PR Co-Ed Guard?

[Orpheus]

Although I like the tradition, I do think that by adding male guard members it will be better for the corp in the long run from a performance point of view. I think the guard Female/Male will give Phantom more options on the field.

Well, adding females would give the Cavaliers more options, too, but I kind of hope that they never do (just for tradition's sake) ...

[manoloblahniksabre]

I don't know.

On one hand, I've loved the tradition behind the all-female colorguard at Phantom and would not want to see it go.

On the other hand, adding males may make them more competative and I would love to see PR win a title belonging only to them.

In the end, though, there is no reason to forsake the tradition. With the sort of talent pool they have to pull from, I don't see any reason why an all-female unit couldn't compete with the likes of the Cavaliers all-male unit. Phantom's guard gets better and better each year and now, with Adam Sage there, the sky is the limit. They finished 4th this year, just .10 behind BD (and IMHO, should have beaten them) and it's only looking up for PR's guard. Wouldn't it be amazing for the all-female unit from Rockford to win high guard come finals night? The ladies can handle this... :)

KEEP THE TRADITION! Please. PR has been a touchstone of tradition in this age of copy-paste drum corps.

[mh31496]

Phantom will probably have 4 or 5 guys in the guard next year. The guard will remain predominately female. The guys that are in the guard will be absolutley top notch. Exclusivity will demand it.

I heard Phantom almost did "Angels & Demons" this year, prior to selecting "Rhapsody." I can't wait to see them next year.

[manoloblahniksabre]

It does not matter if it is 5 or 15. They are letting guys in the guard, period. Now, I'm sure they will be excellent spinners, and I'm sure that they will enhance their show. I would have just liked to see them keep with tradition.

Also, I'm curious to know why only 4 or 5. Seems odd to me from a design standpoint, unless they'll have a smalli-ish all male rifle line.

Phantom will probably have 4 or 5 guys in the guard next year.  The guard will remain predominately female.  The guys that are in the guard will be absolutley top notch.  Exclusivity will demand it.

I heard Phantom almost did "Angels & Demons" this year, prior to selecting "Rhapsody."  I can't wait to see them next year.

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[SFsmack]

I think it would be interesting to look back into time and see when the last all-female guard won a guard trophy. I don't have enough time on my hands to research it...but it would be interesting to know.

And when was the last time that some of the now top 12 or more guards were all female? I know Bluecoats was all female as recently as 99 and maybe 2000. Was there a time when guards were mostly co-ed and switched from co-ed lines to all female lines? I look back at some rifle lines in history, and I see lots of guys...and then I look at the late 80's and mid 90's and there are so many all-female guards. What exactly happened?

I'm not exactly sure why a co-ed or all-male guard is more competitive. Maybe it's coincidence.

I could care less whether or not Phantom adds men to their guard. Either way, I just hope they are as effective as they were this year.

I will say this... something stuck with me from high school. My sister was a cheerleader with an all-female unit. I remember her cheer coach telling me how difficult it was to work with all females and how she would do so much better with a co-ed or an all-male crew. For some reason, I remember her saying that to this day.

SMM

[pr82292]

I think it would be interesting to look back into time and see when the last all-female guard won a guard trophy.  I don't have enough time on my hands to research it...but it would be interesting to know. 

And when was the last time that some of the now top 12 or more guards were all female?  I know Bluecoats was all female as recently as 99 and maybe 2000.  Was there a time when guards were mostly co-ed and switched from co-ed lines to all female lines?  I look back at some rifle lines in history, and I see lots of guys...and then I look at the late 80's and mid 90's and there are so many all-female guards.  What exactly happened?

I'm not exactly sure why a co-ed or all-male guard is more competitive.  Maybe it's coincidence. 

I could care less whether or not Phantom adds men to their guard.  Either way, I just hope they are as effective as they were this year. 

I will say this... something stuck with me from high school.  My sister was a cheerleader with an all-female unit.  I remember her cheer coach telling me how difficult it was to work with all females and how she would do so much better with a co-ed or an all-male crew.  For some reason, I remember her saying that to this day.

SMM

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I believe the last all female guard to win best guard was Regiment in '88 and then they lost best guard in '89 by 0.1. I do not believe an all female guard has won since but I may be wrong.

[bluecoats88]

That's not good.......

anyone know what next year is?

tradition anyone?....doesn't really make sense to me to have a show that "important" not having the tradition.

I strongly urge people to e-mail complaints so we can keep the tradition...they just wouldn't be Phantom with guys in the guard. This year, there was one, and he was a "guest performer" in my eyes.

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to me he was a member of the Phantom Regiment, paid his money and performed on the field like the rest of the corps. Now you could say he was maybe an assistent DM who interected with the Color Guard but he was not a guest performer, he was a member of the corps.

I also believe that the girl who played Carmen was a member of the Madison scouts last year, because she was on the field performing with the other 134 members, she precticed and performed just like everyone else. Now I don't know if she paid dues or not, and if not they they can say she was a guest of the corps and not a paying member, but she definately paid her dues on the field.

[LAMystreaux]

Look at what going co-ed has done for Bluecoats guard. They are fantastic.

[manoloblahniksabre]

Your point? Phantom BEAT Bluecoats this year with an all-female colorguard. I don't see any reason why they could not do it again with another all-female unit.

Look at what going co-ed has done for Bluecoats guard.  They are fantastic.

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[SFsmack]

Your point? Phantom BEAT Bluecoats this year with an all-female colorguard. I don't see any reason why they could not do it again with another all-female unit.

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I think what TX means is that when Bluecoats went to a co-ed guard, their guard improved soooo much. In my opinion, it also improved the corps as a whole. I think the same could happen with Phantom if they were to ever go co-ed. They would improve...maybe even to a level of guard or DCI champion. I don't think he is doing a side to side comparison of Bluecoats and PR...

SMM