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The Value of Pioneer


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I don't think this is really a factor any longer, based on what I was told by Roman Blenski. I had written in one of my blogs this past summer that I wondered how many kids developed by Pioneer went on to march in other corps. When I talked with Roman on the phone a few weeks later about something else, he informed me he knew about what I had written and at least for the past number of years, Pioneer has lost no more than two or three kids a year to other corps. He said their retention rate is very high and it's not good to spread the word that kids keep leaving for other corps when it's not the case. Since Roman would be the one to know what is happening in this regards, I have to agree with him.

So if it's not true, why are there so many rookies at Pioneer? Are these kids just getting turned off from drum corps in general? I'd rather see someone corps hop than leave the activity....

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Congrats and Happy 50th Uncle Roman! :laughing:

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So if it's not true, why are there so many rookies at Pioneer? Are these kids just getting turned off from drum corps in general? I'd rather see someone corps hop than leave the activity....

-Kids from other countries (Japan, South Africa) who may only get to march one year.

-Lots of rook-outs

-Some kids do leave for other groups

-Money issues & burn out (typical for all corps)

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Who are these people? I marched quads in the late 90's at Pioneer and don't recall any FMM going to either of these corps...

However, there were plenty of people that went on to march with BD, Cavaliers, Crown and Scouts among others from that time period.

BTW- A former Pioneer member did TEACH the PR quad line around the '03 time period, but he marched Crown after leaving Milwaukee.

Ben B. from Shorewood, WI.

His brothers Jason and Fritz (80's percussion) and sister Gretchen (90's guard) also marched with Pioneer. He started out as a soprano player, but wanted to follow in his brother's footsteps. I still remember the day the small statured boy stood there holding his soprano telling me he wanted to "play quads for Phantom one day". I just laughed thinking... "yeah, right." He ultimately marched as a very young bass 1 with Pioneer in 1990, moved to tenors in 1991, and ended up in Regiment's tenor line by the mid to late 90's. He ultimately aged out with Cadets (can't recall the year), and is an incredible drummer, playing professionally in Wisconsin today.

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