Rebuild or Championship?

[BRASSO]

When we compare youth football rates, we can expect these numbers to continue to slide in the coming years in my opinion, as more and more research comes forth showing the long term effects on the brain that participation in football causes. It won't happen in the immediate future, but there is now the possibility that football will ultimately be banned ( Texas, Florida will hold out the longest, imo ). Football was banned in this country in its early days, as most colleges banned the sport in the the early 1890's, after over 350 deaths took place over the previous 5 year period on colleges that did allow the sport of football to be played on their campuses.

When medical science provides incontrovertible evidence that participation in football causes major medical health problems later in life for significant numbers of participants, they'll be bigger drop off rates in participation levels. If and when football suffers the same plight of smoking and football is banned in public, it naturally becomes the deathnell for Marching Bands as well. As without football being played on a football field, there is no need for Marching Bands to occupy those football fields in the fall either. And if there are no Marching Bands, there is no DCI or DCA. Its something for the younger DCP ers to watch over the coming years, as the Medical Science Community comes forth with ever more increasing frequency and urgency on the life long debilitating effects that football participation has on its participants... and once Mothers get hold of the data, thats it, no matter what Dad and Gramps and their life long love of football think about that data. Mothers primarily make these decisions, and the Medical Science community is about to scare the beejesus out of them even further over the next decade. You watch.

Edited July 8, 2014 by BRASSO

[HornTeacher]

I think the coming day of no football is closer than you might think. As more and more money is being awarded based on concussion (and other) related infirmities, insurance rates will skyrocket in a following manner. As a result, the game won't have to be banned...it will simply die from an economic reality.

[TimbreDeBrass]

Always controversial, people moving corps that is. I'm never in any place to tear down any corps because I was never the best marcher or player in either corps I marched in and because I just believe that it's not a great thing to do. What I could do was take what the staff said and apply it, that's what I could do; and come finals I got where I needed to be.

I'll never forget my roots at the Stars which made me a better marcher and player and pushed me past well beyond what I thought I was capable of (the corps director was especially encouraging and he very much helped me fight to the end, I am forever thankful for what he did for me). I'll also never forget the family of guys and gals that embraced me at the Cadets as that one awkward kid from the Midwest in a field of folks from the south and the east.

That being said, I think there's no problem with being loyal and there's no problem with making a switch. No one should hate you for either choice because that's just not good of a drum corps brother or sister to do, it's all just a game of competition really. At the end if the day we're all working hard to make music and do crazy things on a football field together (or in a high school gym if you are a WGI guy).

Edited July 8, 2014 by TimbreDeBrass

[BRASSO]

nm

Edited July 8, 2014 by BRASSO

[Ghost]

Mothers primarily make these decisions, and the Medical Science community is about to scare the beejesus out of them even further over the next decade. You watch.

If Mom ain't happy, no one's happy! My wife(25 years as an RN) wouldn't allow our twin sons to play football. They would have been great at that sport. She wouldn't give in even when I mentioned they had injuries (none serious) playing ice hockey, soccer , and baseball.

[MikeN]

Faced a similar decision as an adult, actually. Was part of a community-based pipe band that was growing more towards competition, but when the opportunity came up for us to move to another local competitive unit, a bunch of us jumped ship at once. In our case, it was more of the philosophy between the groups that made us move on. If all things had been equal, however, we probably would have stayed and built the group up. There's a lot of satisfaction to be had in that.

Mike

[Eleran]

Please no references to sports. the activity isnt the same as any of those things.

With respect to the current thread, I disagree because this is less about the activity (drum corps) and more about the psychological motivations for severing (or not severing) the ties that bind us to a group, and it really doesn't matter whether it's a drum corps, a fraternity, or a sports team.

For example, my daughter was on a fairly successful local soccer team that could potentially grow in the coming years, and she would have been a strong part of that, but she left them to join a better club (happen to be #1) for various reasons (eg. wanted to train with the best every day as opposed to having some teammates who would never take it as seriously; wanted to be trained by the best trainers; wanted the opportunities such a club could provide, etc.). Did some of the players on her old team consider her a traitor? No doubt. Is it any different when a drum corps member is perhaps unhappy with where he sees his current corps and doesn't think they will improve? not necessarily score better, but more demanding music, marching, longer tours, more shows, etc.? and since he can only control himself and not the staff or the other members, is it wrong to find the corps that better fits the player? I don't think so.

I mentioned fraternity for the opposite reason - generally, switching fraternities is universally frowned upon, so you often don't have the opportunity to move to a more suitable home. I pledged a fraternity at a branch campus with no other options because I felt I wanted to be part of the fraternity life. Turns out that I wasn't happy with the guys in the fraternity, especially after I made it up to main campus. We just didn't fit well together. Since I couldn't really change, I basically drifted out of the fraternity life entirely. If that had been Drum Corps, and the first group I chose because my options were limited (eg. - money, distance, age), I would at least have the ability to move in a year or so, and not have to give up the activity entirely.

Do I condone a player's motivation for leaving the #3 ranked corps for the #1 ranked corps merely because he thinks he might win a trophy next year? I wouldn't make that choice myself, no, but it's not my choice. Fortunately, I believe that sort of movement is probably rare.

