Staff or Talent?

[platesfan]

Is it the staff that decides a winning show or the kids that show up? I feel like some corps (not to pick on BD but they win a lot), it seems like the fact that they have some of the big names in corps make the show a winner. Like 2010, the show was crazy good and clean, though lacking in comprehension to the fans, but did the kids make it? No the staff wrote a show that was all challenging and wierd. Like people tell kids that their show made no sense. But is that always the kids fault?

[MikeN]

I know that a couple of years ago, talking to a DCI official, they did point out that every year they've done the marching member survey (which I think was 2006 on), the corps with the oldest average age won every year but 2008. I gather from that two things. #1 - while the top corps generally put out already good programs, it's more that the older, generally more experienced members take an idea and make it an extraordinary program, and #2 - Phantom winning in 2008 is a true upset.

(I don't know how this worked out in 2011, BTW - this conversation is a couple of years old now.)

Mike

[general_tsos_chicken2]

1. design staff

2. instructional staff

3. members

[dugada]

1. design staff

2. instructional staff

3. members

Don't forget "support staff". A well run organization provides all staff and members the tools they need while being well rested, well fed and safely delivered to all destinations. Members and staff with freedom and energy to be creative is powerful indeed.

[Kamarag]

1. design staff

2. instructional staff

3. members

Close, but you forgot the most important step.

1. Administration

2. Design staff

3. Instructional staff

4. Members

But all four must work hand in hand to see it all come together. When you have 1, 2, and 3, you will attract a higher level of 4.

[Hook'emCavies]

I personally don't believe in an order of who is in charge of having a "winning" show (in my opinion they ALL win).

I have worked my first staff gig at my high school (yes, yes I know its not drum corps but it can be related... but please bare with me) and one of my mato's to the kids I worked with was "team work" we worked as a team not by who was higher ranked than each other. If someone felt that something could have been better I had the students let me and the whole class know what could have been better. If the staff and students work together as a single unit then it will work. (of course if I heard or saw something that was wrong I fixed it)

So in my opinion... the students sometimes can be at the same level as the teachers. Teachers (or staff how ever you want to call it) can learn from the students. As the person who taught a few kids how to march and helped them learn their music... I have learned a lot.

[mellodramatic]

Yes.

[Grumpy]

Personally, I think it's the members...you can have the best designed show on the field, but if the members don't have the talent to perform it, it isn't going to score well. I feel this is one MAJOR problem that a majority of OC corps don't recognize-they design and program shows that are well beyond the abilities of their members. The delicate balance is to design a show that your members will be able to "grow" into so that it is challenging and therefore educational, but also something that can be mastered and cleaned by a certain week in August. To do this also requires a dedicated and talented administration and instructional staff...but it's like a sports team, the coaches and the front office aren't the ones on the field playing the game.

[Michael Boo]

I believe a great instructional staff can get things out of members that the members didn't know they had in them to give.

[actucker]

I think this is kind of a "chicken vs egg" conversation. Great talent can only get so far without great instruction, but even great instruction can only get so much out of mediocre talent. The thing we are neglecting to mention is that often times great talent flocks to great staffing.