this just a move to say "We have Tom Aungst on our staff and you should give us more points because of that" or what? I'm just wondering if it will have the kind of effect that the Blue Stars are hoping for. Bring on a huge name in the percussion world and be able to drop his name in critique. Lord knows it's been done before. Once again, buying competitive success. Understand, I have no mailce toward the BlueStars. They are one of drum corps great success stories lately. But this move just makes me wonder.BTW, I doubt anyone would give up thier spot at the Cadets to make a move to the Blue Stars. I wouldn't. Three captions, Drum, Horns, and Guard. In 2007, weakest caption placement wise was guard (11th horn, t12th percussion, 15th cg). So, went out and got Michael Shapiro. 2008, Three captions Horns: 8th, Guard: 7th, Drums: 10th. So, added Aungst to the staff. They're simply improving on the weakest caption. Its a great move by the administration that can only be positive for the corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffeory Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Nothing like buying competitive success. We all know how well that worked out for Capital Regiment. Worked well for Star of Indiana... So there's a flip side to that coin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mingusmonk Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Worked well for Star of Indiana... So there's a flip side to that coin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsMan97 Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Wow, you answered your own question. They hold a camp in Boston, and it gets 40 kids. Are they the ones failing new england, or is new england failing them. I doubt boston wanted to recruit in florida, but i dont think 40 members is going to do it... Having 40 people at an audition camp is a signal that they arent working with the neighboring musical communities enough. That is the point I am trying to make. Over the past 5 years I have not seen one attempt by crusaders to recruit at local high school shows or even on the college level. Rather, they choose to put it in their back pockets and not worry about it. Maybe more people in this area would treat Crusaders like the home corps if they acted like one, or perhaps go to their audition camps. That is why people give them crap for not "being" from Boston. One audition camp? In November? One? Really? That is all they do? That is not any answer. That would be like Spirit having an audition camp somewhere in Texas and then saying they're Spirit from Houston. A lot of corps out there have random auditions in other places in the US but Crusaders have what... 7 down in Florida? Yea... Florida is a whole 'nother world away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsMan97 Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Sorry, just a side question: are you from La Crosse? Because everyone I have heard give the Blue Stars crap was from... well mostly from New England. If you go to La Crosse, many people have heard of the Blue Stars, and all of them are fans. Would you rather have fewer great corps who recruit from all over, and a bunch of sub-par ones who are strictly local? really? that would deprive SO many kids of the opportunity. As in anyone from a state/city that DIDN'T have a corps. Also, if truly only 40 kids audition for Boston in Boston, then how are they supposed to 'develop talent'? To develop talent, you need to have talent first: hard to develop something in people that aren't there. The world has changed: not every little city can have a corps, it just doesn't work. Deal with it, as almost all of the community seems to have. Part of my point is to show why New Englanders give Crusaders all that crap about being from Florida. Some people just don't understand it but if you live here, you would have an idea. And I am from New England and the Blue Stars are a great corps. I don't know how you interpreted a simple reference to blue stars as a dis to them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Worked well for Star of Indiana... So there's a flip side to that coin. I wish everyone had the chance to witness how Star was run as I did. I was at fund-raising projects such as their mini Grand Prix and saw that the corps, once set up, had to work to earn what they got. Star was run like a business and that made quite a difference. But the people within the business had to pull their own weight. Star did not just buy their way to the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just A Plain Old Fan Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 @ mn_trumpeter_guy: Don't let CorpsMan97 speak for New England folks...He/she is just using the Aungst/BS thread to hijack it into a "Boston Crusaders left Boston" thread. Doesn't look like there's any Blue Stars negativity--just looking for an excuse to bring up the MA/FL debate again. @ CorpsMan97: I humbly suggest you start another thread if you'd like to open up that discussion, or better yet, contact the Crusaders and offer your help and suggestions for New England recruitment. As for Aungst @ Blue Stars, the topic of this thread, can anyone honestly say it's not a good move? Don't think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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