Housing Issues...

[chasgroh]

If there's a more thankless job in DCI than Housing Director, it's a puzzler to me. I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. I cannot imagine the agita that goes with this one.

Kudos, Jeff Cox! Hang tough! Karma's a ##### but it all evens out in the wash!

Jeff indeed does The Most Thankless Job in DCI...I've had to deal with him while on tour and he's a nose-to-the-grindstone worker of the first order. I've ran quite a few tours, and always marvel at how the heck it all gets done, because it doesn't stop at Jeff, the bulk of the work gets done by the corps and/or show sponsors...in some areas it is absolutely impossible to get a place to stay, but somehow the chore gets done. Yes, there are the exceptions that turn into present day horror stories (and fonder memories for the participants, later in life). Think of Indy, do you suppose that down the line in the 10 year commitment, it's gonna get tougher to get housing? Heh, housing, or lack of it, is going to change the way we work eventually...bet on it.

cg

[AlexL]

Only our high school can handle all the needs of a world class corps. I think all we are required to supply them are a place to sleep, a place to practice and a place to shower. All the top corps want more. They want 3 football fields, all with elevatio and lights, even if they are not in town over night. They want a dozen rooms to sleep in. The want an ice maker, etc.

Now all of the corps I have dealt with have been very flexible. We normally house the Bluecoats at our HS. They are from Ohio and we have people on our staff who are on their staff. We also have several recent grads who are marching with them, including my son. They come to our show every year.

As you said, the corps are flexible, but all those 'wants' are the ideal conditions for operating the most effectively on tour. All of those wants you listed have various reasons (3 fields lets separate sections rehearse fully, elevation lets staff get a better perspective, a bunch of rooms lets the various staff\volunteer\driver groups, who are on many different schedules of sleep and working hours, get sleep without being disturbed, etc, etc). Sometimes those things arent available, but its amazing how many times those things are available that the corps wouldnt know without asking- especially at some housing where the housing has no idea what is about to descend on their school in about an hour. If the answer is 'this is what we have and thats it', thats obviously what they'll work with, but you cant find that out until you ask.

[corpsband]

http://www.crossmen.org/2010-crossmen-weekly.html

Look at July 27th if you want to read about how Bosier City, LA rode us out of town on a rail. I wouldn't be surprised if they had tar and feathers ready.

Amazing how fast things can spiral out of control isn't it ?

[Carolina09Spirit]

Wow...very interesting article on Crossmen...it's a shame that happened.

[Peel Paint]

Jeff indeed does The Most Thankless Job in DCI...I've had to deal with him while on tour and he's a nose-to-the-grindstone worker of the first order. I've ran quite a few tours, and always marvel at how the heck it all gets done, because it doesn't stop at Jeff, the bulk of the work gets done by the corps and/or show sponsors...in some areas it is absolutely impossible to get a place to stay, but somehow the chore gets done. Yes, there are the exceptions that turn into present day horror stories (and fonder memories for the participants, later in life). Think of Indy, do you suppose that down the line in the 10 year commitment, it's gonna get tougher to get housing? Heh, housing, or lack of it, is going to change the way we work eventually...bet on it.

cg

I've dealt with this kind of stuff in a different format than drum corps. You can call and confirm and call and confirm and call and confirm this onsite guy, that onsite woman, and every one of their crazy aunts and uncles, until you're blue in the face, and then, when the corps shows up at the venue, it bombs out for the goofiest reason nobody anticipated! You just want to tear your hair out.

[Frogman87]

http://www.crossmen.org/2010-crossmen-weekly.html

Look at July 27th if you want to read about how Bosier City, LA rode us out of town on a rail. I wouldn't be surprised if they had tar and feathers ready.

My son is marching with the Crossmen and sent several texts about having to leave. It was tough on them and he was on the bus what felt like forever. Sounds like they needed to leave because there would have been other problems if that issue had been resolved.

[btracht]

One of the issues in Indy this year is that some school districts' school year begin the week of DCI Championships.

[The Other Mike]

There are many misconceptions about hosting a corps.........on both sides.

I have hosted corps at my school since the 70's. Because of some things that are lacking at our campus, I usually only house someone who I have hosted before and who's director / staff I know personally. I don't hold anything back when speaking of our limitations yet our 1 practice field can compare to most performance fields.

While many may think it's an honor to host a corps, it's really anything but an honor. Hard feelings from the football staff or administration can linger for months after the corps leaves.

Even the most humble director and staff who are thankful for the last minute emergency housing can suffer because of the people on the cook staff that makes ugly remarks about the facility to each other but within earshot of the principal.

Or, as we all know, corps draw visitors. The corps has been doing a great job with everything but out of the 20+ car loads of fans who show up to watch a practice, one is loaded with ice chests and parks on the grounds of the school next door and leaves all the empty beer cans in the parking lot. Is it blamed on the corps ? NO, it's blamed on "those band kids from THAT school".

There are thousands of things like this that affect the view of the corps and "if" they are allowed to stay there again. It's not all the corps fault and it's not always the fault of the kids or staff. Most times it's just the situation.

In this day and age it's really difficult to overlook the possible problems when considering housing a corps. I'm an OLD drum corps guy and while I don't mind hosting SOME corps, there are other corps that will never be allowed on the grounds. It's just not worth the headaches involved.

To most of us, a corps is a "big thing", yet in the neighborhood where their hosts must live and work all year long, more often than not the corps is a "problem" . Most people could care less about drum corps.

1) Their TOO LOUD ( no matter what time you practice, someones trying to sleep )

2) They yell to much ( a voice on top of the tower travels several blocks )

3) They attract beer drinkers

4) All those kids running around half naked

5) They hog the whole street with all those busses

6) It's all Mike's fault, he makes that band practice all year, even in the summer ( yea, I WISH we played that well )

Even after all the crap, there are still some corps I will house but the list is really short

[Danpod]

Just read the Crossmen article. It's clear that the school administration and Police thought that The Crossmen were intentionally destroying their property. At that point, I don't think The Crossmen could have given any answer to satisfy a bunch of hard-headed fools. Let's change the name to Loser City.

[The Other Mike]

Just read the Crossmen article. It's clear that the school administration and Police thought that The Crossmen were intentionally destroying their property. At that point, I don't think The Crossmen could have given any answer to satisfy a bunch of hard-headed fools. Let's change the name to Loser City.

Well, if there were a baseball game or tourny scheduled there sometime in the next few days, I'd be pretty hot about it also.

While I don't remember reading anything about that one way or another, many schools in Louisiana have summer leagues as well as AL leagues in which the students play.

I do know that I go nuts whenever I walk into my band room and everything is moved around because the cheerleaders held their camp sleepover there. Of course when they put duct tape on my freshly painted cabinets is when I really go over the edge.

Imagine walking onto a contest field and finding that the baseball team just installed a pitchers mound a day before the marching contest..........even though the gates were locked ?

We are only hearing one side of the story.