KeithHall Posted June 18, 2010 Author Share Posted June 18, 2010 I will add that while in junior corps I began to drink. These were always done at someone's house after rehearsal and away from the rehearsal. We NEVER drank on the road. Some great points from everyone. I do know that the Rochester Crusaders were always making sure the younger members were taken care of during weekend rehearsals. That was in part to Dick Hoppe insisting that the underage members were kept away from any drinking by of age members. I think that was the selling point to the corps a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDale Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 In 2000 or 2001, I saw a DCA corps, NOT Alumni, in full uniform, members with cigars in their hands and beers on the batter side of their snares at the P&C stadium. I was disgusted at what I saw. As a young man, I would have thought that was awesome, and would have wanted to be part of such a corps, especially if they were a good one. Part of the mystique of the activity. But not all young men are created equal, especially in drum corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Those are great examples... The other thing that is tricky is the definition of "Back in the day." It depends on when you want to start counting backwards. Back in the day, a bunch of kids from Auburn, NY could confidently challenge that bunch of kids from some place called Concord, CA... they might even have some kids who drove from as FAR away as Rochester or Syracuse. Then when they were older they could march with a DCA corps in Rochester. Back in the day, if your corps in Edison, NJ folded you might have to drive ALL the way to Garfield or Bayonne. Then when they were older they could march with a DCA corps in Hawthorne. Back in the day, we had hundreds of kids who actually DID march DCI and THEN DCA, all without having to drive more than two hours. Back in the day, we didn't have nationwide recruitment "clinics." Now - when you say "DCI kids," you're taking about that local handful of band kids who "made" a DCI corps, and shelled thousands of dollars to do so. Trying to recruit that small a population isn't very efficient. Now- DCI isn't big enough to supply DCA with talent. Heck Tom, in that neck of the woods, just off the top of my head, and please don't get upset if I forgot anyone, it's a sin of omission not commission -- Geneva Appleknockers Rochester Crusaders Watkins Glen Squires Auburn Purple Lancers Greece Cadets Mighty Liberators Barons of Steuben That region had a lot happening, I saw Greece and Watkins Glen back in the day and they had nothing to be ashamed of by any means there, both had some fine years in early DCI. You're very right, people did not need to travel as much in the NE US, especially in certain regions to have a good corps to march with that they could be proud to be a part of. It still can be critical with some of us with bad work schedules- adding a couple of hours or more one way can really make it impossible to make that kind of committment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff DeMello Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 The question has always been, how do DCA corps attract age-outs from DCI? I think that DCA does not / should not depend on DCI age-outs. Not that I have anything against DCI, it's just that I think that DCA should keep & promote the "all age" / "family" drum corps theme as a differentiation. As a matter of fact (and what started me on this reply), there are many cases when kids start their drum corps careers in DCA and move on to DCI corps (and then come back to DCA!). One case is one of my best friends, Todd Tanji ... started his "drum corps career" marching in Minnesota Brass, moved on to Blue Devils, and then back to MBI (and BD as Board of Directors President). Another case ... (and I forgot his name) ... the kid in Blue Devils who did the "Yowza" narration in the Dance Derby of the Century show ... he started in the Renegades. Also, another videographer friend of mine Trevor Terrill went from the Renegades to Crossmen (and back to Renegades!) .. and also was an employee of DCI! While it's nice to get "DCI age-outs" ... I think that DCA can actually "stand on it's own 2 feet" !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 I think that DCA does not / should not depend on DCI age-outs. Not that I have anything against DCI, it's just that I think that DCA should keep & promote the "all age" / "family" drum corps theme as a differentiation.As a matter of fact (and what started me on this reply), there are many cases when kids start their drum corps careers in DCA and move on to DCI corps (and then come back to DCA!). One case is one of my best friends, Todd Tanji ... started his "drum corps career" marching in Minnesota Brass, moved on to Blue Devils, and then back to MBI (and BD as Board of Directors President). Another case ... (and I forgot his name) ... the kid in Blue Devils who did the "Yowza" narration in the Dance Derby of the Century show ... he started in the Renegades. Also, another videographer friend of mine Trevor Terrill went from the Renegades to Crossmen (and back to Renegades!) .. and also was an employee of DCI! While it's nice to get "DCI age-outs" ... I think that DCA can actually "stand on it's own 2 feet" !!!! Well-put. We had a fellow who went from Westshore to Bridgemen and back to us on Soprano-- I'm certain there are several corps out there who have that kind of story. We actually managed to grab a couple of people after their DCI careers, it's not an impossibility. Depends on the individual and the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVQuesty Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 . I also find the very concept of so-called "zero