Thank You Texas

[hsreed]

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, DCI Championships were always held around August 20th (between 15 and 22). If they held DCI to this schedule, there would be two more weeks of drum corps this year. Two more weeks to clean shows. Two more weeks to tweak things. Two more weeks to fall from the peak.

Way way way back then, states actually help fund school music programs instead of allocating so many resources in the direction they do these days. Music was important throughout the country and DCI lived, actually thrived, without much Texas participation. If you did not know, Texas traditionally begins their school year a week or two earlier than the rest of the country. For this reason, Texans did not participate in drum corps in significant numbers since the inception of DCI.

Here's a list of finals dates through the years:

Year - Championship's date

1972 - Aug 18

skip forward because it doesn't change

1993 - Aug 22

1994 - Aug 20

1995 - Aug 12 (one less week of DCI compared to previous years, but this was an anomaly)

1996 - Aug 17

1997 - Aug 16

1998 - Aug 15

1999 - Aug 14 (a week earlier than the past)

2000 - Aug 12

2001 - Aug 11

2002 - Aug 7 (two weeks)

2003 - Aug 9 (one week)

2004 - Aug 7 (two weeks-one week due to Denver a stadium schedule conflict)

2005 - Aug 13 (one week)

2006 - Aug 12 (one week)

2006 - Aug 11 (one week)

2007 - Aug 11 (one week)

2008 - Aug 9 (one week)

2009 - Aug 8 (two weeks)

2010 - Aug 7? - I have no idea

As you can see, DCI has moved championships forward one week on a permanent basis since 2002 and two weeks forward in some cases. While Texas is probably not the only reason for the move forward, one less week on tour lowers corps' operation costs, participation in DCI by Texans has significantly increased over the past decade. I've heard Blue Devils, Vanguard, Cadets, and Boston now hold auditions in Texas.

So thank you Texas for bringing DCI to a close a week or two earlier than normal. Since Bush is from Texas, let's blame him as well.

[skajerk]

I'm trying to figure out where you're going with this. My kids start school (Lamar Unified SD, Rosenberg TX- just outside of Houston) on the 24th. That's 4 days AFTER Gilroy Unified starts which is the school district they'd be in if we were still living in CA. That's 1 week AFTER Fresno Unified and San Jose Unified starts and the SAME DAY as Clovis Unified. I guess we can blame Nancy Pelosi and CA as well!

Edited August 8, 2009 by skajerk

[Hybrid_Johnny]

Both of the schools I teach will be starting August 17th. This would make for a rather hairy situation if the season was still extended a week or two.

[Musical_Spinner]

I'm trying to figure out where you're going with this.

Same.

It sounds like an interesting trade off, Texas talent for earlier finals. Hmmmmm, does the talent outweigh the lack of time these days?

[beachdude]

Thank you Texas for keeping the Crossmen alive

[Dylan Ford]

That's just the way it is, so I'm not really sure where you're going with this.

What is worse- having DCI championships a week/two weeks earlier, or not giving youth from Texas a chance to participate?

[skajerk]

I was just trying to figure where he got the idea that TX schools started "a week or two earlier than the rest of the country" when I just showed that the district my kids are in start a week after or the same day as some CA districts.

[JayM]

I was just trying to figure where he got the idea that TX schools started "a week or two earlier than the rest of the country" when I just showed that the district my kids are in start a week after or the same day as some CA districts.

When I was in school (c/o 2001) the trend was toward starting school earlier and earlier each year. School would probably be starting sometime next week. Over the last decade it has begun to reverse, and as a result the kids are often in school into June (unheard of in my day).

Seems to me it six of one, half-dozen of the other. School starts early, finals have to be earlier. School starts late, the kids can't move in until June.

[jhallman]

It's gotta be someones fault.

I agree there should be some standardization of school start dates. My two high schoolers starts school on Monday Aug 10th while my 6th grader starts the 25th.

What happened to starting school after Labor day?

[soccerguy315]

It's gotta be someones fault.

I agree there should be some standardization of school start dates. My two high schoolers starts school on Monday Aug 10th while my 6th grader starts the 25th.

What happened to starting school after Labor day?

the county where I went to k-12 (and where I am currently working with a marching band) starts after Labor Day. They also don't get out until the middle of June.

I don't know why schools would start at different dates in the same districts. You should complain to someone locally about that.

Edited August 8, 2009 by soccerguy315