drumcorpsfever Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 So for the longest time I've been thinking about this. During my 5 years of indoor drumline I could have made the switch from open class to world class to make finals because the world group was better than the open. But after my first year I felt like I really improved the group because I had drum corps experience and the rest were just marching band kids. So instead of moving to a world group i stayed for 4 more years and helped get the group into finals for the first time in Dayton. So my question is would you rather be in a group for years and help rebuild it or jump to other corps trying to win a championship? In drum corps I went with the option of trying to make a group better and now things are looking great for them and I couldnt be more happy to call that place home. It depends on the relationship and experiences your having where you're at. If it means jumping ship, chasing a championship - that may never come (think Cleveland sports), and having a lousy time doing it, then I'd say it's definitely not worth it. This is pay-to-play, not pay for performance. You'll remember the experiences and relationships long after you forget the scores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleran Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I imagine many marchers move corps for more reasons than just chasing championships. Perhaps their first corps simply wasn't a good fit for them personally? Perhaps their first corps was a fall back because they simply weren't ready for the corps they always dreamed of joining? Maybe the corps itself is a sinking ship and they don't want to be stranded there? It's very easy to play the loyalty card and say people should stick around and help build the organization up into a championship, but whether it's Drum Corps, athletics or anything, you find that every organization can make that speech to its members, but not every organization is actually heading in that direction. Every coach can make the speech "it's not about the number of wins, it's about the development - the wins will come later" - but not every coach can actually deliver on the development promise. I don't think Drum Corps is necessarily any different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 So for the longest time I've been thinking about this. During my 5 years of indoor drumline I could have made the switch from open class to world class to make finals because the world group was better than the open. But after my first year I felt like I really improved the group because I had drum corps experience and the rest were just marching band kids. So instead of moving to a world group i stayed for 4 more years and helped get the group into finals for the first time in Dayton. So my question is would you rather be in a group for years and help rebuild it or jump to other corps trying to win a championship? In drum corps I went with the option of trying to make a group better and now things are looking great for them and I couldnt be more happy to call that place home. It appears that for you the road you took was the perfect choice, so for that I congratulate you on having a marvelous experience. OTOH, for another person, your choice might not have been their perfect choice, and I would not hold it against them in any way if they decided to move on to a higher placing corps. Members are paying for the opportunity to belong to an organization, so IMO that gives them the perfect right to make whatever choice they desire each season. Some people want the experience that performing at the highest level will provide. Nothing wrong with that. some like the idea of nurturing othersw and working to improve the organization they started with, as you seem to have done. That is 100% commendable as well. I just don't give one choice more 'props' than the other, as long as the person making whatever choice they make is doing so to follow their own heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tone Quality Matters Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 (edited) There are arguments on both sides of this one. I think it boils down to the individual and where their heart is. If you have the talent to march 3-4 top 6 corps and that is what you desire, then you should do it. The activity benefits from your talents at several destinations. There is something large to be said about loyalty though. Crown is where I marched and who I love. I love the organization, it's people and it's vision for young people. I am a better person for having marched there and knowing and loving my extended family. I do challenge each to find a home though after age out. Every corps needs you! Either way, a win/win for drum corps Edited July 8, 2014 by Tone Quality Matters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 (edited) . Members are paying for the opportunity to belong to an organization, so IMO that gives them the perfect right to make whatever choice they desire each season. Except of of course if members pay for the right to join just about all other youth competitive sports organizations ( Little League, Soccer, Legion Baseball, Pop Warner Football, Bantam Youth Hockey, AAU Basketball, etc these organizations after they collect your payment, assign you to a team, and you stay put there, whether you or your parents like that team assigned or not. You can always quit the team... some no doubt do, but you don't get your money back. Its the way its been for over half a century, and most don't complain, and these sports are growing, and its competition between teams vibrant and unslotted, and with LOTS of placement movements up and down each and every season in all these organizations.. Edited July 8, 2014 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Except of of course if members pay for the right to join just about all other youth competitive sports organizations ( Little League, Soccer, Legion Baseball, Pop Warner Football, Bantam Youth Hockey, AAU Basketball, etc these organizations after they collect your payment, assign you to a team, and you stay put there, whether you or your parents like that team assigned or not. You can always quit the team... some no doubt do, but you don't get your money back. Its the way its been for over half a century, and most don't complain, and these sports are growing, and its competition between teams vibrant and unslotted. Then thank goodness DCI is not Little League, Soccer, Legion Baseball, Pop Warner Football, Bantam Youth Hockey, AAU Basketball, etc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Except of of course if members pay for the right to join just about all other youth competitive sports organizations ( Little League, Soccer, Legion Baseball, Pop Warner Football, Bantam Youth Hockey, AAU Basketball, etc these organizations after they collect your payment, assign you to a team, and you stay put there, whether you or your parents like that team assigned or not. YAFSA! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKT90 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I think it depends on the individual. If you want to give back then stay and help build...if you want to increase your own skill level then move to where you feel will advance that. I marched to increase my skill level...looking back, I wished I had stayed with Star in '91, but couldn't, and I wish I had stayed involved in the activity from an instruction stand point...but, these things happen. If you're happy with your decision, that's all that matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 (edited) Then thank goodness DCI is not Little League, Soccer, Legion Baseball, Pop Warner Football, Bantam Youth Hockey, AAU Basketball, etc. Right, DCI is growing its number of teams, numbers of participants, numbers of fans, numbers of sponsors, numbers of revenues, numbers of TV exposure, media coverage,, etc and thats why DCI shouldn't do anything differently. We like the Cadevaliers winning over 80% of the DCI Titles since 1976, and we like the unfettered flow of talent from the competitors below to the Cadevaliers, and we'd be happy as a clam when the Cadevaliers win over 80% of the DCI Titles over the next 40 years too. You're an alum of the Cadevaliers Trifecta, so naturally you love this bizarre system that no other youth sports organization in the entire world would permit... and for obvious reasons. BUT.... we're growing faster than all of them in the numbers of participants, teams, sponsors, TV exposure, revenues, publicity, media coverage, fans, DCP traffic, so what do all these others know, right ? The people that run all these world wide organizations don't know what they're doing. We have Dean, Hop, Dave, and Michael C., et al, and all of them have Masters Degrees or Phd's in Business, Finance, Economics, Management, Public Relations, Advertising, etc to guide DCI better than all these others. Edited July 8, 2014 by BRASSO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liahona Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Me? I cannot say, since I'll probably just rookie out next year, I guess I won't be able to know. But I tend to be a pretty loyal person that forms bonds, and I don't like to break those. I get pretty emotionally attached to any bonds I make. I'd say I would probably stay with whoever I started with, I guess that's just the kind of person I am. I'm not too competitive, I'm all about the experience. I can see the other side though, nothing wrong with that. You better hurry up dude...I wasted several years that I could have marched and only got to march 2...the time is going to be gone and you can never get it back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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