Fastone Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) Some input from staff members of competing corps would be nice.It's not the first time i'v heard someone say that they went to a top DCA corps and,felt very unwelcomed, because of their age..If there are really top DCA corps out there who, don't want older members,please let us know who you are.and that's a big "IF".It's hard for me to believe that any DCA corps would turn someone away just because they are over age 40.And if you are doing that,you are only hurting your corps,and the future of DCA. I don't think there are too many corps that would turn someone away because of age, however the unwelcome feeling may come from that person having difficulty being able to adapt to the difference in the way things are done nowadays. I think if you have the ablity to "fit in" with the program you wish to be a part of and not be a "back in my day" sort of person, the door would be wide open anywhere. btw, my "age-out" year was 2000 at the age of 48. Edited July 7, 2011 by Fastone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I was thinking of mentioning the combined corps but it would get even more confusing. I remember seeing the exhibition field show in 1979 when Archie saluted other Sr greats and the competitive corps. But quick question: were these corps former Archie members only or open to others. And were there conditions to the "others". Pretty sure our horn instructor was in the competing corps while in college and not sure who was in the 1979 field group. Note to all: Not trying to start an arguement on who Alumni types allow in... just been wondering about this for a while. And we're holding our own here... thanks for asking. Hope things are well at your end of the commonwealth too. maybe Alumni corps is bad name for it..it may have been intended for alumni at 1st but its far from that now.......alumni refers to someone who was a part of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 thats all well and good and could very well be true BUT I pose a question.......If not for Alumni corps would there be a larger pool for DCA competiting corps membership AND would the age limit include people a tad older as DCA always did. I will tell you to answer another posters question I did hear point blank from a staff member as well as a member of what is now a top 5 OC corps...so and so needs to retire their old XXX..they cant keep up and were tired of hearing about the glory years.....NOW.................the sad part ............they were talking about someone I believe is maybe 45.......now thats sad...I thought 45 is kinda young...especailly in whats supposed to be SENIOR....or ALL AGE Drum Corps. Maybe thats why Alumni is an alternative. BUT IMO that will and to some degree has come back to bite the competing corps in the XXX No idea of what happened here but I'd say it's more the attitude of the competiting corps staff(?). Sounds like the 45 year old would have been told the same thing if Alumnis were not around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 maybe Alumni corps is bad name for it..it may have been intended for alumni at 1st but its far from that now.......alumni refers to someone who was a part of Some corps have been dropping the "Alumni" tag... Erie Thunderbirds for one. Hanover doesn't really callitself an Alumni corps but "that" word is still on the corps banner and website. Yeah... which loops back to DCA going from Senior to All Age... less confusing as to who is allowed to join.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 No idea of what happened here but I'd say it's more the attitude of the competiting corps staff(?). Sounds like the 45 year old would have been told the same thing if Alumnis were not around. Oh Im sure they would have been told the same Alumni or not the point on that was another poster asked about age and the comoeting corps....45 would have been a welcomed person a few years ago and maybe some still do but for a 45 year old to go through this or not feel comfortable in a SENIOR ( all age corps ) says alot about the DCA activity today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishbugle Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 thats all well and good and could very well be true BUT I pose a question.......If not for Alumni corps would there be a larger pool for DCA competiting corps membership AND would the age limit include people a tad older as DCA always did I will be the first to admit I don't always agree with you, but your comment here does make some sense. As the average age of todays competing corps goes down, so does the average age of Alumni members. Now- I have no complaints whatsoever regarding Alumni corps and their policies, and their place in the activity. But seeing more and more adults between the age of 30-50 joining in with Alumni vs Competing Corps, one could think that without that wide acceptance into the Alumni sector of that age group, the average age of competing corps would still be 26+ like it used to. At the end of the day, as long as there is drum corps, I am happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 My DCA experience was that I marched my last year at the ripe old age of 27, in 1982. I was welcomed back to marching by the Rochester Crusaders at age 53 on bass, but an illness forced me out of the corps. I'm doing a lot better now but I think the schedule and the travel to practice helped bring on the illness so I don't think I'll be trying that again. VERY sad that I didn't get to march one more time though. Alumni corps are doing very well, but with the greatest respect for what they do, I may be too old for DCA but alumni corps are a little too old, or old school, for me. I think they need the DCI and DCA corps to keep the members coming in, but they also need to update to get guys like me to take a second look. I know that Scout House is working at moving gradually in that direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TISH Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 As an active marching member of Minnesota Brass since 1999, I do agree that our hornlines average age has become younger. However, presently for the 2011 season our average age buy section is 30 for trumpets, 28 for mellophones, 27 for baritones/euphoniums and 28 for tubas. We are marching seven members on the field that are over 50. I will also say that the younger the member, attendance is generally more of an issue. They lack the understanding of how their not being present affects not only them, but the complete ensemble. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anokaflash Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I first joined Drum Corps at 17, with MN Brass. Marched two years and then did a Year of Junior Corps with the Blue Stars before going off to finish college. Been back with MBI ever since 1986 either marching or Admin. This year, 2011, I am one of 7 in the horn line that are members of the over 50 club. 6 of us have been marching on and off for several years as we balance family, work and corps. One of those members is marching his 26th consecutive year. The complexity and demand of the drill just over the last several years is incredible, which certainly restricts the ability of some to simply perform at the level needed to compete. Example, My set book for 2003 contained 82 pages, in 2009 102 sets, this year, 160 . . . and it's a runner *smile* Flash = = = = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 maybe Alumni corps is bad name for it..it may have been intended for alumni at 1st but its far from that now.......alumni refers to someone who was a part of precisely why The Erie Thunderbirds do not bill ourselves as an alumni corps,...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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