Callback camps

[LeftCoastCupcake]

15 hours ago, George Dixon said:

Most corps I've been around during the winter give members either coaching type feedback or a flat out rating - Cadets for example have used a rating system of 1, 2, 3 etc and define what each tier means

ALL corps I've been around give the kids a ton of feedback over the weekend - "nice job" or lots of "do this, not this" type "coaching"

as far as "leaving kids in limbo" one of the items the corps assessing is the potential members seriousness - and this is huge. If you just pick the top 80 horns from the first camp you will end up with around 50 in June. If you see them in 2-3 or 4 camps / auditions the odds get much better. You hear "yes I'm absolutely wanting to march" from everyone in November and in March-April you hear a lot of "reasons" why they won't be able to march or they flat out just vanish

Not all corps give a rating. Ratings are awesome. A clear notation of where a potential member may stand. I wish everyone did this. 

Giving feedback over the weekend is important and needs to be retained by the potential member; however, if you give someone a call back that is 4-8 weeks away is it unreasonable to want something more formal (i.e. written down) to further ensure the information is clear and the mm knows what to work on? One corps provided that - the others gave no such. That's my issue. If a corps is testing seriousness, at the very least give a rating so the potential knows there's a possibility. Attrition happens at all levels. Seen it. Know about it. I get it. Doesn't mean you hook a kid by the gills without the ability to make an informed decision on how to best move forward. Not everyone has $150-225 + travel expenses to spend on "experience", but they will invest if there is a strong possibility of the goal being a reality. If my 18 year old wanted to go check out a local corps for experience, I write the check no problem - I know what Im paying for (location, food, instructors, etc.). My 20 year old wants on a line, so that check needs to be because the goal is within reach if he does his part. He's not there for experience, he's there for a spot. Not knowing whether the corp sees this as a person "who needs experience" or whether "this person can make our line, but we want to see them one more time and this is what we want to see" is an important distinction.

13 hours ago, Lance said:

it's a way for corps to make a lot of extra money and get the best talent.

quite the racket, but people are willing to pay for it, so i'm not sure what anybody wants done. 

Honesty. "Yes", "No", or "Work on these things, then come show us you mean it." Doesn't seem unreasonable. 

12 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

no feedback would be a concern to me. mainly because what are they offering my kid educationally?

THIS.

I'm not gonna defend chapter and verse of my thoughts, but they aren't coming from a place of total inexperience or complete lack of knowledge - my kids have marched for years, including DCI Open class. I don't have 40+ years, but Im not a complete new guy, either.  I'm not here to directly call out any corps, especially because the corps my kid decided to try for (and a few of the ones he decided not to try for...) have treated our friends (who are marching vets and staff) with nothing but class and care. They are all great groups (*knock on wood*) and a public call out over something small like this doesn't seem fair. I can't speak for the other complainers (LOL), but I just dont think clarity in the process shouldn't be too much to ask.

[TRacer]

20 hours ago, George Dixon said:

so?

That was the reason VC (for example) was created in the first place. 

[George Dixon]

44 minutes ago, TRacer said:

That was the reason VC (for example) was created in the first place. 

What’s VC?

[MikeN]

46 minutes ago, George Dixon said:

What’s VC?

Vanguard Cadets.

Mike

[George Dixon]

Gotcha 

[TRacer]

23 hours ago, George Dixon said:

As far as "leaving kids in limbo" one of the items the corps assessing is the potential members seriousness - and this is huge. If you just pick the top 80 horns from the first camp you will end up with around 50 in June. If you see them in 2-3 or 4 camps / auditions the odds get much better. You hear "yes I'm absolutely wanting to march" from everyone in November and in March-April you hear a lot of "reasons" why they won't be able to march or they flat out just vanish

This is what prompted my “feeder group” comment a few pages back...you’d think that a kid who has spent 3-4 years in an organization's feeder program is **pretty doggone serious** about staying with that organization. I was stunned to hear about the 5th year lead trumpet in VC who aged out at OC Championships in 2018– 5 years, and no A-Corps shot despite auditioning? Not in GR’s day. 

I have an awesome picture of my son and I framed on my office wall that was taken in the parking lot after the Cerritos show in 2018. We look great together. At his behest, I had my old member jacket on, and he was wearing his. Obviously, our jackets matched. His buddy in the front ensemble who snapped the photo caught us at a great moment; we’ve got the “year patch action” visible on the sleeves, yo; big smiles, etc. I love the photo, but in a way I find it sad because there’s a very strong likelihood he’ll be wearing a different jacket in 2019 from one of the Top 8 groups he’s received a green light from after auditioning. 

It’s the “win at all costs” vibe that keeps me at arm’s length from the activity I once loved so much and the organization I aged out with. But, I’ll support my kid all the way like others on here do. 

 

Edited December 21, 2018 by TRacer
Typos

[LeftCoastCupcake]

14 hours ago, TRacer said:

This is what prompted my “feeder group” comment a few pages back...you’d think that a kid who has spent 3-4 years in an organization's feeder program is **pretty doggone serious** about staying with that organization. 

 I love the photo, but in a way I find it sad because there’s a very strong likelihood he’ll be wearing a different jacket in 2019 from one of the Top 8 groups he’s received a green light from after auditioning. 

Your kid is a good egg. He will be successful wherever he goes. 

[Ghost]

3 minutes ago, LeftCoastCupcake said:

Your kid is a good egg. He will be successful wherever he goes. 

As long as they are a hard boiled egg 🥚.

[dbc03]

36 people for 6 spots sure does sound bad... until you consider

6 of them can't come up with the money for tour

10 (probably a lowball tbh) of them just flaked out and stopped coming to camp

5 of them didn't practice between camps and get cut later

3 vets decide not to march

1 person quits during spring training

1 person injures themselves during spring training

To fill out a 20 person trumpet line you need WAY more than 20 people in January

[Tupac]

70’s tryouts. 

Point to your left foot - now point to your right foot....you’re in - your $100.00 dues need to be paid by June 1st. 

To be fair, most members in the infancy of DCI were street kids that learned music while in drum corps, these members are much more talented, so it’s a lot more competitive to earn a spot in a world class corps.