The Cavaliers Color Guard Welcomes Three Dynamic Staff Additions

[Hook'emCavies]

2 hours ago, Sutasaurus said:

Speaking as a former contra, 20 contras is too much like herding cats.

I can heard cats. Just need some cat nip.

[Hook'emCavies]

I have another solution to save money. Have all the corps move to Texas and tour Texas.

I'm not biased or anything.... lol!!!

[scheherazadesghost]

Many of us corps failed in the past to provide basic food, housing, medical care, and/or protections from harmful staff for our primary beneficiaries and stakeholders: the young marching members. LOLwhatareyagonnado? What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, amirite?

Now give us more money or it'll continue. (And in some cases, we'll charge you more and still not provide some of these thingslol.) 'Cause we simply can't make heads or tails of the long-established nonprofit model and raise the money needed to meet even the most fundamental tenants of our mission statement or basic costs of operation.... so pay up, kiddos.

[cixelsyd]

36 minutes ago, rjohn76 said:

I think the bulk of the members are cognizant of the fact that the experience they want costs a significant chunk of change to provide.  Yes, they have a lot of questions about how to raise the necessary funds to participate, but they're usually not completely ignorant or blind to where the money is going.  It definitely helps when corps are more transparent about their costs, similar to what Blue Stars put out regarding their 2022 expenditures.

From my vantage point, the bulk of the hand wringing and consternation about the cost to participate comes from alumni who vividly recall paying substantially less than what it costs today.  I find myself in that same position at times, but then I remember some of the corners that were cut BITD to save money... and I'm glad that members today are getting much more well rounded & safe experience. 

I also have quite a few friends/co-workers with kids in other activities, and I constantly hear about the costs to participate in those sports/clubs/camps.  When the costs they're paying oftentimes dwarf what a member is paying to march DCI, it helps me put into perspective where things actually stand from a cost value standpoint.  

Well reasoned enough.  Could even happen organically, if there is enough of a market demand from prospective marchers willing to pay the greater price for greater service.

My post was directed toward the hand-wringers.  While some of them may be as you describe, there are also concerns about the impact of the economy on the ability of the marcher to pay, as well as ongoing interest in how to make drum corps more inclusive to underrepresented groups. 

[jjeffeory]

1 hour ago, rjohn76 said:

Perhaps, but it's not much different than the kids I know that participate in traveling team/club sports where the coaches were (or still are) successful athletes at either the collegiate or professional level.  They pay the premium price for that level of coaching experience, and nobody thinks twice about it.  In fact, it's the expectation that the coaches are going to have credible experience and certain credentials.

I just see it as a furthering of unrealistic expectations not being met because there's just not enough money to do things "right" on a mass scale. The expertise may be there, but these educators aren't able to be properly compensated without some more money pumped into these systems.

The Emporer has no clothes.

People are going to be more and more disappointed with these activities over time.

Edited March 22, 2023 by jjeffeory

[Jeff Ream]

14 hours ago, Sutasaurus said:

Speaking as a former contra, 20 contras is too much like herding  FERAL cats.

corrected

[Jeff Ream]

12 hours ago, jjeffeory said:

Members perhaps have too high of a level of expectation for most of these private organizations. They're not schools, they're private gigs.

Yes, I know they've been marketed as schools, but they're not.

well if kids have expectations and they aren't met, they'll go elsewhere...or out of the activity entirely.

i for one would be thrilled to know if my kid marched she wouldn't sleep on a parking lot at some rest stop, eat at McDonalds 3 times a week or deal with staff beyond burnt out from being the only one there all season

[musicteacher]

8 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

well if kids have expectations and they aren't met, they'll go elsewhere...or out of the activity entirely.

i for one would be thrilled to know if my kid marched she wouldn't sleep on a parking lot at some rest stop, eat at McDonalds 3 times a week or deal with staff beyond burnt out from being the only one there all season

 

[jjeffeory]

17 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

well if kids have expectations and they aren't met, they'll go elsewhere...or out of the activity entirely.

i for one would be thrilled to know if my kid marched she wouldn't sleep on a parking lot at some rest stop, eat at McDonalds 3 times a week or deal with staff beyond burnt out from being the only one there all season

Worst-case Fallacy aside, I'm not sure they leave the activity entirely if their expectations aren't being met. ...and if they DO leave the activity then they'd possibly just go to another activity that is doing the same thing, apparently ( from what another poster said).

When I marched, I was completely aware that this was an amateur activity that operated at a high level and was different from high school and college, sorta like a dance troupe. I didn't expect a university experience, I expect a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants lesson in awesome brass playing and movement beyond the traditional academic setting.

 The marketing of the activity since my time performing in it has been top-notch, but the "marketing of the experience of the activity" is different than the actual capability of these groups to deliver at the same level. This is how we get SCV's situation, or the Cadets' situation, or even Boston's situation (on the positive side of things)

Edited March 23, 2023 by jjeffeory

[Sutasaurus]

11 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

corrected

Not true… we all had our shots.😁