[BozzlyB]

With respect to the current thread, I disagree because this is less about the activity (drum corps) and more about the psychological motivations for severing (or not severing) the ties that bind us to a group, and it really doesn't matter whether it's a drum corps, a fraternity, or a sports team.

For example, my daughter was on a fairly successful local soccer team that could potentially grow in the coming years, and she would have been a strong part of that, but she left them to join a better club (happen to be #1) for various reasons (eg. wanted to train with the best every day as opposed to having some teammates who would never take it as seriously; wanted to be trained by the best trainers; wanted the opportunities such a club could provide, etc.). Did some of the players on her old team consider her a traitor? No doubt. Is it any different when a drum corps member is perhaps unhappy with where he sees his current corps and doesn't think they will improve? not necessarily score better, but more demanding music, marching, longer tours, more shows, etc.? and since he can only control himself and not the staff or the other members, is it wrong to find the corps that better fits the player? I don't think so.

I mentioned fraternity for the opposite reason - generally, switching fraternities is universally frowned upon, so you often don't have the opportunity to move to a more suitable home. I pledged a fraternity at a branch campus with no other options because I felt I wanted to be part of the fraternity life. Turns out that I wasn't happy with the guys in the fraternity, especially after I made it up to main campus. We just didn't fit well together. Since I couldn't really change, I basically drifted out of the fraternity life entirely. If that had been Drum Corps, and the first group I chose because my options were limited (eg. - money, distance, age), I would at least have the ability to move in a year or so, and not have to give up the activity entirely.

Do I condone a player's motivation for leaving the #3 ranked corps for the #1 ranked corps merely because he thinks he might win a trophy next year? I wouldn't make that choice myself, no, but it's not my choice. Fortunately, I believe that sort of movement is probably rare.

Ya it's probably much more rare for a member of the Cadets to leave for BD, but it's extremely common in the activity for lower placing corps to lose members to the top once they've got some experience under their belt.

[GUARDLING]

With respect to the current thread, I disagree because this is less about the activity (drum corps) and more about the psychological motivations for severing (or not severing) the ties that bind us to a group, and it really doesn't matter whether it's a drum corps, a fraternity, or a sports team.

For example, my daughter was on a fairly successful local soccer team that could potentially grow in the coming years, and she would have been a strong part of that, but she left them to join a better club (happen to be #1) for various reasons (eg. wanted to train with the best every day as opposed to having some teammates who would never take it as seriously; wanted to be trained by the best trainers; wanted the opportunities such a club could provide, etc.). Did some of the players on her old team consider her a traitor? No doubt. Is it any different when a drum corps member is perhaps unhappy with where he sees his current corps and doesn't think they will improve? not necessarily score better, but more demanding music, marching, longer tours, more shows, etc.? and since he can only control himself and not the staff or the other members, is it wrong to find the corps that better fits the player? I don't think so.

I mentioned fraternity for the opposite reason - generally, switching fraternities is universally frowned upon, so you often don't have the opportunity to move to a more suitable home. I pledged a fraternity at a branch campus with no other options because I felt I wanted to be part of the fraternity life. Turns out that I wasn't happy with the guys in the fraternity, especially after I made it up to main campus. We just didn't fit well together. Since I couldn't really change, I basically drifted out of the fraternity life entirely. If that had been Drum Corps, and the first group I chose because my options were limited (eg. - money, distance, age), I would at least have the ability to move in a year or so, and not have to give up the activity entirely.

Do I condone a player's motivation for leaving the #3 ranked corps for the #1 ranked corps merely because he thinks he might win a trophy next year? I wouldn't make that choice myself, no, but it's not my choice. Fortunately, I believe that sort of movement is probably rare.

you can try to compare all those other things and if you want to be extremely general, sure then we can compare to a million other things also. I think Drum Corps is a very different person, circumstance,and a multitude of differences rather than whats the same. With that said, there are many reasons members move on. I have been involved a very large audition process for quite some time and in that process I like to talk about why the person wants to come. There has been several times either by the discussion or ability that I suggested the person maybe should re- think their decision .

The fact of the matter is the life span of a member is very different from back in the day. Most kids today give a year or two and that's it. In the past a kids maybe had 5 to even 8 or 10 years. NOT TODAY. That makes the scenario very different , which makes for very different approach by a member to the activity. It is sad in this respect BUT you can not blame a member PAYING ALOT to not want to get out of the experience what they want, which can be very different from person to person.

This activity is very unique. My problem with comparisons is I believe , lets talk about this activity, specifically,with it's unique circumstances, unique member, the short life of a member to a corps now a days, what a member is buying and what they specifically want. Maybe look at how one holds auditions to get some info. on how it really is and what potential members actually say and want. Real info. specific to this activity,

Edited July 8, 2014 by GUARDLING

[GUARDLING]

Ya it's probably much more rare for a member of the Cadets to leave for BD, but it's extremely common in the activity for lower placing corps to lose members to the top once they've got some experience under their belt.

yes this is true BUT you would be surprised how often it does take place.with lets say Boston to BD or BS to Cadets ( only examples )