hazing/misconduct

[FTNK]

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/drumcorps/comments/91e03h/some_things_off_my_chest_reposted/

My first reaction was "yea this was par for the course when I marched (2004-2005 Capital Regiment, 2006 Cadets)" Maybe not the most extreme stuff, but a lot of it. Especially at Cap Reg we were constantly berated as a corps by the drum caption head and told "there's no crying in drum corps." My rookie year I was next to the same guy for a lot of the show, and every mistake I made he would scream "YOU ####### ######!" Also in 2004 we had a tuba who had a bad attitude, and the rest of the hornline attacked him with mouthpieces in socks, Full Metal Jacket style. The admin at least put an end to that. In 2005 we had a trumpet who struggled and the snareline dumped Gold Bond on him in the shower. Hopkins constantly told us we were the worst Cadets he'd ever seen, and in general whether you were healthy enough to march a show was the caption head's decision, not yours. We had a lot of Latinos in 2006 and Sully would yell racist things like "your head is bobbing around like you're going to the ####in' taco stand." 

The point is that this was all considered normal

One redditor summed up my thoughts exactly: "the older I get the more I want to distance myself from the activity."

Edited July 24, 2018 by FTNK

[ThePlanets]

Looks like the blue stars exec director read the post and tried to reach out.

Physical abuse and berating people is not cool. 

Edited July 24, 2018 by ThePlanets

[RedJazz1900]

Yikes.... that is an extremely tough read...

[JimF-LowBari]

7 minutes ago, RedJazz1900 said:

Yikes.... that is an extremely tough read...

Really.. bullying while a member and being treated like crap afterwards. Glad Director reaching out but anything physical should be treated as assault and be subject to arrest.

[xandandl]

5 hours ago, FTNK said:

 

Hopkins constantly told us we were the worst Cadets he'd ever seen, and in general whether you were healthy enough to march a show was the caption head's decision, not yours. We had a lot of Latinos in 2006 and Sully would yell racist things like "your head is bobbing around like you're going to the ####in' taco stand." 

The point is that this was all considered normal

One redditor summed up my thoughts exactly: "the older I get the more I want to distance myself from the activity."

I wasn't with the corps at that time, but in the name of all that is all that is good about Cadets and the so many good folks who made these past 84 years possible and would be and were horrified by such behavior, I apologize for what you suffered. 

Many of us adults complained to Hopkins and his board about his behavior and the boorish street garbage Marc Sylvester hurled at others, mms and volunteers.  Both of their responses were to contrive situations forcing the adults from the corps and even starting false rumors among employers of the same. It wasn't just back then. C2 lost a key mm two weeks before finals last September because the kid had the maturity to say enough is enough. It's my opinion that some of these techs stay in the drum corps/band world because they can't cut it as mature adults in the real world. To all who have been victimized, my heartfelt apologies.

 

Edited July 24, 2018 by xandandl

[Cappybara]

There’s a post by another former member (very recent, marched in 2015) of the Blue Stars who said he came in as a mello and asked the corps director if he would be able to miss the first 3 days of spring training for his high school graduation. When he got to spring training, he found his spot replaced and he had to march as an alternate all season, while also being treated like he doesn’t exist.

Is there a culture problem at the Blue Stars? How long ago is the experience from the OP?

[Jeff Ream]

5 hours ago, FTNK said:

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/drumcorps/comments/91e03h/some_things_off_my_chest_reposted/

My first reaction was "yea this was par for the course when I marched (2004-2005 Capital Regiment, 2006 Cadets)" Maybe not the most extreme stuff, but a lot of it. Especially at Cap Reg we were constantly berated as a corps by the drum caption head and told "there's no crying in drum corps." My rookie year I was next to the same guy for a lot of the show, and every mistake I made he would scream "YOU ####### ######!" Also in 2004 we had a tuba who had a bad attitude, and the rest of the hornline attacked him with mouthpieces in socks, Full Metal Jacket style. The admin at least put an end to that. In 2005 we had a trumpet who struggled and the snareline dumped Gold Bond on him in the shower. Hopkins constantly told us we were the worst Cadets he'd ever seen, and in general whether you were healthy enough to march a show was the caption head's decision, not yours. We had a lot of Latinos in 2006 and Sully would yell racist things like "your head is bobbing around like you're going to the ####in' taco stand." 

The point is that this was all considered normal

One redditor summed up my thoughts exactly: "the older I get the more I want to distance myself from the activity."

The Cap Regiment part surprises me, because that's not the way Kevin Murphy was in any of the years I worked with him prior to that. 

[RedJazz1900]

It really bums me out reading this again. My experience marching drum corps was a fantastic experience.  We worked hard, we pushed each other every day, we were treated very well by the staff and administration, they knew when to dig in and push us, but they always did it in a very respectful way. I have zero complaints about how I was treated as a member, and I feel like that is how drum corps is supposed to be. 

[xandandl]

2 minutes ago, RedJazz1900 said:

It really bums me out reading this again. My experience marching drum corps was a fantastic experience.  We worked hard, we pushed each other every day, we were treated very well by the staff and administration, they knew when to dig in and push us, but they always did it in a very respectful way. I have zero complaints about how I was treated as a member, and I feel like that is how drum corps is supposed to be. 

I think we all agree on that. It's why the exceptions are so glaring and hurtful.

[HayleHam]

3 hours ago, Cappybara said:

There’s a post by another former member (very recent, marched in 2015) of the Blue Stars who said he came in as a mello and asked the corps director if he would be able to miss the first 3 days of spring training for his high school graduation. When he got to spring training, he found his spot replaced and he had to march as an alternate all season, while also being treated like he doesn’t exist.

Is there a culture problem at the Blue Stars? How long ago is the experience from the OP?

 I know a Bstars alum from 15. He knew the alternate and they got along. He was very frustrated with certain staff at the time, and since then they have all left and gone elsewhere. Actually, at the end of season survey, he wrote alot about how that specific alt got treated and how it was wrong. 

Edited July 24, 2018 by HayleHam
clarity