DCIHasBeen Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) Yes, but if it is between you and one other person competing for the spot, all other things considered equal the person who looks better in the uni will probably get it. Unless they play better, in which case selection based on how someone looks in uniform would be self-defeating, at best. Frankly, the Social Darwinism aspect of DCI drum corps is just another factor that's causing me to remove myself from actively supporting the corps or the activity. There is all of this lip service being paid to "for the kids", "serving our youth", blah, blah, blahty, blah, blah. DCI World class drum corps is nothing more than elitist summer camp for kids with means. The majority of kids who could most benefit from the types of travel and performance activities that drum corps provides are now the least likely to be able to participate. DCI is on the brink of bankruptcy, corps are folding left and right, and nobody has a great financial picture for their program. Guess what? Maybe survival of the fittest is finally catching up with drum corps. The financial drain of the activity on all involved seems to have surpassed the benefit received by same by a long shot. This whole discussion, and any statements made in support of drum corps as a place for only the strongest and fittest makes me ill. I think this year, instead of writing a check to help underwrite the season for an elitist drum corps, I'll make a donation to the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation instead ... At least their goal is to provide musical equipment and education to underserved youth who need it, and can benefit from it, instead of helping to underwrite the cost of an activity serving kids who have already had their musical education needs met in so many other ways. Sorry for the rant, but this thread is just so much about the ever-growing hypocrisy of this activity. Edited January 15, 2009 by DCIHasBeen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salad315 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Unless they play better, in which case selection based on how someone looks in uniform would be self-defeating, at best.Frankly, the Social Darwinism aspect of DCI drum corps is just another factor that's causing me to remove myself from actively supporting the corps or the activity. There is all of this lip service being paid to "for the kids", "serving our youth", blah, blah, blahty, blah, blah. DCI World class drum corps is nothing more than elitist summer camp for kids with means. The majority of kids who could most benefit from the types of travel and performance activities that drum corps provides are now the least likely to be able to participate. DCI is on the brink of bankruptcy, corps are folding left and right, and nobody has a great financial picture for their program. Guess what? Maybe survival of the fittest is finally catching up with drum corps. The financial drain of the activity on all involved seems to have surpassed the benefit received by same by a long shot. This whole discussion, and any statements made in support of drum corps as a place for only the strongest and fittest makes me ill. I think this year, instead of writing a check to help underwrite the season for an elitist drum corps, I'll make a donation to the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation instead ... At least their goal is to provide musical equipment and education to underserved youth who need it, and can benefit from it, instead of helping to underwrite the cost of an activity serving kids who have already had their musical education needs met in so many other ways. Sorry for the rant, but this thread is just so much about the ever-growing hypocrisy of this activity. umm...yeah, its your money, i guess. Just because dci may be 'elitist' in your opinion, does not mean that the participants dont go through life changing experiences. Guess what - if a top 5 corps cuts you for some supposedly unfair reason, you have a choice - either go somewhere you will be accepted, or make the changes necessary to get in. If i want to play lead sop for the blue devils, but cant play above the staff, I'm not going to cry about it - I'm either going to fix it, or go somewhere else. Playing an instrument is a combination of talent, hard work, persistence, and yes - some natural ability or inclination. At least they MAKE you take phys ed in school - noone forced me to play the trumpet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCSoprano9702 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 If I tried out to be a fighter pilot and didn't make it, I'd probably blame my height. Even if there are tall fighter pilots (I don't know if a limit exists, but I'd guess it does). It would make me feel better about my effort. Sometimes, however, your best isn't good enough - as American Idol so clearly demonstrates every year. Some take rejection as motivation for more practice. Others (a vast majority it would seem from Fox's editting) blame an imaginary bias or flaw in the competition. OP: You clearly think you need to lose weight. If you think that will improve your chances, make that a priority in your current corps. But by all means continue to try to better yourself in aspects of performance. Standout performers aren't cut; regardless of their shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwan2know Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 This is not just an issue for guards, by the way. People are cut from every section of corps (well, maybe not pit...at least that I've heard of) every year for not matching a profile corps are looking for that includes age, weight and height. As others have suggested, if this happens to you, look for an organization that will value what you bring to the table in terms of talent and dedication. When you get older/taller/skinnier you can go back to your dream corps, but you may find that you don't want to anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bawker Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Ahh. A new year and a new thread where the everyday ebb and flow of life is a whip to flog DCI again. . . .yes, DCI should consider themselves lucky they have such gallant internet white knights to ride in and prevent said floggings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salad315 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 you're a complete moron. there's a huge difference between being a skinny gym rat who does a lot of cardio and being athletic. i've known a lot of guys who carried extra weight and were extremely athletic. i've known even more guys who had a six pack but couldn't make any high schools varsity football or basketball or wrestling team. heck, how many pro athletes carry 50+ pounds of extra weight and perform at a peak level? i marched madison back in the 90's when madison was known as the most athletic corps, with by far the toughest basics block, and we had plenty of guys who dropped 25+ pounds during every days and first tour. it was practically a corps tradition that at least one guy would show up and drop 50-75 lbs each year. if they were willing to do the work they stayed in the line. and yeah, sometimes one of those big guys would be feeling it on the run and shoot to the front and pace all of us. drum corps rewards desire and hard work, not body shape. most everyone looks the same at the end of summer anyways, brown as a berry and skinny as a rail. that's the important thing, how you finish, not how you start. Way to resort to personal insults to cope with people you dont agree with. For the record, 300 pound linemen may be incredible athletes, and experts at their craft, but arent going to be at the front of a drum corps jogging block anytime soon. Most of them need oxygen after returning a fumble more than 50 yards. As I mentioned earlier - excess weight is just another liability to corps. It can be overcome, certainly, just like anything else. Oh, and 'how you start' has a lot to do with how you finish. If it werent so, noone would give a #### about the winter season.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickhaltsforlife Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 A corps who has all in shape people at the beginning of spring training has a HUGE advantage. Most performance issues come from not being able to perform because of physical issues. It all makes sense to me. It it politically correct in the end... no, but #### that stuff... I hate it. But I know I personally held my corps back until I was in shape, which was about the middle of the season. It was all because of my physical condition. Being fit in drum corps is very important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salad315 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Yeah...saying that you know fat people that can outrun fit people is about as helpful as saying you know dumb people that can do better on tests than smart people. Of course it happens, and with a lot of work, a 'less intelligent' person could score higher on a test, but if you were selecting between auditionees for some kind of academic competition, I dont think the choice would be hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 What I can't understand, in this discussion, are the people who cry out that staff members driving people to loose weight is unhealthy. Does no one remember that being over weight is NOT an acceptable thing? Does no one remember the health risks that come with being over weight? OOOOOO...loosing weight over a short time is MUCH worse then the risks you have of being over weight for years and years. Give me a break. Comments like this spark eating disorders... yes, being overweight can be unhealthy, but pulling no stops to lose weight over a short period of time can be just as lifethreating as being overweight for years and years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickhaltsforlife Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 eating disorders are a touchy subject... but i'm pretty positive that no staff member from any corps would say things in ANY way to make someone make unhealthy choices... i would put all blame on the eating disorder on the person who has it. Sorry if I am offending anyone, but it's just how I feel. Anyone I have ever known who has an eating disorder it is a personal mental issue, not caused by someone saying your overweight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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