lastknight Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 OK, it's obviously the off-season... As we discuss various threads (staff, design, talent, etc) it seems we ignore the idea of what is success. Not only is it different from unit to unit, but I think the overall idea has changed, at least during my tenure in the activity (late 70's forward). I've seen a couple of people bust on Pioneer, for example, but I'm betting their leadersip team is more interested in P's influence in their local community than they are in winning finals (not that they don't want to be competitive, care about quality, etc). They aren't, in general, "our hometown kids going out to slay the dragon and bring home glory" anymore. After Finals they don't get on a bus...most of them go to the Indy airport and go home to a city different than their corps. Discuss? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britbones Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Success... don't worry you nailed it Sorry, could'nt resist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plan9 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 OK, it's obviously the off-season... As we discuss various threads (staff, design, talent, etc) it seems we ignore the idea of what is success. Not only is it different from unit to unit, but I think the overall idea has changed, at least during my tenure in the activity (late 70's forward). I've seen a couple of people bust on Pioneer, for example, but I'm betting their leadersip team is more interested in P's influence in their local community than they are in winning finals (not that they don't want to be competitive, care about quality, etc). They aren't, in general, "our hometown kids going out to slay the dragon and bring home glory" anymore. After Finals they don't get on a bus...most of them go to the Indy airport and go home to a city different than their corps. Discuss? Success is perhaps the most relative word in the English language. If you're a High School football team with a 50/50 record most years, success might be 60/40 or to beat your rival. In the same way, making finals in DCI is certainly a measure of success.....who can forget the electricity in the air Finals night 2009 when the Troopers made Finals and Pioneer wasn't last place. I remember walking back to the bus parking lot to link up with BD after 1/4er's and giving Pioneer members high fives who were thrilled and looked like they'd just won the Superbowl. There are also several tiers within the finals group that can constitute success. I remember back when I supported BAC in 2007, they were in a fight with BK all summer and whenever they came out on top, it felt like victory (but so does napalm in the morning - $1 to Robert Duval)...even though BAC ended up lower than them at finals, they beat them in Atlanta and that was a good day (as I recall). It's all relative. Then there's the other, more important, successes internal to the corps themselves. Leadership roles, solo opportunities, ridiculous levels of team-work and coordination, having a positive experience and a "blast" all summer beyond most young people's dreams. Learning the value of descipline, hard work, being part of something bigger than you and perhaps the most important...... life-long friendships. That's success too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Success is perhaps the most relative word in the English language. If you're a High School football team with a 50/50 record most years, success might be 60/40 or to beat your rival. In the same way, making finals in DCI is certainly a measure of success.....who can forget the electricity in the air Finals night 2009 when the Troopers made Finals and Pioneer wasn't last place. I remember walking back to the bus parking lot to link up with BD after 1/4er's and giving Pioneer members high fives who were thrilled and looked like they'd just won the Superbowl. There are also several tiers within the finals group that can constitute success. I remember back when I supported BAC in 2007, they were in a fight with BK all summer and whenever they came out on top, it felt like victory (but so does napalm in the morning - $1 to Robert Duval)...even though BAC ended up lower than them at finals, they beat them in Atlanta and that was a good day (as I recall). It's all relative. Then there's the other, more important, successes internal to the corps themselves. Leadership roles, solo opportunities, ridiculous levels of team-work and coordination, having a positive experience and a "blast" all summer beyond most young people's dreams. Learning the value of descipline, hard work, being part of something bigger than you and perhaps the most important...... life-long friendships. That's success too! To add to this excellent dissertation about success, it also has to do with financial success. A corps is successful when they can continue to field a corps that feeds its members well, travels with minimal problems, pays its staff (if it previously agreed to pay their staff), and continues to field a corps. Pioneer might be last place in 2011, but they have far outlived corps who were competitively better, and in that regard they are successful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actucker Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Success is defined by the goals you set for yourself and whether or not you achieve them. Different organizations will have different goals. Some of us will agree with some of those goals. Others won't. But if a corps sets out to win a championship, and they win a championship, then they were successful. If a corps sets out to have a great experience for their members, and their members all have a great time, they were successful. That's actually a term we've been talking a lot about with the staff where I teach. We are currently refining what our long term goals are for our program, and how we want to progress towards those goals. So naturally we've been talking a lot about success regarding benchmarks along the way. Where do we want to be in 2 years. Where do we want to be in 5 years. Etc. So, in 5 years, our idea of a successful season may be very different from what it is right now. Its completely relative. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHall Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 SANTA CLARA VANGUARD.....since 1972 they are the only corps that has been in the top 12 EVERY year. Who can beat that? That is success. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcmello09 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElUhCjbsnV8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastknight Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 SANTA CLARA VANGUARD.....since 1972 they are the only corps that has been in the top 12 EVERY year. Who can beat that? That is success. SO in your mind, success is wrapped up in being a Finalist? (Not criticizing, just asking.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 SO in your mind, success is wrapped up in being a Finalist? (Not criticizing, just asking.) Point taken....and I recall some "Finalist" corps in the 70s and early 80s who didn't feed their kids, had them travel on unsafe 35 year old buses with with no AC and windows which wouldn't open, and staffs which went unpaid. A former top three corps comes to mind.... Perhaps another element of success might be great longevity, even if the face of our ever-changing culture. A group of 70+ year old corps perhaps...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) Success is defined by the goals you set for yourself and whether or not you achieve them. Different organizations will have different goals. Some of us will agree with some of those goals. Others won't. But if a corps sets out to win a championship, and they win a championship, then they were successful. If a corps sets out to have a great experience for their members, and their members all have a great time, they were successful. That's actually a term we've been talking a lot about with the staff where I teach. We are currently refining what our long term goals are for our program, and how we want to progress towards those goals. So naturally we've been talking a lot about success regarding benchmarks along the way. Where do we want to be in 2 years. Where do we want to be in 5 years. Etc. So, in 5 years, our idea of a successful season may be very different from what it is right now. Its completely relative. I was actually with a corps that came in last place at Prelims and we considered that a success. Reason was the corps had been inactive the year before and the goal was to put a corps on the field with a full show. Each year the goal was improve in certain areas using various methods, etc, etc..... Seven years after coming in last at Prelims they dang near won Finals.... My definition of DC success now is if the corps is able to survive the next year...... Can't afford to lose anymore anywhere. Edited November 18, 2011 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.