Jump to content

Crossmen Color Guard Uniforms ?


Recommended Posts

Those are cool. I like the tattoo motif a lot. Are the girls in hot pants? It is hard to see in that pic.

On the whole, I think more guards have had most of their stuff earlier this year than the past few. For a while there, it was the norm to do numerous shows in rehearsal clothes and practice silks. Perhaps more staffs are starting the planning earlier for a change.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 55
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

One of the things that I think most people learn when they march drum corps is that you deal with what you can take care of, and forget about the rest.

No ice in the water jug? oh well, go practice.

Bus broke down? complaining doesn't fix it.

Left something at the last housing site? oh well, it's not coming back.

Don't have a uniform (or show flags), but still have to perform? do the best you can with what you have. They get there when they get there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am sure that the staff never anticipated that it would be a problem of this magnitude. I will say, I have seen other groups put together a much more effective temporary uniform "on the cheap" than the Crossmen in their current circumstances.

I view it as more of a leadership issue and a "part of the team" issue even though, yes, they have to deal with it. Whether intended or not, the guard members missing uniforms runs counter to those members being able to have the sense of identity that the remainder of the Corps is afforded by the fact they do have uniforms. Edgar Schein, noted scholar and researcher on Leadership and Organizational Culture refers to such trappings as clothing (uniforms) as cultural artifacts. According to Schein, the artifacts are key to cultural indoctrination and part of three critical levels in any culture. The three levels are:

fig1.gif

While I expect to be attacked by such an analytical approach to this post, there is a lot of research that suggests that the circumstances regarding the uniforms will contribute to a weakened sense of inclusion and belonging.

Yes, I know they HAVE to deal with it - but it doesn't mean they have to like it. For many that would be "on the fence" about continuing with an organization in the future, such circumstances are often the deciding factor.

Jason

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't blame the corps, I'd blame the uniform manufacturer (unless the staff just simply ordered too late, which is doubtful). I've dealt enough with good and bad uniform supply places to know what's the staff's fault and what's theirs, and I can BET this was theirs.

However, I agree with analytical guy. '99 Spirit guard, who placed VERY low, got uni's late. They did the whole "on the cheap" thing to start the season, but still felt slighted and still felt no sense of identity. MANY did not return to Spirit the following year. Maybe a corps problem, maybe not, initially. Don't remember the details. But the lack of returning members to the guard was the outcome and that IS the corps problem, any day of the week! Not a good season for the rest of the marching members either for MANY reasons, and I don't have stats, but the best I could tell, there were a larger percentage of wind/percussion members returning over the next few years than guard.

So, treadstone, you win in my book!

On the other hand, the product is pretty cool. Can't wait to see it on the field in Atlanta!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So the guard has their uniforms...

It did take a while though.

Good looking uniforms though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure why I am being made out to be the bad guy here.

Because I know the staff and the alumni association of the corps struggles every year to make each member have a positive experience. They are fed well. They are cared for. They struggle to make ends meet, particularly the lower ranked corps that don't get the attention and adoration of the big 5.

The uniform issue is solved. In the long run it represented less than a quarter of the season. It wasn't the staff's fault and they did everything they could to resolve it.

For someone not even involved in the situation to imply that it was worth a refund by the members and their families should be angry when they don't even know what experience the members are having otherwise, is going to strike some nerves from people who do know the people involved.

I apologize for my strong reaction, but you requested an explanation for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guards don't even really wear "uniforms" anymore. Costumes is more like it. To me it makes it look like P.T. Barnum vs. General Patton out there. :devil:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am sure that the staff never anticipated that it would be a problem of this magnitude. I will say, I have seen other groups put together a much more effective temporary uniform "on the cheap" than the Crossmen in their current circumstances.

I view it as more of a leadership issue and a "part of the team" issue even though, yes, they have to deal with it. Whether intended or not, the guard members missing uniforms runs counter to those members being able to have the sense of identity that the remainder of the Corps is afforded by the fact they do have uniforms. Edgar Schein, noted scholar and researcher on Leadership and Organizational Culture refers to such trappings as clothing (uniforms) as cultural artifacts. According to Schein, the artifacts are key to cultural indoctrination and part of three critical levels in any culture. The three levels are:

fig1.gif

While I expect to be attacked by such an analytical approach to this post, there is a lot of research that suggests that the circumstances regarding the uniforms will contribute to a weakened sense of inclusion and belonging.

Yes, I know they HAVE to deal with it - but it doesn't mean they have to like it. For many that would be "on the fence" about continuing with an organization in the future, such circumstances are often the deciding factor.

Jason

Jason sometimes one can over analyze a situation and this is one of them.

Guards not having uniforms is a common thing not only for DCI but WGI and high school bands alike.

To say the organization is not organized is a slap in the face. Unless you have all the details as to why groups get them late, you need not comment.

Waaaay back in the day, uniforms weren't an issue because guards wore them for more than one year. As you know, today's color guards get new unis every year to help with the story line of the show. Even when I marched, we had to resort to old guard uniforms in the first few shows until ours were made.

I think sometimes it's good to keep little nuggets like new uniforms or new flags a surprise to judges from time to time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...