What parents should know

[Wild Nights]

Amen and concur, Mike - drum corps, like LIFE, is NOT for the faint of heart.

I think parents need to "toughen up" their kids and quit babying them, and maybe do a gutcheck on themselves at the same time, and if they can't/won't/don't, then should at least be honest and conclude that their child has a "promising future in either the Food Service or Housekeeping Industries" ($1 to Bill Murray in Stripes).

Was anyone else as proud as I was when the shuttle launched today - probably the best day for a launch ever - and demonstrated what can happen when Americans put their minds to something and accomplish things that other nations could only dream of.

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave, man! And let us NEVER forget that!

A GREAT 4th of July post!!!

[go4it]

First and foremost, the member must commit herself to pulling her weight within the corps. If that personal devotion is missing, the kid may not be as focused as she needs to be. Accidents happen when your attention isn't 100%. (We hit our thumb with the hammer when our attention takes a break for a split second.)

As a parent, I recognize that the activities in which my kids (3) participate--be it horseback riding for my youngest, go-kart racing for my son, or drum corps for my older daugher--pose risks. If my kid wants to participate bad enough, he/she better toughen up because quitting in the middle of a season isn't an option for minor bumps, bruises, or sprains. It's not that I want my kids to get in over their heads or subject themselves to needless injury. If kids don't learn to deal with bumps and bruises, they let the fear of injury rule their lives. "Oh, it may hurt." (Face it, injuries happen and the least you can do for yourself is enjoy what you're doing enough to not mind the injury.)

Drum corps has created an amazing change within my daughter. In her first six weeks of her first tour, she changed from a gawky 15-year-old to a young lady. She was physically fit, tanned beyond belief, and confident in her musical abilities. She oozed confidence, and it showed in how she “suddenly” walked with her shoulders back and her back straight. We didn't recognize her at first.

The changes were more apparent when she returned to school the following year. My daughter was light years ahead of her peers in band just in her attitude towards the job at hand—entertaining the audience. The interesting part was the reaction from her peers and their parents. The outer change caused quite a bit of talk, but once people found out the change was due to practicing 12 hours a day, performing 25+ shows, traveling 12,000 miles in 2 months, and sleeping on gym floors, peers and parents alike thought she was nuts. (I got the impression from parents that it would be too “uncomfortable” for their kids.)

Part of the problem for some kids may be the definition of fun. Many of my daughter’s peers view fun as being entertained which in turn means little expenditure of personal effort. Drum corps “fun” means working incredibly hard and with up to 134 other beings to present the best possible show on any given night.

My daughter has direction in her life because of drum corps. Her vision is beyond her high school and towards her future. Anyone who gets is in her path better watch out.

I understand completely. I've even have had the same impressions from parents when they find out what is entailed in this activity. I even had a parent tha told me under no uncertain terms that none of her children would ever be a part of a corps--it wasn't the place for any child she thought. All this was said in front of his instructor (which had marched in several corps). The instructor stated that it took a certain kid and certain personality to march corps and that if anyone in her group of kids that could handle it it would be my son. Of course I beamed a smile at her of thanks. I really didn't know how to react to this mother (I was angry sure--but to many kids around to give her a piece of my mind). I think she thought all the corps do is party and have fun. She had not clue of what these kids go through day in, day out, week after week. I'm so thankful that I let my son march--he has more respect for others and for himself. And as you said he has direction--he now knows what his visions and goals are.

[artlady]

Drum Corp was one of the best things that happened to my son. He is in his 3rd year of the Cavaliers, he ages out this year. We didn't let him march before because we felt he needed to grow up a little more, plus he spent one summer at Interlochen, one at Tanglewood and another at the Crane School of Music. He is a music education major so all of these activities are going to help him in his career. I am not saying you have to be a music major to march corp, only that it is going to more beneficial to him than we ever thought. He grew up so much his first summer with the Cavaliers! He used to whine and moan and complain when he lost something or his favorite corp didn't win its performance. But after his first few competitions, I was amazed to see his attitude change. He said it is all about performing and growing with each performance. If he did better and the corp did its best, than that was success. I credit Jeff Fielder and the staff/volunteers of the Cavaliers for that.

His girlfriend has marched in Carolina Crown and this year in Blue Stars and it is the same for those corps as well.

I do think that some kids aren't ready for the rigors of drum corp life. I teach 14 year olds and I think that is awfully young, but then again, I have many 14 year olds who are more mature than their peers. So each parent needs to look at their child and see what his or her strengths is. If you are worried about them being gone all summer, send them to a music camp first. That helped me the most. Now that he is far away at college, the summers he is gone with the Cavaliers is not as bad.

