2022 Season Predictions

[Terri Schehr]

1 hour ago, Sensioto said:

This information fascinates me. Can anyone help a youngster here understand more about the drum and bugle corps of American Legion/VFW, and what even is CYO? And it looks like CYO was concurrent with DCI in the 70s and 80s? How did the Blue Devils win DCI and CYO in 1976 and 1980? Google is not really helping me thus far.

DCI was in Philadelphia so they were already out east.  We went to American Legion Nationals in New York City before DCI championships in 1976.  I don’t know about 1980. DCI was in Birmingham.  Maybe CYO was at about the same time as Allentown?  I was aged out by 80. 

[Hook'emCavies]

2 hours ago, Glenn426 said:

So this might have been predicted before, but I think the Covid year will have some slight but noticeable affects on the competitive order.

Generally those Corps that pounded on an keep going last year and fielded a full tour and corps will be ahead of the curb, compared to those that reduced or did not field competitive corps last year.

It has been an absolute trend in the rest of the marching arts and I don't think DCI will be immune to this.

Let the games begin lol!!

[Liahona]

2 hours ago, Sensioto said:

This information fascinates me. Can anyone help a youngster here understand more about the drum and bugle corps of American Legion/VFW, and what even is CYO? And it looks like CYO was concurrent with DCI in the 70s and 80s? How did the Blue Devils win DCI and CYO in 1976 and 1980? Google is not really helping me thus far.

I will quickly chime in on CYO...

CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) Nationals was one of the most prestigious "invitationals" in the country. You did not have to be a church sponsored corps to be invited, but the highest ranking local CYO circuit corps would earn an automatic spot. It was open to all corps usually the top corps in the country and a couple of up and coming corps. I think it was always around the same time as the World Open and Danny Thomas shows so they could get the corps coming in for the World Open.

It was invitation only, selected from the best corps in North America with the exception of a CYO corps from the Boston CYO circuit that was selected by the corps results for that season. In the early years, more than one Boston area CYO corps was included.

However, this overlooks the many CYO corps and competitions that existed. Several major metropolitan areas had large CYO activity including the usual sports (baseball, hockey etc.), drum corps, marching band and drill teams. There were hundreds of marching units mostly in but not limited to the Boston Metro, New York, and New Jersey areas.

In Boston, there was at least one CYO circuit show per week, usually on a Sunday afternoon though there were some exceptions. The schedule ran from late May to mid September culminating in the CYO Music Festival where all units competed. During the '60s there were so many units in Boston that the Music Festival was a 2 day affair!

As Drum Corps disbanded starting in the late '60s the activity got smaller and eventually the circuits were abolished as there were not enough units to sponsor shows and compete. This reduction was mirrored in the CYO sports leagues as well.

The author of this post is @up4479. I made some edits to the original post.

[Tim K]

1 hour ago, Sensioto said:

This information fascinates me. Can anyone help a youngster here understand more about the drum and bugle corps of American Legion/VFW, and what even is CYO? And it looks like CYO was concurrent with DCI in the 70s and 80s? How did the Blue Devils win DCI and CYO in 1976 and 1980? Google is not really helping me thus far.

CYO stands for Catholic Youth Organization. In its glory days, it was a wide reaching umbrella offered through Catholic parishes that held social events, spiritual events, athletic opportunities, and musical activities. I can only speak for CYO in the Boston area but I do speak as a one time participant and as an adult someone who ran a CYO program in a parish.

Regarding drum corps,  CYO organized a music circuit which featured drum corps, bands, and drill teams during the summer, color guards and stand still ensembles in the winter months. There was another circuit, Eastern Mass which was organized by some with CYO. The first shows date back to the 1930’s but after WW II CYO was more structured. Parishes organized the drum corps, bands, and drill teams and there were strict rules about membership from the units. 90% had to live within the parish boundaries, 75% had to be Catholic, and those outside the boundaries Catholic or not could only come from a parish that did not have a drum corps, band, or drill team. The circuit only allowed parish groups or groups organized by Catholic organizations to participate which is why the Eastern MA circuit was formed. The rules became more relaxed in the 1970’s and people moved from the cities to the suburbs. In the Boston Archdiocese, an area that extends North to New Hampshire, South to Cape Cod, and West to the Rhode Island line and Framingham area, there were at any given time 100 different competing units. Some of the top CYO corps from the Boston area were strong nationally  including St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights, St. Mary’s Cardinals, IC Reveries, IC Queensmen, Majestic Knights, and St. Francis Sancians, Boston Crusaders was originally a CYO corps, and 27th Lancers and North Star had CYO roots, 27th being formed of mostly former Reveries when the senior corps was disbanded after the VFW protest in 1966, and some of the corps that merged for North Star were CYO corps at one time.

