2016 Rule Congress proposals

[Jeff Ream]

At least their is an argument to be made for taking the judges off the field (even if I don't agree with it).

I don't see any argument for letting people blast their Dr. Beat in warm up.

and i'm staying neutral on that. Personally I think the entire activity has an addiction to Dr Beat that is unhealthy

[Jeff Ream]

I, too, think a front ensemble judge would be of value. Having a judge in front would eliminate the percussion field judge from figuring out when to leave the field and review the pit. Sometimes there's things missed or credit not given depending on where the judge is situated - especially earlier in the season when judges are still familiarizing themselves with the show.

early season, in small panel shows, the judge is off the field

[Jeff Ream]

Either you like #7 because it keeps people safe, or you dislike #7 because it prevents captions from being judged properly. Perhaps there can be a compromise?

yes.....it's called judges being smart. You can evaluate from field level without having to make it look like the Banished Beyond field judge audition

or you can stop having the major events being held in stadiums with a roof.

[Jeff Ream]

YES, it does. Not safe in every way, it keeps them safe from running into JUDGES.

It would be CRIMINAL to have even ONE corps member hurt, perhaps permanently because DCI was asleep at the wheel and didn't see this coming. Do we really need a broken leg before someone figures out judges on the modern DCI competition field is an UN-SAFE, bad idea?

The ideal way to deal with injury is to do the BEST you can do to see that one that never happens.

there is a far greater chance of injury like we saw with Crown 2010 that had nothing to do with a judge. In fact the drum judge that night.,...Allan again maybe??...ran to help the kid.

to date, I have yet to ever hear of one injury to a performer because of an interaction with a field judge. I know of a couple judges, drumc orps or band that got whacked.

kids are far more likely to be hurt rehearsing on parking lots or ###### fields than they are by a judge.

[Jeff Ream]

First, they are NOT my words about a "related context." I did not say them. Just because you are repeating your assertion does not make it so.

You may have noticed I have no difficulty in using words to express my sentiments. If I intended to generalize a statement about judges on the field to cover all safety for all marchers in any context, I would have done so. If you want to talk about safety of all marchers in the activity, start your own thread.

I made a FOCUSED statement about a proposed rule change and I stated my reason why I support that position. There are other points of view about safety, there are other points of view about spectators having a better live performance experience. All valid points, all worthy of attention.

I choose not to focus on them. You may, others may, and that's OK. I'm not.

provide evidence of an instance where a judge caused injury to a kid. I've provided 2 instances where a judge HELPED prevent injuries or further injury from happening

[mingusmonk]

or you can stop having the major events being held in stadiums with a roof.

Crucial detail. As a percussionist who has been on the front sideline for many marching band shows in LoS and has sat front row for drum corps in LoS, drum judges will not get a read on battery in there excepting a wholesale change in percussion drill approach. Granted, that is just LoS. I can't vouch for all of the indoor venues. But it also happens to be the entirety of finals week.

[2muchcoffeeman]

On those infrequent occasions when I do notice a field judge on the field, it affirms my knowledge that this is the big leagues. As a member, part of the allure of drum corps is the expectation that you will be evaluated, closely and critically, by the best in the business. I believe that "bring it on" attitude is essential to achieving excellence. The judges learn the shows. They know when to move. They are barely noticeable. Keep 'em on the field.

I try to keep the member's perspective in this. They're the ones paying the tuition. This activity exists for them. "Getting the score right" by the crowd comes in second place to providing the members the most thorough and accurate evaluation possible.

As was mentioned earlier: Getting a crescendoed buzz roll right is dam*ed important to the players in the line, even if it is difficulty for difficulty's sake and the crowd can't really discern what's happening out there in the middle of the line behind the trumpets. The whole reason why a kid is busting his or her butt in the snare line in the first place is to perform high-level stuff, finely grained stuff, that only a few percussionists ever will achieve. Maybe only she and her 8 buddies in the line will ever know they nailed that buzz roll. Those are the only people who have to know. They need a judge standing right in front of them to find out if they nailed it. And if they execute a seemingly pointlessly difficult passage while another line fails at the same attempt, they darn sure want to be ranked above their competitor with regard to that particular element of their performance.

Edited January 8, 2016 by 2muchcoffeeman

[littlejaw]

can we get a count on injuries cause by judges? I'll even accept anecdotes. but it seems more like a boogie-man to me.

I jazz ran through a drum judge as a brass player. He was trying to read the tenors from the side and I didn't see him because I played contra and my horn was down. I put my horn up to jazz run and it surprised me so I forgot to stop playing and yell "drill." No one fell or got hurt, so I doubt aside from freak accidents anyone gets hurt. Well maybe when people are backwards marching.

[perc2100]

The Cadets for the most part, move more often and faster than most corps. That clip is the ending when the whole corps is flying. Don't think the P line is marching like that through the majority of their show.

Not only that, but the judge did his homework and seemingly had a good understanding of the corps' drill (not just battery) in order to maneuver in & out of forms in order to get up close & personal enough to get a good read of the drum line, while also not interfering with members' performance. Well-trained judges w/experience are rarely a problem

[2muchcoffeeman]

The ideal way to deal with injury is to do the BEST you can do to see that one that never happens.

The "best" that can be done is to keep the kids home. Cancel DCI. If the only acceptable standard is to make the "best" effort possible to make sure bad stuff "never happens" ("never" is a very strong word, but that's the one you used), then the only option is to eliminate any chance of anything bad ever happening by abstaining from the activity entirely. If you're unwilling to accept the occasional misfortune, then you should never get out of bed.

There is reasonable precaution, and there is negligence. DCI already has plenty of reasonable precautions in place. These judges are trained. They learn the shows throughout the season, so as to better acquaint themselves with the corps' movements. Shows are scrubbed when there is lightning in the area. George Hopkins paints the lines on the field himself . The corps board members and staff that I know take the kids' safety and well-being very seriously, in all areas of the operation, from camps to food to travel to the field.

More kids get hurt by falling rifles, unseen gopher holes, sunburn, bee stings, slips on the bus steps, swinging flag poles, untied shoe laces, bass drum No. 5, slips in the shower, and tumbles off the podium than they do by collisions with judges. For that matter, modern drum-corps drill itself is a bigger menace to the members' knees and ankles than is any wayward judge.

More to the point, the kids themselves want the most rigorous, thorough evaluation they can get. I know that during my marching days, one of the attractions of the activity was the, yes, on-field judging we would get. I wanted to be part of something that held itself to the highest standard. I daresay the kids in today's DCI do, too.

Life has risks. The "best" you can do is manage them reasonably, and as far as I can see, DCI does.

Edited January 8, 2016 by 2muchcoffeeman