Age restrictions that DCI Corps have ?

[Bee]

What about the Blue Devils.... Cavaliers..... Carolina Crown ? ( or any other DCI Corps for that matter ). Do they also restrict their marching membership to post high school age marchers now as well ? I' not questioning their decision one way or the other here. I 'm just curious if these Corps have marchers still in High School anymore. that's all.

Do they ?

Yes. I marched with a girl who is now a Blue Devil, and she is most certainly still in high school. I have no knowledge of the Cavaliers, but I also have a friend who auditioned and marched with Carolina Crown as a high school junior.

I think many corps are hesitant to let high schoolers in, but if you blow them away with your audition, most won't tell you no. The two people I know in these top corps are certainly the type to blow you away.

Personally, I had a lot more time to dedicated to drum corps when I was in high school than I do as a college student, so I think corps being nervous about it is a bit superfluous, but I also had a high school administration who thought it was the coolest thing that I wanted to march and did everything they could to ensure that the end of the school year would never make attending spring training difficult. So I suppose that was probably atypical. I marched with plenty of kids who wouldn't show up until halfway through spring training because of school, and I see how that hurt us, as far as trying to get a clean, cohesive product learned as a unit.

[Shamu89]

And once again silly "logic"/truth gets in the way of conspiracy theories and rumor.

Thanks for the clarification; I hope your daughter is having a great summer!!

She's having the time of her life. She's exhausted, but she said there's nowhere else she'd rather be. We're very thankful that both sides of the issues worked with us to make it happen.

On the other hand, I know it would be darn near impossible for a HS kid to make it happen if they didn't have support from their family. We didn't have to fight very hard, but we did have to press the issues and make commitments for travel that a normal 16-17yr old kid couldn't do without help. For instance, when she needed to leave camp, I would pick her up as late in the day as possible and drive her home (DC area to Johnstown, PA and back). She'd sleep in the car and get up normal time the next day for school. To get her back, we either left home late in the evening or super early in the AM to make sure she missed as little as humanly possible. Lots of night-time or before dawn driving for me. Did some sleeping in my car, too before heading home. This probably saved 2-3 missed camp days due to "normal" travel. ;)

So I could see how corps staff might be reluctant to take on high schoolers and the time issues they have. I'm just glad they took a chance on my daughter. She's not the type to blow you away with incredible talent, but she's no slouch either. Would she have made the corps if they didn't have 91 slots to fill? No idea, but I doubt it. She also went in with what I think is the right attitude for a rookie. Super-humble, grabbed 3rd part without a word, busted her butt to make sure she didn't stick out, kept her head down and mouth shut and followed the lead of the vets. She told me her mind set was, "I'm not good enough to do this, but I will be", and I think that served her well. Her goal for the season was to be the rookie that was least called-out from the box. After meeting some of the pit and perc techs and having the chance to talk to them, I think she's succeeded. They don't know her name since they never hear it over the bullhorn. ;)

[The Other Mike]

So, since we have Senior corps, maybe DCI can just become the "middle age" corps and open the way for true junior corps division of 14 - 18 year olds

[caviesfan12]

I know of a girl in Phantom that just graduated HS so im not sure that counts. Same thing with another girl i know of in Bluecoats

[DrumlineMom]

My son marched open class as a 15 year old last year, and WC as a 16 year old this year. He just turned 17 yesterday, as a matter of fact, and will be a junior this year. He certainly plans to continue to march. We, too, have just had to communicate with the school and he really stayed on top of things to complete his finals and get out of school about two days early to move in on time. Some in his corps weren't so lucky, but they work with the kids so it's cool.

We fell into the myth that our kid couldn't march WC as a high-schooler and that really seems to be not true. Many corps are willing to work with motivated, hard-working, talented high schoolers. Experience marching corps helps too, which is why open class corps IMO are so valuable.

I very much agree with the comment that as a high schooler marching in the WC, having supportive parents is overwhelmingly helpful. I sat back and let the kiddo make most of the school arrangements, with the caveat that at a sign of trouble I would step in. Thankfully, they gave him none whatsoever. it was a pretty cool lesson.

I'm glad this thread has been started to dispel a myth that could really discourage talented high school students from having an amazing experience, and corps from getting them :-)

[corps-mudgeon]

Cavies and Madison only except males. They don't except females, ...

With reference to my compulsion for precise usage of words, I am compelled to point out the Cavaliers and Madison DO NOT except males, and DO except females.

[BillH]

With reference to my compulsion for precise usage of words, I am compelled to point out the Cavaliers and Madison DO NOT except males, and DO except females.

But, after the show, many of their marching members EXPECT females!

[GUARDLING]

But, after the show, many of their marching members EXPECT females!

well not all

[Ed from Kansas]

My son is 16, will be a sophomore in HS this year and is marching his second year in a WC corps. Schools are out normally in the third or fourth week of May, which does not interfere with move-ins and the beginning of everydays. Further, the administration in our HS really supports his interest and allows him to turn in his homework early during winter camps. If he misses an exam, they allow him to make it up with no penalty to his grades.

I know that many corps specifically state that no one under 17 and/or in high school need apply but in talking with the corps, themselves, if the youngster is sufficiently talented, motivated and mature they will make an exception.

[CrownBariDad]

My son marched when he was 16 with Racine Scouts and then the next summer (between his Junior and Senior year) with Carolina Crown.

He said there were several members who missed the first part of Spring Training because their colleges hadn't finished the Spring semester yet (his HS gets out in late May). But then he had to miss the first week of his Senior year due to DCI Finals (his HS starts WAY too early in the fall). Luckily, the principal, his band director, and the rest of his teachers saw the educational value of what he was doing and he wasn't penalized for his absence. Still, he had to bust his you-know-what to catch up with what he missed.