Jester - Settling Rumors with fact

[audiodb]

The fact they are only scoring in the mid thirties shows very little progress as a total corps. Again this is not the kids fault this is the administration and staff's fault. No reason they should be scoring in the 30's. Jester is not the only corps there are a few corps out there scoring in the 20's and that is really embarrassing.

I've been trying real hard to give you the benefit of the doubt, but this quote speaks volumes about your attitude.

No wonder so many corps are folding. Imagine how you would feel after fighting so many obstacles just to field a corps, and then actually performing well, only to face so much uninvited wrath and hostility from people who probably haven't even seen you perform, but still feel justified in telling you that your year was wasted and that your corps should fold.

Tell me:

- Why is it "embarrassing" for a corps to score low? Not all corps are at the same ability level. For instance, the Blue Saints field some very young members, and many with no prior experience in either marching or music. Why should they be "embarrassed" to score lower than a corps of 18-year-olds with four years of marching band experience? (Wait - I know - because you say so.)

- Have you seen Jester perform this year? I must assume you haven't....because I just saw them in this weekend's shows, and frankly, they're a candidate for most improved corps of the year.

Here they were, only 28 members (three of whom were sidelined - new recruits, I would guess), without even a drum major, and nothing will stop these kids. The kids have taken over - their sense of "corps" was so plainly self-evident, it overwhelmed me. Some of the sequential moves and uncued entrances this corps executed (without a conductor) were stunning. Design makes clever use of visuals as well as drill to showcase the abilities of a tight-knit 10-horn brass section. Not one slacker to be found in this hornline. They have no guard, so the horns all pick up poles and do whatever they can in a brief drum feature to garner points in the guard caption. Scoring in the 30s seems overly conservative, compared to what I see earning scores in the 40s out East.

Go watch this corps perform, sir. I defy you, or anyone, to make those same brutal, insensitive comments after seeing what these kids are doing out on the field this year.

[CHSnare]

Go Jester!

[musicdesign]

Yes I have watched this corps perform and rehearse many times. your posting proves my point! In your own positing you are making my point!!!! If I have to tell you why it is embarassing then you must not have been involved in the activity for long and seen many corps! Yes there should be a place for these corps like these to perform and grow but not in the heat of competition. Maybe DCI needs to form a non-competitive and or evaluation division for corps like these with a totally different evaluation/scoring system.

Again I give all the kids props for what they are doing.

I've been trying real hard to give you the benefit of the doubt, but this quote speaks volumes about your attitude.

No wonder so many corps are folding. Imagine how you would feel after fighting so many obstacles just to field a corps, and then actually performing well, only to face so much uninvited wrath and hostility from people who probably haven't even seen you perform, but still feel justified in telling you that your year was wasted and that your corps should fold.

Tell me:

- Why is it "embarrassing" for a corps to score low? Not all corps are at the same ability level. For instance, the Blue Saints field some very young members, and many with no prior experience in either marching or music. Why should they be "embarrassed" to score lower than a corps of 18-year-olds with four years of marching band experience? (Wait - I know - because you say so.)

- Have you seen Jester perform this year? I must assume you haven't....because I just saw them in this weekend's shows, and frankly, they're a candidate for most improved corps of the year.

Here they were, only 28 members (three of whom were sidelined - new recruits, I would guess), without even a drum major, and nothing will stop these kids. The kids have taken over - their sense of "corps" was so plainly self-evident, it overwhelmed me. Some of the sequential moves and uncued entrances this corps executed (without a conductor) were stunning. Design makes clever use of visuals as well as drill to showcase the abilities of a tight-knit 10-horn brass section. Not one slacker to be found in this hornline. They have no guard, so the horns all pick up poles and do whatever they can in a brief drum feature to garner points in the guard caption. Scoring in the 30s seems overly conservative, compared to what I see earning scores in the 40s out East.

Go watch this corps perform, sir. I defy you, or anyone, to make those same brutal, insensitive comments after seeing what these kids are doing out on the field this year.

[kusankusho]

Yes I have watched this corps perform and rehearse many times. your posting proves my point! In your own positing you are making my point!!!! If I have to tell you why it is embarassing then you must not have been involved in the activity for long and seen many corps! Yes there should be a place for these corps like these to perform and grow but not in the heat of competition. Maybe DCI needs to form a non-competitive and or evaluation division for corps like these with a totally different evaluation/scoring system.

