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Hosting a corps this summer!


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Oh, here's another one that's actually a relatively new development: if your school has wireless internet, get a temporary username/password for the corps staff and/or tour director. They'll likely have their own way of doing this via iPhones and whatnot, but being able to park in your band hall office and use some free wireless for a time can be very helpful.

Oh yes. GOOD ONE.

Back when I marched (early to mid-80's) it was always about finding a telephone everywhere we pulled in.

By the time I was driving and being involved with tour logistics (late 80's until 2005) it was all about locating the internet whenever possible.

NOTE that many....if not all.... corps are now very specific in instructing their members to not mess with computers and other technology belonging to the host schools on tour. However, if the corps has some down time or a 'rain delay' from rehearsal while at your school, members would also really love an opportunity for some internet access in a school computer lab if doable.

Edited by notelvis
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Oh, here's another one that's actually a relatively new development: if your school has wireless internet, get a temporary username/password for the corps staff and/or tour director. They'll likely have their own way of doing this via iPhones and whatnot, but being able to park in your band hall office and use some free wireless for a time can be very helpful.

This is a great idea!!! It is so frustrating trying to do everything work related on the road via BlackBerry. Having access to the internet just for an hour or two helps not only the management and education staffs, but the volunteers who still need to maintain contact with their real job!

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I would stress to the school admins that the school should be off limits in general unless something is scheduled to coincide with the corps stay. Cancel "open basketball" and scheduling a sectional in the band room. Its also to protect the members stuff. Keep in mind kids are living out a suitcase and their posessions are very valuable to them at the time. Random thugs who walk into a gym often walk out with goodies like cell phones and stuff. Nothing pisses off a member more than coming back to find valuables missing.

The opposite is true too. If janitors don't want people wandering the halls then they'll need to barricade sections. A simple "do not go here" sign won't stop a member from exploring. Make sure school property is locked up too cause sometimes its a finders keepers mentality of members.

Check with the director to see what times you can watch the corps practice. Chances are there are closed rehearsals, to eliminate distraction and so the audience is not subjected to the colorful metaphors used for instruction. Staff hate it when its "family show" time.

Check if there are any activities like baseball games going on around. I can remember one show where we were in Iowa and there were all these baseball games going on around us. The fans were ###### at us for being so loud but we didn't ahve anywhere else to go.

(IMO) Don't paint the lines on the field. It seems like a nice gesture but the corps will just do it over again. (unless its artificial turf)

Make sure the fields are mowed. I remember in Pueblo all the kids with allergies were about dying because no one had mowed the weeds/grass. Our drum line instructor had to bring out a push mower and mow an entire field himeself! It took him forever and his legs started to break out too. That was a rough day for everyone.

Use logic when parking the trucks. If the fields are on one side of teh school then the trucks should be on that side too, not on the otehr side of the building.

The most important. Make sure someone is at the school when the busses roll into town. Nothing pisses a corps off more than having to wait 30+ minutes for someone to unlock the school because they overslept or "didn't know about it."

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someone already mentioned this... but it deserves another mention:

the directional signs are a good idea... my corps brought their own, and they were already hung when we got to the site, presumably by a volunteer vehicle that got there sooner.

I also had the same thing and in fact we didn't go into the school til they were posted if they hadn't finished by the time we got there. Typically it was an admin RV that would get ahead to allow for this to be done and to meet the school greeting party so they could do all the directing once the caravan arrived.

If your booster club even just did dessert for a meal that would be welcome to. Especially if it is something cold after a long hot practice.

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Wow, I go see a movie ('The Hangover' if anyone is interested, great guy flick!!!!!!!!) and come back to this. This is so much more than I could have asked for and am taking notes left and right. I am going to talk to the band director this weekend and see if we can get started on the things we can work on right now with what little details we have, ie. what can we do for the corps in regards to some fruit/ice cream/sandwiches or whatever. I am hoping the principal of the school will work with us and let us kind of take over the school for at least those 2 days in regards to putting up the signs for sleeping areas, getting extra TP and cleaning supplies where needed, making sure the parking lots are clear for the buses, where the food truck can park and hook up, and having the field in the best possible condition for the corps. I am really glad someone mentioned lining the field as I was going to consider it, but it makes sense that they might want to do it themselves. Unfortunately Poca is a very, very, very small town in WV and there is not much in the area. Most everything is about a 15-45 minute drive but that includes the show site so that is a positive. I am going to try and make arrangements to shuttle staff and members that need anything wherever they may need to go. I can't speak for the band director, but I plan on finding out approximately when the corps will be arriving and getting to the school about an hour before hand to make sure everything is ok so they can just pull up, unload, and get some rest.

