Ghost Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Maybe the one chosen over a vet worked the hardest and paid a lot to march with other corps in previous years. If the staff feels someone is better than a vet and helps the corps move up the food chain, then make the switch. This is not a PC decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slingerland Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) It's also very likely that they were cut for other reasons than playing or marching ability. In fact, I'd almost bet on it. this. If you have two people at audition camp, and they match up evenly, one a vet with great attitude, the other someone who's going to be a one and done, the nod will go to the vet 9 times out of 10. Edited January 11, 2015 by Slingerland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totaleefree Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I had a friend who was a male color guard member of a top corps for 2 years then one year the drill called for an all female guard so he had to go somewhere else. I have also heard that top corps guards often have skill specific requirements, Some years they need dancers other years they may need jugglers or acrobats and you could be a great rifle spinner but if they need dancers you would be out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 What kind of impression did the vet make the previous year? "Oh yeah we remember HIM". or during my time when we never had a full sized corps.... "<name> is coming back this year... oh #####".... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narrow Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Sometimes certain vets barely made it in there first year and think they're entitled to a spot but in reality if they've been outperformed by the rest of the corps during their first summer and then are being outperformed by the auditionees it really isn't fair to the corps to keep you along. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peel Paint Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) I doubt anyone has statistics to answer Corps_Efan's question, though it is an intriguing question. It would be interesting to know, and to hear that corps director say why they led the hit parade in this dubious honor, but of course, no one's gonna go public with that. Even if you knew, you wouldn't know why for that year; they might have had very good reasons, but there's no way to judge the context if you weren't there. It's also very likely that they were cut for other reasons than playing or marching ability. In fact, I'd almost bet on it. My feeling as well. We all know not everyone is equally good at auditioning, rehearsing, and performing in competition. Obviously the shows are crucial, but having a great work ethic in rehearsal isn't too far behind. When you're a vet, they've had at least one summer to determine not only how you do in auditions but more importantly how well you rehearse and do shows and to get a sense of the mental toughness as well as the marching/playing talent. The idea that you're not automatically invited back, you may get preference in a tiebreaker but must audition again, gives a corps an opportunity to trim a few unhealthy branches if they need to. If a vet didn't develop last summer as staff hoped, if he or she had an attitude or undermined leadership rather than led, if he or she was hurt or sick more than they thought reasonable and it caused some issues, etc., and the vet comes back a few months later without showing a sign of off-season growth, I could see a vet not getting the audition result he or she expected, even if the vet could play and march better at audition than some new folks. Edited January 11, 2015 by Peel Paint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsubone Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 If the vet can't hang, then they shouldn't be given a spot just because they marched a year. What if said vet was a complete tick all season and everyone hated to be around them? We've all marched with those kind of people, and don't want them back. Or the ones that are ticks and then go back home and talk as if they were the star member. No one likes that guy. And if they show up un-prepared to auditions, well, it sucks to be them. Call it motivation for the next season to work harder and come back prepared and ready to show what you can do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nachfolger Christi Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I can't imagine that many vets would come back and audition if they got vibes that they did not fit with the corps or the member themselves didn't like the corps. It probably doesn't happen very often that vets get cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbass598 Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 The only vets I've ever heard of getting cut are the ones who deserve it. If someone slacks off and doesn't get cut simply because they were there the year before sets a bad vibe for other members. Additionally, if said vet doesn't value his organization enough to do the work being asked of them, there will easily be someone else who is willing around the corner who will gladly take the spot. The biggest life lesson I learned through my youth in college band and drum corps is that you don't get a spot unless you earn the spot. There are no gifts. It can be taken away as easily as it is given to you. I'm sure there are instances where there is an influx of talent at auditions due to success of a corps or a staff change that can lead to more talented rookies beating out a vet. It can happen and its just part of life. It doesn't mean that the member, corps, or staff members are bad people. It just means that maybe they aren't the right fit for what they want to accomplish for the coming season. Same thing happens in pro sports. Member contracts are for each season only and aren't binding until and ageout year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleran Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) My personal feeling is that what a director owes to his marching members is to make them the best group possible. And sometimes that means saying goodbye to past members, if there are new members available who will better help the corps attain that goal. It could be an issue of talent, attitude, finances ... but a director owes THAT pursuit of greatness to the other 149 members more than he owes loyalty to the 1 member. It's a tough pill to swallow, but it's part and parcel of any elite competitive group. Edited January 12, 2015 by Eleran 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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