JayM Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 One of my best friends marched quads and was diabetic. Lucky for him he had better hands then most people in the line, so it wasn't a horrible issue when his levels got low and had to sit out and down some fluids. Another one of my friends was contracted, but had an attack of chrones disease around march, and his doctor/family decided it was in his better interest not to have something like that happen on tour, so he gave back the contract. You're absolutely right - these conditions could easily prevent a person from marching. I marched with three diabetic trumpet players. One became a horn sergeant, one was "vet of the year", and the other became a drum major. Clearly, every corps needs to look for diabetics to march in their ranks. I also marched with a guy with Crohn's. He handled it very well, though I just felt bad for him at times. There was an epileptic, as well. I guess the point is that these sorts of things can be dealt with, and with effort from the individuals as well as the medical staff, afflicted members cannot just participate but thrive in the world of touring drum corps. Hopefully all of the corps are facilitating physical examinations before each season or else requiring reports from family doctors. One such examination a month before my age-out season led to me having to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours, which eventually led to a diagnosis of a congenital heart disorder that would score very well in Scrabble. I was able to march my age-out, but I eventually required surgery and now I take a pill every day. Medical technology is amazing, and I think it's helping quite a few participants enjoy the greatness that is the drum corps experience who maybe at one point thought their chances of participating were slim. The only instance I can think of where a person was unable to march due to medical issues was in the months prior to the 2000 season, when an acquaintance of mine began to suffer from Bell's palsy, which involves temporary but many times lengthy paralysis of half of one's face. As a mellophone player, this was obviously a deal-breaker for him. Dunno if you saw their mello line for the last two years, but they have someone that is i believe 6'7 Also check out the mellophone soloist at the beginning of the show. I don't think he's much past 5' 0". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopers1 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Anyone on the TSA's no-fly list should be immediately cut from any drum corps. Don't think you belong on the list? Sue the guv'mint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavie74 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 -----------from the guy who started the "Being Cut Because You're Fat" threadThe reason I think I'm cut because I'm fat is because my Instuctor for my high school went and auditioned for the same corps a few years ago and he was told flat to his face that it was his figure keeping him off the guard. I think I was cut for the same reason because there were people there that could not even throw fives on rifle, do clear angle tosses, nor look graceful doing a single skater turn. Now I'm not saying that I'm a god at colorguard, but my 5's were solid, angle tosses are my favorite kinda tosses so I CAN do them, and I felt like my skater turnes were very graceful.....yet I was cut......there's at least three people in my mind from the audition that couldnt do either of those 3 things I mentioned.....yet they still got a callback? QUOTE (IllianaLancerContra @ Jan 18 2009, 06:31 AM) Well, I suppose you could say Cavvies and Madison have refused people for being the 'wrong body type'. Well, maybe 2 exceptions for Madison. I don't think so, I was offered a spot to march with one of those corps the year before last and I have a large body type There's a surgical procedure for that "wrong body type" an (say it out loud) addadictome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvs me sum mello! Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Phantom Regiment posted, back in 2007, that they had a hole that needed filling in the mello line. It was towards the end of every-days. A student of mine "applied" for the position. Besides PR asking for a "resume," they asked for a current full body photo. I, for one, think it's fine for them to require such a picture. It's obvious that PR was requiring it to see how "fit" the applicant was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchyTenor Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 (edited) So, I was thinking that in using that logic....If a Corps was going to do show with a West Side Story theme, should the guard only have White & Puerto Rican guard members? Using that logic, they better go back and recast the movie, too. Those weren't all Puerto Ricans in the Sharks. George Chakiris (Bernardo) is the son of Greek immigrants, and actually played the role of Biff, leader of the Jets, in the London stage version of the musical. If a Corps was going to do an Asian themed show, should the guard only have Asian members? John Wayne played Ghengis Khan. That is all. If a Corps was going to do an Irish themed show, should the guard only have Irish members? Why limit it to the guard? Why wouldn't any of these limiting factors be applied to the whole corps? Garry in Vegas Edited January 23, 2009 by CrunchyTenor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Other Mike Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 The only instance I can think of where a person was unable to march due to medical issues was in the months prior to the 2000 season, when an acquaintance of mine began to suffer from Bell's palsy, which involves temporary but many times lengthy paralysis of half of one's face. As a mellophone player, this was obviously a deal-breaker for him.Also check out the mellophone soloist at the beginning of the show. I don't think he's much past 5' 0". are you serious ? I was in my 2nd year of being a band director when I came down with Bells' Palsey because the AC blew from the right side of the band room. I was a " case study" because I recovered so quickly because of being a brass player and recovering so quickly BECAUSE of my brass exercises. Give me a break. Try recovering from Guillian Barre' Syndrome, when you have died twice, never expected to live, then never expected to walk again and living in a nursing home the rest of your life. It was BECAUSE of my drum corps TRAINING that I not only survived but I live 90% of a normal life and continue to teach to this day without ANY assistance. Bell's Palsey is CHUMP CHANGE compared to 69 days in the hospital getting 6 doses of HEAVY morphine a day and learning all physical functions all over again. I'm sorry if I sound "mean" but you really have no clue. GBS surviver snince 2004 and #### proud of what I can do today BECAUSE of what I learned in drum corps in the early 70's. I'm alive because of HOW I was taught to deal with life. ( don't mean to offend, just #### pround of what I've overcome ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 John Wayne played Ghengis Khan. That is all. "The Conquerer"?? You could at least pick a GOOD movie to use as an example!! *however, the Duke/Khan one IS appropriate!* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salad315 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 are you serious ? I was in my 2nd year of being a band director when I came down with Bells' Palsey because the AC blew from the right side of the band room. I was a " case study" because I recovered so quickly because of being a brass player and recovering so quickly BECAUSE of my brass exercises. Give me a break. Try recovering from Guillian Barre' Syndrome, when you have died twice, never expected to live, then never expected to walk again and living in a nursing home the rest of your life. It was BECAUSE of my drum corps TRAINING that I not only survived but I live 90% of a normal life and continue to teach to this day without ANY assistance. Bell's Palsey is CHUMP CHANGE compared to 69 days in the hospital getting 6 doses of HEAVY morphine a day and learning all physical functions all over again. I'm sorry if I sound "mean" but you really have no clue. GBS surviver snince 2004 and #### proud of what I can do today BECAUSE of what I learned in drum corps in the early 70's. I'm alive because of HOW I was taught to deal with life. ( don't mean to offend, just #### pround of what I've overcome ) I'm glad you're alive...no seriously, i would never wish death on another, but.... Chill the f- out. Im sure its a defining thing in your life that you were able to survive this, and it should be, but when you attack jayzer like a rabid dog for his recollection of SOMEONE ELSE'S condition, which you really have no idea about, you sound like a moron. I'm not calling you a moron, because that would be a personal attack,(and in any event, I know you're not) I'm just telling you what I think it sounds like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayM Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I'm glad you're alive...no seriously, i would never wish death on another, but....Chill the f- out. Im sure its a defining thing in your life that you were able to survive this, and it should be, but when you attack jayzer like a rabid dog for his recollection of SOMEONE ELSE'S condition, which you really have no idea about, you sound like a moron. I'm not calling you a moron, because that would be a personal attack,(and in any event, I know you're not) I'm just telling you what I think it sounds like Basically this. Thanks. As with any medical condition/disease/ailment/whathaveyou, prognoses vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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