I can't even begin to thank everyone enough for all of the ideas and suggestions. Hopefully we will be great hosts for whomever will be staying with us and that will make them want to come back for future visits. I would suggest anyone interested in hosting a corps come check out this thread as the information in it is priceless!!!!

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I'm sure the corps will give you an idea of what they need to as far as number of fields but they do have those kids that have the extra special duty of getting up early to head out to line the fields!

We will be curious to see who you end up hosting and how it turns out. It seems when the corps I traveled with that besides band representatives there sometimes there was even a facilities type person there that would help the transportation and/or tour manager get all the water/electrical connections set up correctly to avoid any issues.

Oh if a dumpster is somewhat close to the food truck area..that is always a good thing as there does tend to be a bit of trash after 3-4 meals and all the food prep.

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If you remember from your stint with Dutch Boy (I think that is what you said) you might recall field lining duties. Its sucks for the members but they are used to it. Chances are they'll line 3 fields if they find the space. You can check with that corps though, maybe they like it when fields are painted...saves them paint?

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if you have an ice machine, the members will love the chance to put some ice in their jugs at meals before the rehearsal blocks. If you tell the corps where it is, they will fill coolers and have them out by the food truck for the members, so all the members won't go tramping through your school kitchen area.

The opposite is true too. If janitors don't want people wandering the halls then they'll need to barricade sections. A simple "do not go here" sign won't stop a member from exploring. Make sure school property is locked up too cause sometimes its a finders keepers mentality of members.

This is very true. The kids will explore. Mostly, they will be looking for an extra bathroom or the ice machine. But, school paraphernalia (like, gym shorts/shirts with your school name on them) might disappear if the corps kids find it. "Poca Dots" would probably be one of the more "attractive/hilarious" places to have a souvenir from over the whole summer.

When I marched I heard a story of a previous year that a corps got in trouble for diving into a stockpile of under armour. That was obviously stupid, but gym type clothing is free reign sometimes.

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The photo on the front of the page was just the kids that made all county band. You can get a better indication of how big the band is in the photo gallery. You can even see me holding my snare sticks at a football game wearing my Phantom Regiment bowling shirt!!!!!! (Photo of the bass drummers with me in the background holding snare sticks). I cannot think of any kids that have went on to marched DCI in the recent years mainly because of where the band has been before the current band director took over. Last year was the first time they have been to competitions for about 5 or 6 years since the previous band director didn't want to do them. (Shameless plug for the drum line: A few seond place finishes finishing up with a huge 1st place percussion at the last and largest band competition we did that year, beating out some schools who beat us earlier in the year!!!!)

I myself marched half a summer in 1993 with Dutch Boy in the pit and keep trying to explain to them how special and fun it is, but it's hard to convey something like that with just words. Hopefully this will let them see what it's like and they can appreciate it more. We have had a few express interest in going to audition for Southwind next year when they field a corps again though! The director actually wrote drill for me and the band director back when we were in college at Marshall University so we have a little insider info and contacts there. :cool:

One other thing, do the corps' usually mind if people take non-flash photos? I can understand them not wanting video shot but would like to get some photos if possible as a sort of scrapbook.

Why not take a video , most of the world class corps would'nt have a problem with that

what are ya gonna do steal it if it was my corps I'd say go ahead . The big boys & girls are more

worried about putting their product together than anything ! Really video taping is small potatoes

unless your at a DCI sanctioned show then that would be a NO NO . Oh yeah about the beer

for the volunteers get em a pony keg !!!! :rolleyes:

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This is very true. The kids will explore. Mostly, they will be looking for an extra bathroom or the ice machine. But, school paraphernalia (like, gym shorts/shirts with your school name on them) might disappear if the corps kids find it. "Poca Dots" would probably be one of the more "attractive/hilarious" places to have a souvenir from over the whole summer.

When I marched I heard a story of a previous year that a corps got in trouble for diving into a stockpile of under armour. That was obviously stupid, but gym type clothing is free reign sometimes.

I thought about that and honestly, would people believe you if you said you were housed at a school for the Poca Dots unless you had some kind of proof! If it were possible and I knew how many I thought it would be cool to get them some kind of souvie from our school to maybe help nip any temptation in the bud. It's not that I don't trust the kids, I just know human nature and have been in that position myself. Still would be kind of cool to maybe have some corps wanting to be housed at "The Poca Dots!" for the summer and become our own little legend in drum corps circles as one of those wouldn't believe it till you see it things. Wanna make sure they get photos of our mascot painted on the gym wall!

mascot.jpg

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