Again I give all the kids props for what they are doing.

Everything you post tells me you know nothing about drum corps in general and div 3 in particular. Sir please educate yourself before posting in a forum where young Jester members may read your ramblings.

GO JESTER!!!!!

Edited July 11, 2006 by kusankusho

[JimF-LowBari]

If I have to tell you why it is embarassing then you must not have been involved in the activity for long and seen many corps!

(This is being said to audiodb)

Oy veh (and I'm Lutheran)

Edited July 11, 2006 by JimF-xWSMBari

[musicdesign]

Yes I am very knowledgable about the drum corps activity as a whole and division 3. Again this is not in particular about Jester, it is about Division 3 as a whole! I have nothing but great things to say about the kids of Jester and every corps. If people like you want to ignore what is going on in the activity at this level then that's fine. It would be fine if these smaller corps had good management and instructional teams in general but that is not happening in alot of cases. Small can be good! Yes Mandarins are a great example of that and look at BOA alot of great smaller bands compete but they all have a common thread. They all have quality leadership both Instructionally and Administratively and have a plan in place for competitive but also personal growth for its members both competitively and individually unlike alot of the smaller corps in the drum corps activity.

Everything you post tells me you know nothing about drum corps in general and div 3 in particular. Sir please educate yourself before posting in a forum where young Jester members may read your ramblings.

GO JESTER!!!!!

[MikeBob]

This misconceived idea that all potential Jester members should go down the street and march Academy is exactly the kind of thinking that hurt Alliance and continues to hinder so many smaller corps -- not because these corps actually lose members to their local bigger corps, but because of the idea that drum corps isn't worth doing unless you're with the biggest corps available. There's the attitude that a corps isn't even worth checking out unless they're Div I. All the kids see on the chopped up MTV broadcast of Finals is big corps, and a lot of them won't even give Div II/III a chance.

I also don't like this idea that Div III is only a "stepping stone" to Div I. So many potential members see themselves as "too good" for what they've been conditioned to think is an unofficial feeder for another corps that they won't deign to see what Div III is really about. I understand that a lot of Div III corps think of themselves as springboards to bigger corps, but it doesn't have to be that way. I honestly don't understand what's wrong with being part of a a good, talented ensemble that also happens to be small. It's like saying brass quartets aren't as good as orchestras -- why can't they just be different ensembles?

Our hornline shirts in 2003 said "It's not the size. It's how you use it." And we proved it, as do so many Div III corps that take the field. Size does not equate with quality of viability.

[Blackstar]

I'm an underdog kind of guy. I'll never win a NCCA basketball pool because I'm routing for the Hamptons and Oaklands of the world. Where do I get this. I belong to a fire company that was like Jester. When they started they had the worst equipment and a fourth had fire engine that would break down leaving the firehouse. They barely had the support of the community. We're am I going with this. Now we are the only company to run not only in Delaware but we're special called into New Jersey PA and Maryland. The only company to do so. Why because these men and women never gave up.

It taught me-- IT'S NOT WERE YOU START ITS WERE YOU FINISH THAT COUNTS.

Think of all the corps that gave up then think of the ones that didn't when the going got tough, Blue Stars a finalist then D3 back to possible finalist, Glassmen, never in the top 21 until 1990 and so many others that didn't quit.

Until I learned more about Jester I thought they were a joke....Well the jokes on me. GO JESTER

[kusankusho]

Yes I am very knowledgable about the drum corps activity as a whole and division 3. Again this is not in particular about Jester, it is about Division 3 as a whole! I have nothing but great things to say about the kids of Jester and every corps. If people like you want to ignore what is going on in the activity at this level then that's fine. It would be fine if these smaller corps had good management and instructional teams in general but that is not happening in alot of cases. Small can be good! Yes Mandarins are a great example of that and look at BOA alot of great smaller bands compete but they all have a common thread. They all have quality leadership both Instructionally and Administratively and have a plan in place for competitive but also personal growth for its members both competitively and individually unlike alot of the smaller corps in the drum corps activity.

Where on earth did you get all this knowledge that you walked away with the attitude you display in your posts???!!!!!!

Edited July 11, 2006 by kusankusho

[84BDsop]

Yes I am very knowledgable about the drum corps activity as a whole and division 3.

Then stop hiding behind a screen name and prove it....name, experience, etc...otherwise you're just blowing hot air around.