The Archdiocese of Boston hosted a show from 1964-1984 CYO Nationals which was an invitational. There were usually ten corps that were invited to compete and two from the CYO circuit who competed throughout the summer for a spot. It was considered one of the best shows in its day.  The line up included corps that would be finalists first in VFW and later DCI. It also included audience favorites. Most corps that made DCI finals between 1972-1984 was invited to at least one CYO show, most more than once. 

The show was well attended up to its final year, but a number of things contributed to the end of the show. Msgr. Robert McNeill longtime CYO director began a new ministry in a parish and his successor wanted to take CYO in a different direction. Dominic Bianculli who was a lifeblood of the show died in 1980 and no one really replaced him. The chief sponsor was a bank that was taken over by another bank. The tour schedule also impacted the show. It was public knowledge that 1984 would be the last show. It may have even been announced, but there was an attempt to either have a 1985 show or revive it in 1986, I don’t recall which was the case, but there were not enough DCI finalists willing to come to New England. There were some who hoped it would become a DCE show, but the CYO office felt that since the music circuit was barely hanging on, the show did not further the mission of CYO. Boston Crusaders revived a CYO Nationals tribute show, honoring the one time great show,

[Hook'emCavies]

You know, I often wonder what it was like watching corps in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Man, so many Corps. I could have seen the beginnings of The Cavaliers. 

[Boss Anova]

10 minutes ago, Hook'emCavies said:

You know, I often wonder what it was like watching corps in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Man, so many Corps. I could have seen the beginnings of The Cavaliers. 

 Have you read Cavaliers Founder Don Warren's ( and transcribed by Colt Foutz ) book entitled " Building the Green Machine ",  Hook' emCavies ?

 If not, I believe you will really enjoy it if you can get your hands on it. It was written in 2007. The paperback version has 426 pages and is a fascinating read about the Cavaliers beginnings all the way through to the 2000's era.

[Hook'emCavies]

42 minutes ago, Boss Anova said:

 Have you read Cavaliers Founder Don Warren's ( and transcribed by Colt Foutz ) book entitled " Building the Green Machine ",  Hook' emCavies ?

 If not, I believe you will really enjoy it if you can get your hands on it. It was written in 2007. The paperback version has 426 pages and is a fascinating read about the Cavaliers beginnings all the way through to the 2000's era.

🙂 I was one of the first ones to get it. It's sitting on my nightstand and it'll always be there. 

Interesting story... when the book was released I was a junior in high school and MySpace was the thing at the time. Colt sent me a friend request and I got to know him. And he told me about the book he wrote and was being published. Best part is signed it and got the old man to sign it... I was a thrilled 17 year old kid that gave me some hope. I'll quote them both

"Michael (I don't mind yall knowing my first name)- A great musician and a future Cavaliers. Splooie!"- Colt Foutz

"Michael, looking forward to seeing you in the green. Best wishes enjoy the book"- Donald Warren.

It meant a lot and it still means a lot. I didnt get the chance to march sadly... but it isnt going to stop me from, well, possibly working with them someday. 

 

Edit*

Something I find to be kinda funny... when Chris Lugo stepped down and Monte Mast was hired on I jumped up out of my seat. I remember him as the Klein Oak director that would stop by my high school (I went to Klein Forest). He came in from time to time and talked to my director, Mr. Paul Worosello. I do remember when Mr. Mast was promoted... truthfully he tried to get Worosello under his wing in the, well in the sense, the corporate world of the school district. Worosello declined it... he was happy where he was. He told me once that he loved going to work everyday. It was something he enjoyed doing and wouldn't change it for anything. I learned a lot from them... however, mostly from Worosello. Heck, I played contrabass clarinet for his alumni band when he retired..... it was my first time. I was like... am... am I like a tuba player now? But those are great memories and thank you for reminding me of them. 

Edited June 7, 2022 by Hook'emCavies

[Jurassic Lancer]

1 hour ago, Liahona said:

I will quickly chime in on CYO...

CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) Nationals was one of the most prestigious "invitationals" in the country. You did not have to be a church sponsored corps to be invited, but the highest ranking local CYO circuit corps would earn an automatic spot. It was open to all corps usually the top corps in the country and a couple of up and coming corps. I think it was always around the same time as the World Open and Danny Thomas shows so they could get the corps coming in for the World Open.

It was invitation only, selected from the best corps in North America with the exception of a CYO corps from the Boston CYO circuit that was selected by the corps results for that season. In the early years, more than one Boston area CYO corps was included.