Drum corp has been around for a long time and I have always heard good things about it. As a parent you need to take it upon yourself to investigate the corps your child wants to join. There are many people who can advise you, but it is you yourself who has to be happy with what your child chooses to do. Good luck with your child. Mine is self sufficient, can get along with 135 other guys all summer and can sleep anywhere as long as he isn't playing his instrument and he owes most of the to drum corp. ( 6 years of Karate didn't hurt either, but wasn't as important to him).

[Kimberly]

What's ironic is that so many of us marched under worse conditions (and I've heard stories of how life was in the 60s and 70s), but we all lived to adulthood.

4 meals a day on a food truck? We lived on fast food.

Food after a show? Yeah, dig into your own snacks stash.

Regular water breaks? Not as many as we should have gotten.

Yelled at by staff? Yelled at, cursed at, etc, etc, etc.

Physical conditioning? Hmmm, shows weren't as demanding, but you know what? We didn't start as chubby as kids these days. (You can see it very clearly at the through the years countdown shows at the movie theater.

Bad management / fiscal management? You think that's new?

Is it better now? Without a doubt. But like I said, we all lived to adulthood, and I'm no worse for the wear.

[Kyle B]

Well, I marched straight leg technique. The tempos got up there (I believe the fastest we did in the 2 years was 192-196.) And I was not with the Cadets. Crossmen rehearsed very rigerously and we have the same style of Cadets. The 2 years I marched, there weren't really people who left tour because of injuries that I can remember. I can remember people leaving because of lack of maturity, not physically fit enough, and they had a pre-existing injury that drum corps tugged at.

So I'm going to have to say that your belief that marching with the Cadets only leads to injury is pure false. Many drum corps injuries in fact occur off the rehearsal field. People not being careful enough or fooling around. Every corps has a share of its injuries. I can remember seeing corps that some people would say (not me) since they aren't in the top 12, they don't rehearse as hard having injuries.

The only injury I ever received from marching was that I pulled a hamstring in my right leg and had to complelely sit out for 2 days during spring training. The Crossmen (and the Cadets for that fact) have a dedicated physical trainer at all the rehearsals, and the staff go beyond the level that is called for to make sure members are rehearsing smart. Many of the injured would still be injured but not be making a big deal, and then the staff would order you back to the sidelines.

I'll leave this post with a favorite saying I picked up many times that I still use when teaching other groups:

Technique will save you.

[MaxwellNotes]

I seem to remember changing into uniform in a lot of parking lots. I guess willingness to undress in public would have to be discussed! :P

[elphaba01]

As a parent who had kids who didn't show any interest in music or drum corps, but who played tennis instead and got their share of injuries from that and they knew there would be risks associated with ANY sport, I think it's fine for a drum corps parent to be concerned over injuries.

When I was much younger and a teen, playing football & rugby, blowing out my knees, and still marching drum corps (old school - preDCI - rudimental snare drum and no running arond at 500 mph on the field!), I don't think a parent should worry too much if their child really and truly wants to be in a certain corps - life involves choices, and some choices involve risk.

As long as a child wants to be a part of the activity and understands the potential physical risks, and as is the case with the Cavvies, wants to be in an organization that doesn't "eat them up and spit them out" - then by all means let 'em march!

"500 MPH":

Bingo!!!! Go no farther. "Back then" we didn't have this insanity. We MARCHED, not RAN around the football field. Injuries such as those illustrated throughout this thread were VERY rare, if they happened at all.

Like all the other "Improvements" in the "Drum Corps" niche, the 'activity' has brought this epidemic upon itself.

Elphaba

WWW

Edited July 5, 2006 by elphaba01

[Phantom&Phitch]

"500 MPH":

Bingo!!!! Go no farther. "Back then" we didn't have this insanity. We MARCHED, not RAN around the football field. Injuries such as those illustrated throughout this thread were VERY rare, if they happened at all.

Like all the other "Improvements" in the "Drum Corps" niche, the 'activity' has brought this physical blight upon itself.

Elphaba

WWW

the only blight here is your posts. they dont run around the field, they march. even though its a lot different from what you would consider marching, it is still that. marching.

[Pinwiz]

Honestly, drum corps is 75% unenjoyable.... you have to actually do it to really understand why it's worth all the bad.

Maybe I was lucky, or maybe I'm just a freak :) , but I wouldn't say it was 75% bad. It may be 75% to the general populace, but part of what drew us to drum corps was the inate ability to thrive on those sort of situations. I know that my Band Director was a bit apprehensive about me joining Troopers, even though I seemed like a good fit for the corps lifestyle. The Assistant Director for the corps laid out the details in no uncertain terms to me and my parents so no one was surprised. After all of that, I still didn't think twice about marching.

I'd think that watching one honest rehearsal by any corps would be enough of an example to let everyone know the work involved.

[madscout96]

*tosses more water on Elphaba01 and watches her melt*