TomPeashey Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Fran is right, but I also clearly remember MUCH discussion about performer safety... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Fran is right, but I also clearly remember MUCH discussion about performer safety... Absolutely.....I remember Mickey and the rest of the DCA staff and the corps directors hashing things out....a lot of concern that day that the field would not be in "marching shape" at all. Sooo.... we all had an unexpected day off! (not the corps, of course. who I'm sure went back to rehearse....LOL) Fran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowtron Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I think it would be more important to give more kids the experience than to shift someone else's travel plans a few weeks. Labor Day does feel nice but it's about the performers, and I think the fans will follow them to Rochester regardless of which weekend in August they perform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 The weird thing about 1993 is that it wasn't even raining at the time the prelims show was supposed to start....10 AM, I think the start time was. In fact, most of the heavy rain had fallen the night before and into the very early-morning hours. But the drainage system at Lackawanna Stadium had either completely failed or had some sort of problem, because there was standing water on the field. I believe there was a baseball game scheduled for that evening at the stadium....so DCA had a limited window of time for prelims, and apparently it would take some time to get the field properly drained. The situation forced Mickey Petrone to call off prelims and run both shows on Sunday.... the way it used to be done back in the day. Fran i remember the weather was good Saturday. I remember in 88 it started out crappy but by Sunday night, it got better and everything had to be held Monday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I think it would be more important to give more kids the experience than to shift someone else's travel plans a few weeks. Labor Day does feel nice but it's about the performers, and I think the fans will follow them to Rochester regardless of which weekend in August they perform. but the extra travel day comes in real handy for those who arent from the North East. One less day off from school, work, etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetman1287 Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I was once considering doing DCA but couldn't because of this college scenario and lots of commitments in those first couple weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 DCA does not yet have the fan base to fill a pro stadium...and good luck getting into one past August 1st anyways...preseason etc.and just by getting a huge stadium doesnt mean fans will come. we're not at DCI fan attendance levels yet, tho if they stay at Lucas Echo Dome, they may match DCA soon And we're not there yet because the regions don't have the fan support up yet to entice travel or relocation. please....what out of the NE region show draws 2000 customers? 3000? 4000? I keep asking this, and no one answers. still waiting for an answer on this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwan2know Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I do take issue with those who act like there aren't any drawbacks to Labor Day weekend. They are real and if they don't affect your corps yet, they will soon. The push towards more school days and shorter summers is inexorable. The demographics of the population and the competitive direction of DCA will continue to drive DCA as an activity to get younger. It would be nice to have our championship in a football stadium and that is nearly impossible on Labor Day weekend. With that being said, I don't think that moving championships earlier will really solve anything on more than a temporary basis. Schools will continue to go back earlier and earlier. Despite a "Save Our Summers" law being passed two years ago, some Florida school districts are finishing up their second week of school already, and those that aren't have already started band camps. Colleges band camps have started as well. Most band directors I know, college and high school, would much rather their students miss a couple days of school and possibly one performance than having them miss ANY portion of band camp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I do take issue with those who act like there aren't any drawbacks to Labor Day weekend. They are real and if they don't affect your corps yet, they will soon. The push towards more school days and shorter summers is inexorable. The demographics of the population and the competitive direction of DCA will continue to drive DCA as an activity to get younger. It would be nice to have our championship in a football stadium and that is nearly impossible on Labor Day weekend.With that being said, I don't think that moving championships earlier will really solve anything on more than a temporary basis. Schools will continue to go back earlier and earlier. Despite a "Save Our Summers" law being passed two years ago, some Florida school districts are finishing up their second week of school already, and those that aren't have already started band camps. Colleges band camps have started as well. Most band directors I know, college and high school, would much rather their students miss a couple days of school and possibly one performance than having them miss ANY portion of band camp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPeashey Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 We knew years ago and discussed this when I was working junior corps. The education people and the government have wanted to kill summer vacation for decades... this has been a long time coming and the pressure will be and is enormous. We can thank the teacher's unions - some of the strongest in the land for keeping this from being a reality... but little by little it is happening.. Since our corps only compete on weekends... shortening the season is NOT the answer... without the hundreds of rehearsal hours a junior corps has - we need those weekends to get the performance levels to where they need to be to produce the entertainment we are striving for. Look, there are always things that change, I would never say never, but for now and the foreseeable future... Labor Day Weekend works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.