However, this overlooks the many CYO corps and competitions that existed. Several major metropolitan areas had large CYO activity including the usual sports (baseball, hockey etc.), drum corps, marching band and drill teams. There were hundreds of marching units mostly in but not limited to the Boston Metro, New York, and New Jersey areas.

In Boston, there was at least one CYO circuit show per week, usually on a Sunday afternoon though there were some exceptions. The schedule ran from late May to mid September culminating in the CYO Music Festival where all units competed. During the '60s there were so many units in Boston that the Music Festival was a 2 day affair!

As Drum Corps disbanded starting in the late '60s the activity got smaller and eventually the circuits were abolished as there were not enough units to sponsor shows and compete. This reduction was mirrored in the CYO sports leagues as well.

The author of this post is @up4479. I made some edits to the original post.

I’m still a little salty because some corps from Malden beat us at CYO in 1979. 

[Jurassic Lancer]

I heard that odds makers have given 27 a million to one odds to win this year. I don’t care if we are inactive, if someone gives you million to one odds, you drop a buck! 

[LabMaster]

2 hours ago, Tim K said:

CYO stands for Catholic Youth Organization. In its glory days, it was a wide reaching umbrella offered through Catholic parishes that held social events, spiritual events, athletic opportunities, and musical activities. I can only speak for CYO in the Boston area but I do speak as a one time participant and as an adult someone who ran a CYO program in a parish.

Regarding drum corps,  CYO organized a music circuit which featured drum corps, bands, and drill teams during the summer, color guards and stand still ensembles in the winter months. There was another circuit, Eastern Mass which was organized by some with CYO. The first shows date back to the 1930’s but after WW II CYO was more structured. Parishes organized the drum corps, bands, and drill teams and there were strict rules about membership from the units. 90% had to live within the parish boundaries, 75% had to be Catholic, and those outside the boundaries Catholic or not could only come from a parish that did not have a drum corps, band, or drill team. The circuit only allowed parish groups or groups organized by Catholic organizations to participate which is why the Eastern MA circuit was formed. The rules became more relaxed in the 1970’s and people moved from the cities to the suburbs. In the Boston Archdiocese, an area that extends North to New Hampshire, South to Cape Cod, and West to the Rhode Island line and Framingham area, there were at any given time 100 different competing units. Some of the top CYO corps from the Boston area were strong nationally  including St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights, St. Mary’s Cardinals, IC Reveries, IC Queensmen, Majestic Knights, and St. Francis Sancians, Boston Crusaders was originally a CYO corps, and 27th Lancers and North Star had CYO roots, 27th being formed of mostly former Reveries when the senior corps was disbanded after the VFW protest in 1966, and some of the corps that merged for North Star were CYO corps at one time.

The Archdiocese of Boston hosted a show from 1964-1984 CYO Nationals which was an invitational. There were usually ten corps that were invited to compete and two from the CYO circuit who competed throughout the summer for a spot. It was considered one of the best shows in its day.  The line up included corps that would be finalists first in VFW and later DCI. It also included audience favorites. Most corps that made DCI finals between 1972-1984 was invited to at least one CYO show, most more than once. 

The show was well attended up to its final year, but a number of things contributed to the end of the show. Msgr. Robert McNeill longtime CYO director began a new ministry in a parish and his successor wanted to take CYO in a different direction. Dominic Bianculli who was a lifeblood of the show died in 1980 and no one really replaced him. The chief sponsor was a bank that was taken over by another bank. The tour schedule also impacted the show. It was public knowledge that 1984 would be the last show. It may have even been announced, but there was an attempt to either have a 1985 show or revive it in 1986, I don’t recall which was the case, but there were not enough DCI finalists willing to come to New England. There were some who hoped it would become a DCE show, but the CYO office felt that since the music circuit was barely hanging on, the show did not further the mission of CYO. Boston Crusaders revived a CYO Nationals tribute show, honoring the one time great show,

I just learned a lot about CYO.  What I remember about the show was that it was a mid week show.  I was still a newbie and was in a corp that competed only on weekends in the Mayflower and Eastern Mass circuits.  So going to a show in the night during the week was very cool.  Dress up cool.  A friend was super excited because Anaheim was coming.  You could bring coolers into the stands IIRC. For the Boston area a show at Boston College was so great.  Another time I saw two amazing performances. 75 CYO, Madison and Muchachoes.  Wow wow wow!  When it moved to Harvard Stadium it lost a bit of its lustre. But I eventually did march in it and had one of my best marching memories.