Why is Jersey Surf even still a world class corps?

[Mariana]

They have their entire season separate from every drum corp, don’t score very well and almost always barely make semfinals. They also have a bunch of weird breaks in their calendar.

 

Why haven’t they demoted Jersey Surf to Open Class? It would be fair. Seattle Cascades is struggling this season but at least they tour with everyone else and it’s only their first season back so they’re growing. Spirit of Atlanta was lucky to have a successful first year back but we can respect it’s taking Seattle Cascades a little longer.

Jersey Surf has been here years and done nothing productive to advance the activity. Why are they still somehow a World Class Corps?

[jthomas666]

If they've been giving MMs a strong, fun, and educational experience, then I'd say they've most certainly been productive and have advanced the activity.

[ThePlanets]

I understand your sentiment but your wording is quite abrasive.

 

[OldSnareDrummer]

In additional to the replies above, I would imagine they meet all DCI criteria for being such and choose to compete and measure themselves against the very best. 

 

[seinphan]

While I think the wording. is rather rude, I would push back against them measuring themselves against the best. If the best are in San Antonio and they're in Nowhere, Delaware, they're in fact measuring themselves (and scoring lower than) a few Open Class Corps.

[Tim K]

1 hour ago, Mariana said:

They have their entire season separate from every drum corp, don’t score very well and almost always barely make semfinals. They also have a bunch of weird breaks in their calendar.

 

Why haven’t they demoted Jersey Surf to Open Class? It would be fair. Seattle Cascades is struggling this season but at least they tour with everyone else and it’s only their first season back so they’re growing. Spirit of Atlanta was lucky to have a successful first year back but we can respect it’s taking Seattle Cascades a little longer.

Jersey Surf has been here years and done nothing productive to advance the activity. Why are they still somehow a World Class Corps?

Demoted? So what would you rather have Surf do? Attempt a tour, get stranded, and have a Go Fund Me campaign to get back home? 

i haven’t talked with anyone from Surf this year so I am only speculating, but I think the fact that Surf competed at all this summer is a minor miracle. Numbers were not in its favor and the abbreviated tour was the best and most responsible option. I also wonder if touring with OC corps this summer was testing the waters for next year to see if OC is a better option. I saw Surf in Manchester, NH last week and will be seeing them in Glassboro tonight. It looks like Spartans and Gold will be first and second in Marion, Southwind third. My thought is if Surf competed on the OC level, they’d be behind Spartans and Gold but ahead of Southwind. Based on scores so far, in WC, Surf may place ahead of Cascades, possibly catch Genesis in Indy, but that’s a maybe. Semi’s in Indy is a possibility, probably about 24th or 25th. 

In my opinion, Surf’s greatest strength over they years has been the experience it has given its members. Its weakness is not pushing members to work a bit harder.  In many seasons Surf’s shows are good and entertaining, but either they could be more and don’t reach potential or the kids seem tired of it and they lose steam. Surf is in a difficult position. Competitively they are OC, but those who march with Surf are looking for WC. I think if Surf decided to move to OC, and please note I did not say DEMOTED, it would hurt as far as recruitment is concerned. A WC experience in a user friendly manner is a huge selling point for the corps.

As far as advancing the activity, do you really think at Januals the directors get together, ask themselves “What can we do to advance drum corps and make our activity better for everyone?” and conclude by singing a rousing rendition of “Abraham, Martin, and John?” The corps directors do look at what is necessary to keep the activity alive, but as far as advancing the activity, they advance their own corps and if that advances the activity, fine. This is not a cynical critique, it’s the reality of competition.

I would suggest getting to know Surf better and what Bob Jacobs and crew strives to do, and then before seeing OC as a lesser than, look at what the corps in this division strive to do. Two I can vouch for are Spartans and 7th Regiment, both remarkable organizations, both different in perspective. Les Stentors has a fascinating program that tries to form each member as musicians and performers and may have the biggest heart in drum corps. I met some folks from River City in 2021. Really great folks who love their marching members. 

[mjoakes]

Hasn't there nearly always been a bit of Open Class competing favorably with the last few World Class corps?

I think as long as a corps meets DCI requirements for a class, they deserve to be there. Quality of performance and how a corps chooses to manage its tour is up to them. There is plenty of noticeable movement in the lower ranks. For me, I wouldn't want corps going into and out of a class category depending on whether they are having a few bad years or a few good years.

[Algernon]

Answer these question:

* Are they turning over staff and members yearly?

* Does the corps have outside sources of revenue than membership fees?

* Is the membership fee commensurate with number of days on the road and performance opportunities?

I do not believe their is  mechanism to move a corps from World Class to Open Class. Perhaps their needs to be an intermediate class (like WGI) that has corps that share similar on and off field attributes- Music City, Genesis, Cascades, Spartans, Gold, Guardians, Southwind, Battalion.....

 

[MikeRapp]

54 minutes ago, seinphan said:

While I think the wording. is rather rude, I would push back against them measuring themselves against the best. If the best are in San Antonio and they're in Nowhere, Delaware, they're in fact measuring themselves (and scoring lower than) a few Open Class Corps.

Are they trying to compete with other World Class corps? If not, and the results seem to confirm this, then why should they be a World Class corps? 
 

I see Madison struggling to compete but they are busting their ### to get better.

Is this another situation in which if they didn’t get WC money, they’d be out of business? 

[IllianaLancerContra]

3 hours ago, jthomas666 said:

If they've been giving MMs a strong, fun, and educational experience, then I'd say they've most certainly been productive and have advanced the activity.

Something that is not often considered is that, from the inside, the Drum Corps experience is pretty much the same for the members.  
 

No matter what level the Corps scores, the members are challenged.  

There are trials & tribulations on tour that causes the members to adopt a ‘we’ll get through this together’ attitude.

Staff push the members to be their best. 

Obviously, things can go off the track, sometimes way off, but the members of Surf & other lower-scoring Corps are having just as valid a Drum Corps experience as the members of top-scoring Corps. 

Edited August 2, 2023 by IllianaLancerContra
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