Restarting the Madison Jr. Scouts

[Piper]

I'm a little confused. Are you talking about an alumni corps or a cadet corps?

[thirdcoast]

I would have to agree. If they were started again cap sound would have no chance at all. The Americanos at this point are selling off everything, with no real big plans to restart again unless a bunch of people want to go in and take it over. IF the americanos come back they will back with one condition most of there kids will be from the fox valley area. I say cap sound should be worked with. why start another corps when there is a perfectly good one in the area.

I guess I could go in and play around with making Cap Sound bigger and better, but if thats what I really wanted to do I would have already. I dont, and let me explain. I personally voted agianst any other Corps in the Madison area when Cap. Sound started, Southwind, Capitol Sound, The Madison Scouts. I was for taking the Jr. Corps and going Co-Ed, but back in the day, there was one and only one and he made the desions. Like it or not you were not going to change his mind. I always thought he had this grand idea of starting his own circuit. He was a great man, and still is, I just dont see him anymore, its a shame. So I just laid back and watched, stayed involved, No SOUTHWIND 08, No Capitol Sound 08, this is a perfect time for new(old) ideas to come to the forfront. The Madison Scouts 09 are going to be great, they have everything in place with great people helping those kids out. The other two are not active, so we will see what I can do with everything.

I mean its all right here collecting dust, all of it from both Corps. The Madison Scouts need the exposure they desirve, the Madison Jr. Scouts are going to be that sorce. There is only one Corps in my mind that matters in Madison WI, The MADISON SCOUTS!

Jason

[84skyrydr]

VK reemerging did nothing to harm Pacific Crest or any other corps...Incognito didn't harm VK....the corps that are having troubles out here have other issues.

I find it ironic -- and a little sad -- that we who have bemoaned the loss of so many corps over the years now have some who would bemoan the restarting of one.

Madison wisconsin is NOT California. There is limited members available. As far as "bemoaning" the loss of corps, I DO. I see trying to start another open class corps in an area that has one open class corps sitting out two years, as a slap in the face. The death blow, so to say. Now if you are talking about turing the jr. Scouts into an all age corps with feeder capability, then go for it. My eleventy bajillion dollar cost is close to right. So all you need is, a director$$$, staff$$$$, uniforms$$$ horns$$$$$$$ drums$$$ keyboards$$$ mics$$$ amps$$$ mixer$$$ SYNTHESIZER$$$$$cook truck$$$$$ staff vehicles$$$$$........members.....volunteers.... seeing a defunct corps comeback, priceless!!!!, seeing another corps keep an existing corps from returning????? If it can be done, GREAT.

[bhs alumni]

I guess I could go in and play around with making Cap Sound bigger and better, but if thats what I really wanted to do I would have already. I dont, and let me explain. I personally voted agianst any other Corps in the Madison area when Cap. Sound started, Southwind, Capitol Sound, The Madison Scouts. I was for taking the Jr. Corps and going Co-Ed, but back in the day, there was one and only one and he made the desions. Like it or not you were not going to change his mind. I always thought he had this grand idea of starting his own circuit. He was a great man, and still is, I just dont see him anymore, its a shame. So I just laid back and watched, stayed involved, No SOUTHWIND 08, No Capitol Sound 08, this is a perfect time for new(old) ideas to come to the forfront. The Madison Scouts 09 are going to be great, they have everything in place with great people helping those kids out. The other two are not active, so we will see what I can do with everything.

I mean its all right here collecting dust, all of it from both Corps. The Madison Scouts need the exposure they desirve, the Madison Jr. Scouts are going to be that sorce. There is only one Corps in my mind that matters in Madison WI, The MADISON SCOUTS!

Jason

no offense but this statement (and those with similar attitudes) is part of the reason why support for Open Class suffers, and thus some of those same corps struggle. just because C-A-pital Sound and Southwind were inactive last year (yes i know Cap Sound is inactive for '09 as well) does not mean they are permanently inactive.

Edited November 2, 2008 by bhs alumni

[contrajedi8]

Nope, I sure hope it does not cost a bajillion dollars to figure this out. My plan is simple with as little hardships as possible. Get the instruments, practice some music, put on the unis , go make some money. Have fun. It will be great wailing God Bless The Child, mabye just mabye I can convince the guy on the DVD to come play the solo agian. Ill bet I can. He lives right down the street. This is going to be a good thing, I promise.

Cant wait to play agian,

Jason

So I know I officially resigned from any discussion on the Madison Scouts, but this is the Madison Jr. Scouts, so I'll take a stab.

I really don't think you realize how expensive "Get the instruments, practice some music, put on the unis, go make some money" is.

Let say, for example, you want to buy a new set of battey equipment. For the size group you're hoping for I'll go with 4 snare, 2 tenors, 5 bass drums and 3 sets of cymbals. Just for that, your looking at about $10,000. Now that is new of course. I'm not even going to tell you about pit equipment save that a new xylophone is around $2,500.

