Not good...not good

[kansasDC]

BIG SNIP

Another problem is the overall attitude with many kids today. We live in a society of instant gratification. They want the best and NOW! It's the way society moves now and it moves fast. If you don't believe me, why is it that so many kids jump ship after a year or two from a division III corps to a division I corps or disparage the smaller corps because they aren't "The Cavaliers" or "The Cadets" or "The Blue Devils"? This in itself is one of the biggest problems and it is a true quandry. You have to have kids who are willing to be patient to achieve success. It takes an incredible amount of work to accomplish that.

I agree with this 100%. Yes, we have had quite a few corps fold due to $$$. BUT, if you look at the Div. II/III corps going inactive/folding over the last several years, it seems the majority were due to lack of members. There are thousands of kids who attend tryouts for the top Div. I corps that get cut every year, but very few then go march in a Div. II or III corps. Most go home, lay around all summer playing X-Box, attend a few big shows, and then try for the big corps again the next fall, only to get cut again. So many of them can get 98% of the total drum corps experience by marching a Div. II, III, or even a lower-placing Div. I, but they stick their noses up at those corps, thinking they're "too good" to march there.

Unfortunately, this attitude is now joining the work force. I see it everyday with employees who expect 10, 20 or 30% raises each year for doing the same job year after year while attaining no additional education or training. Very strange generation.

[JimF-LowBari]

But they stick their noses up at those corps (Div II/III), thinking they're "too good" to march there.

Think a few of those folks have posted here, judging by the smart ###ed or "So What" posts that have been made. <**> DCA shot itself it the foot years ago by pushing the top Seniors while dozens of smaller corps withered away. Thank goodness DCA woke up in time to give the smaller corps the recognition all corps deserve.

Edited September 18, 2006 by JimF-xWSMBari

[elphaba01]

So in 15 years we've lost HALF of the competing corps !!! :(

YIKES !!!! b**bs b**bs b**bs

"Yikes":

That isn't the half of it. If you back the numbers into 1971, (Thats the great "Year of Enlightenment", when the junior corps bolted from the Veterans and set up DCI) the destroyed corps list becomes even more horriffic.

Elphaba

WWW

[MikeD]

I think though that the biggest problem that DCI has is that as a youth activity, it is having to compete with so much, from other school activities, to after school activities, to entertainment, to wanting money to get stuff. Declining numbers are problem a lot of organizations are dealing with. I have talked to Scoutmasters, coaches, and other band directors. The problem with declining numbers is happening in a lot of places.

I do agree with this point, but not the one below all that much.

Kids today DO have a lot of choices in the activities they are involved with, be it scholastic or outside the schools.

Another problem is the overall attitude with many kids today. We live in a society of instant gratification. They want the best and NOW! It's the way society moves now and it moves fast. If you don't believe me, why is it that so many kids jump ship after a year or two from a division III corps to a division I corps or disparage the smaller corps because they aren't "The Cavaliers" or "The Cadets" or "The Blue Devils"? This in itself is one of the biggest problems and it is a true quandry. You have to have kids who are willing to be patient to achieve success. It takes an incredible amount of work to accomplish that.

That is one thing I do not see any more than in the past. Kids today DO work hard. They particpate in all sorts of activities...and many at a high level. Sure, there are always some slackers out there, as always.

Kids jumped back in the day as well. Most of the Cadets in my era came from surrounding Garden State corps...or corps from NY.

I marched in three...a parade corps (4 years), GSC (2 years), and Cadets (3). My experience was not unique. In my first corps, kids would leave to march St Lucy's and Blessed Sac...in the 2nd it was Garfield or Blessed Sac. Later in the 70's it was Bayonne or the Muchachos or Garfield.

It's not 'instant gratification' for those who move...it's a desire to be part of the very best. I see nothing wrong with that, as long as it's handled above board. A kid moving from a div III corps to the Crossmen, for example, is hardly looking for a ring given their recent placements. But...they know the div I experience is something they might want to enjoy while they are able.

Personally, if either of my kids had wanted to march corps I would have directed them to a div II/III corps. And I taught and judged in the Garden State Circjuit in the mid/late 70's. But...I don't look down at those members who wish to march wherever they wish to march.