tolerance" policies to be asinine. This is a short-sighted statement. Everyone has to have liability insurance. If an insurer finds out underage membership were drinking, you can say goodbye to your rider and potentially to any future affordable rider. No responsible organization has anything other than a zero-tolerance policy for their underage members. It is the law, and all organizations should abide by them. This is "lose your charter and cease to exist" territory, and no one should be against keeping those for whom it is illegal to consume a substance *or* any member for whom it *is* legal to consume a substance to give that substance to a person for whom it is illegal to consume. If you have a policy, it has to have teeth. If someone is consuming against the law while under your care or auspices (on tour, for instance) you are now responsible for whatever happens. It is the only right thing to do to have a zero-tolerance policy in regards to your under-agers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 This is a short-sighted statement. Everyone has to have liability insurance. If an insurer finds out underage membership were drinking, you can say goodbye to your rider and potentially to any future affordable rider. No responsible organization has anything other than a zero-tolerance policy for their underage members. It is the law, and all organizations should abide by them. This is "lose your charter and cease to exist" territory, and no one should be against keeping those for whom it is illegal to consume a substance *or* any member for whom it *is* legal to consume a substance to give that substance to a person for whom it is illegal to consume. If you have a policy, it has to have teeth. If someone is consuming against the law while under your care or auspices (on tour, for instance) you are now responsible for whatever happens. It is the only right thing to do to have a zero-tolerance policy in regards to your under-agers. Agreed. Things have changed- Minors drinking gets anyone involved in serious legal trouble and can sure have you end up on the wrong end of a civil suit. It's agaist the law- it can't be condoned anymore or ignored like it used to be. I thinik the main thing is to keep certain things out of hands they should not be in, and you have to be strict about it. You can't be handing it out to kids if you're an adult with two braincells to rub together, period. If you do- you need to get arrested, and kicked out of the corps. Even I, who enjoys having a cold one once in a great while with friends, readily agrees with that! Questy- I'll give you an AEA shout from up here in Eta Rho chapter country. Always good to see KKY Brothers on the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M. Johnson Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 As a matter of fact (and what started me on this reply), there are many cases when kids start their drum corps careers in DCA and move on to DCI corps (and then come back to DCA!). The Sun Devils have only a few members that went from DCI to DCA. Most are and will be DCA to DCI back to DCA. Good thread and good discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 (edited) ....Seriously let's not forget that DCA corps might be seen as the competition by some in DCI. As expenses go up and economy stays at the suck level, cheaper Drum Corps (aka DCA) is looking better and better to some young people. We're watching the average age in Kilties plummet since Scott Stewart came on board. With only $350 dues (it might only be $300), most meals provided, transportation (motorcoach) provided for out-of-area performances (free) -- as far as activities go, how can you go wrong? And the organization is debt-free. So for a young person, the cost is similar to -- or less than some of the high school activities with pay-to-play, and they can still work a job during the week. Is there ANYTHING about this that doesn't make sense? A very financially-sane choice over junior corps. And maybe just time/family-sane, too. Drinking? Some of us adults will naturally go out for dinner and a few cold ones AFTER practice on Saturday night. Adults do that. You might do it after a long day of golfing, right? But Scott would frown on anything Saturday night that would lessen our ability to learn and perform on Sunday morning. Sunday morning breakfast at 9AM and whole-corps stretching and warmup starts at 10AM. Better be there - on-time, awake and ready to go. This has become FAMILY ACTIVITY. Edited June 18, 2010 by dannyboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwan2know Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 This is a short-sighted statement. Everyone has to have liability insurance. If an insurer finds out underage membership were drinking, you can say goodbye to your rider and potentially to any future affordable rider. No responsible organization has anything other than a zero-tolerance policy for their underage members. It is the law, and all organizations should abide by them. This is "lose your charter and cease to exist" territory, and no one should be against keeping those for whom it is illegal to consume a substance *or* any member for whom it *is* legal to consume a substance to give that substance to a person for whom it is illegal to consume. If you have a policy, it has to have teeth. If someone is consuming against the law while under your care or auspices (on tour, for instance) you are now responsible for whatever happens. It is the only right thing to do to have a zero-tolerance policy in regards to your under-agers. No disagreement with any of that. I was speaking more generally, rather than in the specific instance of underage drinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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