charlie1223 Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 is there any need to say other corps don't work as hard as such and such corps in order to make a point about how corps treat their members? surely you can get your point across without doing that, right? Well, its just an opinion I have but I don't think less or more of either corps because of it. That's just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlooContraGuy Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 I've never felt more at home with anything in my life than when I'm with the Bluecoats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 Well, its just an opinion I have but I don't think less or more of either corps because of it. That's just my opinion. yeah, you're entitled to it. sorry if i came off as snippy. long day.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriTroop Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 I'm looking for a home. I marched one season at a middle of the road drum corps, but found the experience to be not what I signed up for, or what I was promised. So, I was wondering if the DCP crowd could give me some advice on finding a family based, loving, drum corps. Sure I want to be able to compete, but the experience is the main thing. Well, there has been a pretty long thread now. Do you feel you can make some choices at this point? Audition camps are well under way, and if you haven't started that process you need to jump on that wagon pretty fast, especially if you're looking to compete at the higher levels. If by "middle of the road" you mean "not in top 12" then you basically have 2 choices: go for some of the corps in the top 8 or so who are very likely to stay in top 12, or aim for 9-17th(ish) place corps and see if they have a product that can compete to stay (or gain entry into) top 12. Clearly I am biased as I would suggest my own home corps, Troopers. Since coming back to the field in 2007 I have been nothing but impressed by how the ideas of community, tradition and history are being preserved internally in positive and meaningful ways while pushing the corps forward in design and performance. Vet retention has been high, which speaks well to what is happening. My point is this: it's been my experience that competitive placement doesn't reveal much at all about the inner workings of a drum corps, particularly at the levels outside of the top tier. People sometimes assume that corps that are not top finishers are somehow fatally flawed. But the reality is this: there are a small, small handful of designers, instructors and administrators that can bring a corps a championship caliber show year after year. The rest are developing their craft -usually quite beautifully, effectively and professionally - in the lower tiers. We often forget this fact and expect everyone to be cookie cutter perfect. In other words: You just have to get in there and see what it's all about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpt43 Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 First, let me say that my opinion is biased. My son marches with Phantom Regiment. He has been treated with very well and the staff (from the uniform ladies to the corps director)go out of their way to help the kids. He has grown as a person, as a musician, and formed life long friendships due to his association with Phantom. I feel there are many corps that do care for the kids. I hope you find one that is a fit for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbc03 Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 It is a trade-off: Take the attitude that winning is the only goal, that second place is the first loser, and you will win many, many gold medals over the years. The trade-off is massive disappointment the years you do not win, even if you take the silver. Take the attitude that doing your best is the only goal, and you will be satisfied by reaching that goal no matter your placement. The trade-off is very few (if any) gold medals are won this way. Both attitudes are fine as long as you have the same personality and philosophy of the unit you are with. Having marched in a corps that has won a lot, and even won myself, I say this is pure BS. Winning was never the only goal. This false dilemma of either marching a corps that only wants to win or marching a corps that only wants to have fun but you'll place badly or whatever is just 100% pure crap. I've marched in a 16th place corps and had a miserable experience, I've marched in a 4th place corps and been completely satisfied with my summer despite wanting to win, and I've won and had a great time and I didn't have to sell my soul to a corps that only cares about winning to do so. It is possible to want to win and also be ok with not winning 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BozzlyB Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 Having marched in a corps that has won a lot, and even won myself, I say this is pure BS. Winning was never the only goal. This false dilemma of either marching a corps that only wants to win or marching a corps that only wants to have fun but you'll place badly or whatever is just 100% pure crap. I've marched in a 16th place corps and had a miserable experience, I've marched in a 4th place corps and been completely satisfied with my summer despite wanting to win, and I've won and had a great time and I didn't have to sell my soul to a corps that only cares about winning to do so. It is possible to want to win and also be ok with not winning ding ding ding ding ding!!!!! Winner winner chicken dinner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 (edited) Having marched in a corps that has won a lot, and even won myself, I say this is pure BS. Winning was never the only goal. This false dilemma of either marching a corps that only wants to win or marching a corps that only wants to have fun but you'll place badly or whatever is just 100% pure crap. I've marched in a 16th place corps and had a miserable experience, I've marched in a 4th place corps and been completely satisfied with my summer despite wanting to win, and I've won and had a great time and I didn't have to sell my soul to a corps that only cares about winning to do so. It is possible to want to win and also be ok with not winning > It is possible to want to win and also be ok with not winning. True, I am sure that those in Crown, Bluecoats, Boston, etc... want to win. But before you continue calling my opinion BS please watch the documentary put out by BD called 11-1/2 Minuets. (BD has won the most Gold). In that video you see BD members ingrained with The Drive to WIN philosophy, the "Eleven Baby" comment, the huge disappointment in the voice when the corps gets beat for the first time mid-season, another huge disappointment in the voice (and eyes) when the Finals silver is shown and not the gold. BD produced the video, approved of the contents, and therefore approves of the philosophy. Not saying it is wrong, just saying that it exists and it certainly is a main motivator to the corps winning all of those gold medals. FYI: Your statement, and I quote, "...a corps that only wants to have fun but you'll place badly..." is a gross misrepresentation of my posting. By the way, you said that you won (a lot). How many DCI <Championship> Gold Medals do you have? Edited December 8, 2010 by Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbc03 Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 I will take the slam, but before you continue calling my opinion BS please watch the documentary put out by BD called 11-1/2 Minuets. In that video you see BD members ingrained with The Drive to WIN philosophy, the "Eleven Baby" comment, the huge disappointment in the voice when the corps gets beat for the first time mid-season, another huge disappointment in the voice (and eyes) when the Finals silver is shown and not the gold. BD produced the video, approved of the contents, and therefore approves of the philosophy. Not saying it is wrong, just saying that it exists and it certainly is a main motivator to the corps winning all of those gold medals. FYI: Your statement, and I quote, "...a corps that only wants to have fun but you'll place badly..." is a gross misrepresentation of my posting. By the way, you said that you won a lot. How many DCI (Championship) Gold Medals do you have? I have no idea how BD runs their organization and I haven't seen the documentary you're talking about. If the "win or the season is a complete failure" mentality is actually what they have then that is sad. If it's just some kids being disappointed that they didn't win then that is only natural and comes with competition. It is entirely possible to be disappointed in the competitive aspect of a season and not consider the entire season to be a failure. However, you seem to be extrapolating what you have seen in a documentary put out by BD to hold true for all the successful corps. I didn't say that I have won a lot, I said I marched in a corps that has won a lot. I myself only have only won once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 Having marched in a corps that has won a lot, and even won myself, I say this is pure BS. Winning was never the only goal. This false dilemma of either marching a corps that only wants to win or marching a corps that only wants to have fun but you'll place badly or whatever is just 100% pure crap. I've marched in a 16th place corps and had a miserable experience, I've marched in a 4th place corps and been completely satisfied with my summer despite wanting to win, and I've won and had a great time and I didn't have to sell my soul to a corps that only cares about winning to do so. It is possible to want to win and also be ok with not winning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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