You could probably get trumpet players to furnish their own instruments, but that still leaves you with providing mellos, baris and tubas. Lets assume 6 mellos, 9 baris and 6 tubas. You're looking at $8,000 to $10,000. Once again, thats new.

Then we get to uniforms. As a band director who has recently purchased 90 new uniforms for his high school band, I can tell you it is the single largest amount of money I have ever spent at one time short of purchasing my own home. Upwards of $25,000. And I didn't purchase new shakos or plumes. In your case, aussies.

Now, you're probably thinking that you might be able to get some area band directors to donate you thier instruments, and equipment and such, but I have found that most band directors are very unwilling to do so. Insurance, wear and tear, etc. Maybe you experience will be different.

You could try to have everybody provide their own instrument but then you never know what you might get. Plus you wouldn't look like a group that takes itself seriously. Same thing on the uniform side. If you don't look good, people will think your group looks bad.

I'm not trying to talk you out of what it sounds like you're going to attempt. Best of luck to you. I just don't think you realize how truly expensive it's going to be.

My final thought is that you need to decide what kind of group this is going to be. A cadet corps? An alumni corps? You've talk both ways. To me this sounds like a rag-tag bunch of Madison alums and thier kids. I just don't think you're going to be taken seriously. If you do this, I want you to look and sound like a drum corps. Not a poorly organized community band that happens to half-###ed-ly play Slaughter on 10th Avenue, Rememberance and Malaguenea.

Who knows, maybe your thoughts and ideas in person are more clear than your thoughts and ideas on the internet.

[bhs alumni]

after re-reading the original quoted text i realized what is wrong...just read it (i kinda skimmed through the second half my first time through)....there's no way that is serious talk. "DCI will love it," setting up mini-corps as "pods?" there's no way this is a serious idea. just the floating gibberish of yet another DCP poster (i've had many myself)

[dcf06]

i still say to work with cap sound on this one its a good idea. I think that if this was to happen then Work with what you have in the area. Cap sound was once apart of Madison Scouts too, until they were cut in 2004. I am Facing the Same deal with the Americanos. Do I let the Organization tank? Or do I try to find people willing to take over the entire organization? Wisconsin has lost alot of great corps, and there are a couple of them still hanging on. To try and save time and money work with one that still has an organization together.

[nemesiscorps]

I guess I could go in and play around with making Cap Sound bigger and better, but if thats what I really wanted to do I would have already. I dont, and let me explain. I personally voted agianst any other Corps in the Madison area when Cap. Sound started, Southwind, Capitol Sound, The Madison Scouts. I was for taking the Jr. Corps and going Co-Ed, but back in the day, there was one and only one and he made the desions. Like it or not you were not going to change his mind. I always thought he had this grand idea of starting his own circuit. He was a great man, and still is, I just dont see him anymore, its a shame. So I just laid back and watched, stayed involved, No SOUTHWIND 08, No Capitol Sound 08, this is a perfect time for new(old) ideas to come to the forfront. The Madison Scouts 09 are going to be great, they have everything in place with great people helping those kids out. The other two are not active, so we will see what I can do with everything.

I mean its all right here collecting dust, all of it from both Corps. The Madison Scouts need the exposure they desirve, the Madison Jr. Scouts are going to be that sorce. There is only one Corps in my mind that matters in Madison WI, The MADISON SCOUTS!

Jason

Is mentioning the name Scott Stewart some how a bad thing? You seem to go out of your way to not mention his name. Regardless of where one falls in their opinions of his past leadership direction, the results of his tenure speak for themselves for each one of those Madison Drum & Bugle Corps Association corps. Things have been far from the same since then, so with history behind us now, (IMO) at least give open credit where credit is due.

Anyway... I am in complete support of any effort to get kids playing and marching. Obviously, your ideas in this format fall far short of a detailed and realistic business plan for this proposed group, but I don't know how anyone could expect you to present a formal proposal within this thread. However, your enthusiasm is appreciated.

I think it only fair that you at least acknowledge that the breakup of the Madison Drum & Bugle Corps Association (Scouts, Cap Sound, Southwind) understandably left a bad taste in the mouths of many. All three have separately struggled to stay alive since then, with at least one (Cap Sound) still trying to make a go of it. To say this proposed group would have no affect on that organization, and somehow see it as a "win" for them is seemingly insensitive in the least, or maybe it simply shows a lack of understanding of their struggles on your part. Nonetheless, I really wish you the best of luck and success.

[Piper]

Assuming that you're talking about a cadet corps, it would probably have to be all-male unless you get the Scouts to change their policy, otherwise there's really no point in it. Girls aren't going to put the work into a cadet corps if they know they can't climb any higher in the organization.

[Arena Corps Guy]

We have started Arena Drum Corps SDCA just for the opportunity to help smaller corps grow, or new corps to start. We have shows planned for 2009. look at our web www.theSDCA.org. This is a great start for small corps to perform and have a big sound. I had been in conversation with Mark about Cap Sound, but he is no longer involved. We will help anyone who takes over the helm. Contact us.

SDCA Staff

Edited November 2, 2008 by Arena Corps Guy