Does The Score Really Matter To The Performer?

[bartyount]

Scores play a huge part during finals week in that it determines who makes top 12. For the most part, the order doesn't matter so much. A show doesn't become my favorite because it placed high. In fact, none of my top 5 all time favorite shows were 1st place winners. But scores matter in a big way for those last few corps at the bottom. It seems DCI history remembers the "Top 12" and everyone under 12 is forgotten for the most part.

An anecdote to illustrate - in 1991, we (Sky Ryders) were on the cust of top 12 the entire season - duking it out with VK, Spirit and Dutch Boy. I, and I think most of the other members felt that the survival of the corps depended on us making top 12. It created a huge amount of pressure on the members and I remember that we had several fights among members break out due to the tension and pressure. On semi-finals night, when we found out our score and found that we had made it to Saturday night, I remember it was such a relief that my knees buckled - I almost collapsed - and I nearly broke down and cried from relief.

[XmenmomX6]

I have not posted to this forum for quite a while, but I feel I must on this topic. In real life I am a high school math teacher at a large urban school. I have been involved with drum corps as a parent, driver, cook, bingo worker, concession stand worker and a member of the Board of Directors. I have also coached several sports including state championship level athletes for over twenty years. I say all this to qualify that my comments come from a broad prospective.

The true nature of competition is a comparison of one's self or organization against another or a given standard. I agree that competition in and of itself is a healthy endeavor. It energizes people to improve. If it is done with a group it provides support and encouragement to do things which might be difficult alone. When conducted in a mature, respectful way it provides confidence and respect to ALL who compete.

Unfortunately competition has been replaced by winning. Respect for fellow competitors has been replaced by ridicule and mean-spiritedness often displayed in the postings to this and other forums. Improvement and growth within the activity have been replaced by lobbying for changes to gain an advantage. Increasing, or at least maintaining, opportunities for young people to better themselves has been replaced by a narrowing of focus that in my opinion will kill the activity in a very short time.

Using the statement, "Pioneer beats Phantom", to justify the importance of scores insults everyone involved with the Pioneer organization. It should insult everyone who understands the great benefit this activity gives to EVERYONE involved. In TRUE competition, any corps should be able to win on any given night. If the Troopers beat Santa Clara because Santa Clara just put in their closer and it was sloppy while the Troopers did their whole show cleanly, then you can talk about true competition. Yes there will be a "Champion" crowned this year and we should all celebrate the accomplishments of the young people who gave that performance as well as the organization who gave them the opportunity. Unfortunately, the growing mentality is that unless you are in that "winning" corps, you are a loser, especially if you are not in an "elite" corps. That is not TRUE competition.

Rick Melcher

As a parent, I know that my daughter who is in her 7th year in drum corps (aging out with Cadets) is her own biggest critic! If I ask what scores were, she knows whether something was not as it should have been (either due to her own error or the hornline, guard, pit or corps as a whole) and may even have been missed by the judges. It is true that most who participate are hoping for a win, but she can tell you if something didn't feel right. The score (in this case) is not the most important predictor to her because she knows if it doesn't get fixed the win may not be there in the end.

Edited July 7, 2009 by XmenmomX6

[MikeD]

I have often wondered why we "live and die" by each night's score and how they often affects our personal performance in subsequent shows. Dow we put too much emphasis on them and do marching members worry to much today about each score they get?

Up until about 15 years ago, we never knew about regular season scores unless you were on staff or a marching member. And beyond that, everyone else only knew about finals at the end of the season. In today's technological age, every score is there for the taking and we put so much heart into every night's score. Is this healthy?

And, do we feel that too many marching members are doing this and ultimately taking away some of their joy from the dci experience by feeling this way? My staff instructors always told us not to put any stock into the score and keep working hard. I have heard of others that tell the members each score and the breakdown each night of where they placed. I don't get this? Do they really think the number always corresponds directly to performance?

In any event, let's discuss...

We always knew our scores, esp as in the era of full retreat we were standing on the field when they were announced, and we exited the field in reverse order of finish, marching past the first place corps playing a tune.

The pure score was not all that important...we used to focus on how we did relative to the corps around us, placement-wise.