Grandpa Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Didn't notice the date on the original post. I was going to tell you my daughter started at age 12 in Dutch Boy and her younger sister joined her a year later. But it doesn't look like you need an opinion anymore! Congrats to your son on taking the leap and marching a great corps with arguably the most popular show of the season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 (edited) Sit down with the corps director and talk about it! Talk to other parents at a camp. This is great advice. When I taught at Teal Sound in 2009 and 2010, we had one or two members of the hornline that were 14. It certainly wasn't easy for them, but they got it done. I can tell you that they matured fast, which isn't always an easy thing to do at that age. Edited August 13, 2012 by Kamarag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 (edited) Now that the season is over I thought I should report back. My 14 yo did march Jersey Surf and had an incredible experience. Obviously he had a fun show to perform and received great responses from crowds across the country. There really isn't a bad thing to report. He wishes he was still on tour. He can't wait for the next 96 days to pass until first camp. This is so great to hear! He was in a lot of folks' favorite show this year--including mine! Tell him thank you for thrilling myself and my family every time we saw him perform! He and his corpsmates brought incredible energy and enthusaism to the field every time they performed! I'm glad to hear he had a good summer, and hope he gets to spend several more rewarding years entertaining audiences all over the country in the future! Edited August 14, 2012 by skywhopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumno5 Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 This is so great to hear! He was in a lot of folks' favorite show this year--including mine! Tell him thank you for thrilling myself and my family every time we saw him perform! He and his corpsmates brought incredible energy and enthusaism to the field every time they performed! I'm glad to hear he had a good summer, and hope he gets to spend several more rewarding years entertaining audiences all over the country in the future! Cool, happy to hear it that it worked out well. Fred O. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim K Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Now that the season is over I thought I should report back. My 14 yo did march Jersey Surf and had an incredible experience. Obviously he had a fun show to perform and received great responses from crowds across the country. There really isn't a bad thing to report. He wishes he was still on tour. He can't wait for the next 96 days to pass until first camp. I remembered this post and wondered if he ever marched as I watched finals. If he marched with Surf, I saw him in Lawrence, Lynn, Quincy, Allentown and three times in Indy: two in competition and once in the parade. Surf was great this year and I'm sure that it's only the beginning of better years. He also learned to be a bit of a "trooper" (not a reference to a Casper, Wyoming corps) with a broken bus and water mane break at the host site in Indy. All learning experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stryfe Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Thread's too long, not reading at all. This just replies to the original post. I think it depends on your style of parenting. Your child will become much more mature, reliable, efficient, fit, and musically talented. S/he will also become slightly more gruff, exposed to the "real world", and there's a small possibility of developing an injury. You can limit the risks by starting them off in a corps with younger people and less demand. In a liberal style of parenting, I'd go for it. If you're conservative and want to mold your child's life until you feel they've become an adult, feel free to keep them away. Personally, I'd leave it up to your child, but I'm not the parent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrownLeadSop Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 (edited) The concern for me is not maturity of the student and their peers at the age of 14, but the stress on the body. If they're still in any way developing, it's a big no from me, especially if he wants his drum corps career to extend through to his age out. Then again, I'm they guy that's broken each of my feet twice and had surgery on both legs as a result of drum corps, so I'm a little cautious. Glad to see that he had a good summer, just make sure he takes care of his body. Edited August 14, 2012 by CrownLeadSop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Now that the season is over I thought I should report back. My 14 yo did march Jersey Surf and had an incredible experience. Obviously he had a fun show to perform and received great responses from crowds across the country. There really isn't a bad thing to report. He wishes he was still on tour. He can't wait for the next 96 days to pass until first camp. Knowing the corps he is with...I think you made the right choice. Congrats! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 (edited) Most World Class corps I know do not offer a spot to a 14 year old. There's just too much social difference between a 14 year old and an 18-22 year old. There's a good chance he could feel isolated socially. As much as a drum corps can be a family, there's a reason why the young adults don't appreciate sitting at the kids' table at holidays. I think you see what I am getting at. Also, in my experience, he'd be in for a tough summer marching wise. There is just no way a 14 year old can march like an 18 year old. Play...yes...I've heard 14 year old phenoms on almost every instrument. The separation is when you add that extra step of moving and playing. Then there's all the memorization, the show changes...so much to keep in the head of a hormonal 14 year old young person. It's a very tough age to grasp so many adult concepts continually. (snip) I'm glad he went back and marched a smaller corps with members closer to his age as a 14 year old. His time with a World Class corps could wait. Several years ago my 14 year-old trumpet son tried out for Bluecoats because they were 2 hours from where we live. My purpose for allowing the tryout was to introduce him to world class PREPARATION for a big audition. He planned his audition for 3 months, what to practice each week, picking solos, he went to lessons at a nearby university, etc. My son was a stud trumpet player for a 14 yo, but nowhere CLOSE to being as good as anybody else he stood next to in the Bluecoats horn arc! EVERYBODY else in the room was better than him, quite a humbling experience after being the best guy in the junior high band room! So he had his solo audition, and of course he did not make the cut. I would not have allowed him to march anyway, it was all about the try out drum corps experience, and I always appreciated the honest comment the Bluecoats staff put on his paper after his audition; Too young. Edited August 14, 2012 by wvu80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SACMellos2010 Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Cage- Congrats to you and your son for taking the leap and having a great summer and start to a great drum corps career!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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