Colts restructures administrative staff

[drumguy50]

I would also like to see the Colts be more successful, but I'm not sure that bringing in someone from the outside is the answer.

This past summer, the Colts appeared in two Boston area shows and two local parades. I watched some practices and warm ups and spoke to a few Colts people and was impressed at the quality of the overall program. At prelims I sat near some Colts parents and they mentioned many of the members hailed from the Dubuque area or attended college in Iowa. I know "many" is not a number or statistic, but it suggested that the corps values local recruitment and involvement. I also got the chance to speak with some parents who chaperoned the Colts Cadets and from what they said, the Cadets' program is a very healthy experience of drum corps. In some ways, the Colts organization seems to be what we claim has been lost in the past few years. Keeping such a culture alive may be best served by an insider and having a former director as head of development and fundraising for such an organization is a potential goldmine. If the Colts have not been more competitive due to staleness, new blood would be important in key positions, but probably not in the director's position.

I agree having an inside person become the director is not necessarily a problem. If she does not get rid of the drill designer, the music writer and the show coordinator and the visual caption head they will continue to drop in placements. The drill last season was a poor marching band show, the music was unimaginatie, very similar and un developed and the members performance of a very simple marching show was below par.

[wongjuju]

I agree having an inside person become the director is not necessarily a problem. If she does not get rid of the drill designer, the music writer and the show coordinator and the visual caption head they will continue to drop in placements. The drill last season was a poor marching band show, the music was unimaginatie, very similar and un developed and the members performance of a very simple marching show was below par.

so that would account for the tomsas, correct? some of this is over reaction probably, the crossmen dropped since 2004 before rebounding , troopers too since making finals yet they stay the course seems like the board are weak in the knees. they only know of what is happening with the colts (which is also a drawback if you dont have the vision to see beyond your own corps) thinking a drop equals needing major change.

All i can say is roman blenski is doing it right, who cares about placement, as long as you are still around when others drop

Edited September 1, 2012 by wongjuju

[drumguy50]

so that would account for the tomsas, correct? some of this is over reaction probably, the crossmen dropped since 2004 before rebounding , troopers too since making finals yet they stay the course seems like the board are weak in the knees. they only know of what is happening with the colts (which is also a drawback if you dont have the vision to see beyond your own corps) thinking a drop equals needing major change.

All i can say is roman blenski is doing it right, who cares about placement, as long as you are still around when others drop

Slight difference. Colts have been a finalist. I honestly do not know who wrote any of it, I just know it was bad and if you look it has been on a downward trend for more than 1 year. Also I believe if you talk to Pioneer staff and members the who cares about scores situation is a fallacy. He cares but does not have the financial resources to get the best quality staff and has trouble getting enough people in the door. If you question his approach red the recap of the season on the website.

[wongjuju]

Slight difference. Colts have been a finalist. I honestly do not know who wrote any of it, I just know it was bad and if you look it has been on a downward trend for more than 1 year. Also I believe if you talk to Pioneer staff and members the who cares about scores situation is a fallacy. He cares but does not have the financial resources to get the best quality staff and has trouble getting enough people in the door. If you question his approach red the recap of the season on the website.

right...but a lot of corps enter into downward spirals, i have pointed out one in particular, they didn't go off the deep end, they actually made top 12 this year. as for pio, i believe it was mentioned on another thread that roman could indeed bring in a top 12 caliber staff but it seems he would rather keep pio around than risk another folded corps. of course members care about placement, they are competing, and staff cares about placement for their resumes but in the end the admin staff of the corps makes the decisions and the decision they seem to be making is one of keeping them around for whomever they can serve and not for placing well.

[wongjuju]

hopefully the decision the colts made wasn't a knee jerk reaction to placement, which it probably was (As the transition of the whole thing is questionable) because the president needs to realize that placing that much work on people already busy enough may result in an even lower placement than before

so two scenarios:

they get a whole bunch of new folks, do well but over spend and risk other years

or

they leave everything on the already small staff and both programs suffer even more which looks bad on those put in charge now.

[MisterA]

I think it is interesting how people claim the Colts are not successful. They may have only placed 17th, but the field this year seemed much better than normal in the 12-17th place range. Also, how many other corps are not only able to field a World Class corps, but an Open Class corps as well? Only 2 others, with BD and SCV. I think that is pretty good company. And not only that, but they had a vocal organization as well.

I do feel that they don't put as many changes in their show over the course of the summer as other corps do. Most years we don't see Colts preseason, but a few years ago, during the Fathoms preseason, they were in Illinois, and somehow we heard about it. We went to the rehearsal that day, followed by an exhibition performance. I remember a lot of the comments made from the staff to the corps that, and remember watching them during finals week, and just noticing how many things from that preseason show were almost exactly the same at finals week. It was performed better, but compared to most of the higher placing corps, there just doesn't seem to be a lot of musical or visual improvements during the course of the season.

I remember hearing in Indy that they had someone new on staff from Phantom. I am wondering if that will end up being their new director.

I would love to see Colts back in top 12 again. I would also love to see Academy, Pacific Crest, and Mandarins make top 12 at some point. The problem is there are so many terrific corps out there, and only 12 spots in finals. But I would rather they stay within their financial means, than to go the route that many other corps have done over the years, and spent well over their budget on staff and other things, only to go under in the next couple of years.

Some people here may say Colts are not successful, but if you saw the audience reaction to them in Indy, I would say that could possibly be the best reaction to a 17th place corps ever.

Great job this year Colts, and let's hope everything goes well with these new transitions.

[Mello Dude]

The Colts have in place what they need to be successful in the long run..organization. Where they place is only relative to what a handful of judges think on a given day. WAY too many people staying at Holiday Inn Express and coming away experts on Drum Corps. I am sure they will continue to be a great corps.