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Which drum corps cuts vets most often during tryouts?


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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.

To add to that, also sometimes certain vets are prima donnas who have a holier-than-though type attitude and think they're above high standards. They don't put in sufficient work, maybe are ticks on the field who complain about not getting tons of sleep, or getting sick: they complain about sun burn and receiving criticism, and other things that practically everyone who's marching in their corps + everyone who's ever marched in ANY corps goes through.

Then the staff decide the prima donna vet is in no way worth having around anymore when there are plenty of rookies who will work just as hard/harder WITHOUT all of the extra BS and complaining.

I wouldn't say this is super common, but it's definitely not unheard of. Having those types of members = a cancer that could infect and bring down the corps and removing said cancer is often the best approach.

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Wait...vets get cut in this day & age? Really? That is just wrong. Once you make the corps you should be guaranteed a spot. Back in my day once you made the corps you were in for however long you wanted to march. I am disappointed to hear about this.

You are describing what I assume was your corps' policy. Most corps who audition vets every year from scratch make their policy well-known, and members know what they're getting into (i.e. they know they have to audition the next year).

Whatever works for each corps = the appropriate measure for each corps. What might've worked for your corps may not work for other corps, and vice versa.

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Whenever this topic comes up it seems like it's older fans complaining about vets being cut.

But, y'know, kids these days, moronic generational stereotyping, blah blah blah, etc.

An interesting article, if you haven't read it yet: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/01/08/the_most_entitled_generation_isnt_millennials_its_baby_boomers_125184.html

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A vet returning to a particularly large turnout audition camp unprepared can get cut. I think being a Vet is huge and staff prefer the history of a seasoned marcher versus the unknown of a new candidate but not a guarantee. There's also the vet that doesn't show up to the audition camp and the corps has 60 snares trying out and the line gets filled

Edited by Tobias
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To add to that, also sometimes certain vets are prima donnas who have a holier-than-though type attitude and think they're above high standards. They don't put in sufficient work, maybe are ticks on the field who complain about not getting tons of sleep, or getting sick: they complain about sun burn and receiving criticism, and other things that practically everyone who's marching in their corps + everyone who's ever marched in ANY corps goes through.

Then the staff decide the prima donna vet is in no way worth having around anymore when there are plenty of rookies who will work just as hard/harder WITHOUT all of the extra BS and complaining.

I wouldn't say this is super common, but it's definitely not unheard of. Having those types of members = a cancer that could infect and bring down the corps and removing said cancer is often the best approach.

In many corps the members themselves will put pressure on 'prima-donna' members to shape up or ship out. I have been in or following the activity & I can only think of one or two corps where a single member 'carried' the show (i.e., 74/75 Muchachos, but in no way whatsoever in the slightest at all am I suggesting that Kievit was a 'prima donna', just observing that the horn book was written around him. I suspect their show would have been somewhat different if he was not a member).

No member should consider themselves indispensable, and if the corps is teaching what (IMHO) they should about self-sacrifice for the good of the corps, there will be no prima donna situations.

Edited by IllianaLancerContra
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Of course a smart corps will have no prima donnas, with understudies at the ready should the soloist have a burst appendix, a fat lip, or a family/off tour emergency. Smart corps even have understudies to understudies.

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Of course a smart corps will have no prima donnas, with understudies at the ready should the soloist have a burst appendix, a fat lip, or a family/off tour emergency. Smart corps even have understudies to understudies.

Or B-corps or C-corps.

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Vets normally do not get cut. Unless you either (a) get worse the next year or are lazy, (b) a dick, © can't find anyway to pay your dues and make no effort to change that.

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Each summer, there are 1000 staff for our Chicago area day camps and overnight camps.

We definitely welcome back great staff without hesitation.

But if you're just an OK camp employee for one summer, we are very unlikely to rehire you the following year.

Edited by DeanInChicago
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