[MikeD]

"Yikes":

That isn't the half of it. If you back the numbers into 1971, (Thats the great "Year of Enlightenment", when the junior corps bolted from the Veterans and set up DCI) the destroyed corps list becomes even more horriffic.

Elphaba

WWW

The bulk of those corps died out for reasons that had nothing at all to do with DCI.

[SpookyKid]

The bulk of those corps died out for reasons that had nothing at all to do with DCI.

One other factor to consider is the fact that there has been a smaller pool of members to recruit. Yes, there used to be many many more drum corps. There was also a much larger number of kids to recruit from, thanks to the Baby Boom. Then from around 1960-1980, you had Generation X being born, or what was termed the Baby Bust. The population of this generation was signifigantly smaller than the previous generation. This generation would have started marching in corps in the late 70's and finally aged out entirely from junior corps around 2002. This would correspond with much of the shrinking numbers.

You can read up more here.

The bright news on this is that the next generation is much bigger than Generation X. Many of these kids are hitting the right age to march drum corps. This is an opportunity I hope DCI takes advantage of.

Also, would the fact that the country's population has shifted from predominately the East Coast and the Midwest to the Southwest and the West Coast be another factor in the demise of many of these corps? I've noticed a lot of late corps coming from the Midwest and the East Coast.

People need to stop blaming DCI for all this.

Edited September 18, 2006 by SpookyKid

[triplefunk]

One other factor to consider is the fact that there has been a smaller pool of members to recruit. Yes, there used to be many many more drum corps. There was also a much larger number of kids to recruit from, thanks to the Baby Boom. Then from around 1960-1980, you had Generation X being born, or what was termed the Baby Bust. The population of this generation was signifigantly smaller than the previous generation. This generation would have started marching in corps in the late 70's and finally aged out entirely from junior corps around 2002. This would correspond with much of the shrinking numbers.

You can read up more here.

The bright news on this is that the next generation is much bigger than Generation X. Many of these kids are hitting the right age to march drum corps. This is an opportunity I hope DCI takes advantage of.

Also, would the fact that the country's population has shifted from predominately the East Coast and the Midwest to the Southwest and the West Coast be another factor in the demise of many of these corps? I've noticed a lot of late corps coming from the Midwest and the East Coast.

People need to stop blaming DCI for all this.

[JimF-LowBari]

The bright news on this is that the next generation is much bigger than Generation X. Many of these kids are hitting the right age to march drum corps. This is an opportunity I hope DCI takes advantage of.

Also, would the fact that the country's population has shifted from predominately the East Coast and the Midwest to the Southwest and the West Coast be another factor in the demise of many of these corps? I've noticed a lot of late corps coming from the Midwest and the East Coast.

Also hope the Boy Scouts, Little League and other youth oriented groups take advantage of it as those groups haven't been the same (in number of participants) in decades either.

As for the demise, one big reason (IMO) is a lot of the sponsors were from the cities and the decline of the cities since late 1950s on. Lot of the original sponsors could no longer afford "extra" expenses like paying for corps (and those corps costs went out of sight anyway). Many inner city sponsors are long gone by now. Will admit my bias here as have personally seen it happen in Harrisburg to corps, Boy Scouts, AL Posts, churches, businesses, etc, etc.

Yeah, all blame can't be placed on DCIs shoulders.

Edited September 18, 2006 by JimF-xWSMBari

[OMello1]

You know, there are other corps besides just the ones that travel to DCI Championships.

If you count them, here are the totals for how many North American junior corps competed each year:

1991 113

1992 118

1993 115

1994 114

1995 101

1996 103

1997 98

1998 88

1999 88

2000 82

2001 71

2002 69

2003 70

2004 60

2005 59

2006 55

According to the numbers posted on this thread, in 1991, only 63 of the 113 competing corps actualy went to DCI. In 2006, 51 of the 55 corps went.

I don't really have a point...just thought that interesting...

M

[OMello1]

It doesn't matter to me because DCA will be passing them by soon anyway.

There is a place for DCI, there is a place for DCA, and there is a place for BOA. This is not a competition between DCI, DCA and BOA...that is just silly. We all do the same thing, even if some of the rules and means are different.

And lets be honest, there are things that DCA corps are able to do differently or better than a DCI corps could do (like fit into people's real lives, and entertain in a slightly more old-fashioned manner....don't flame me for that please...), and DCI corps have opportunities that DCA corps wont (like 3 straight months on everyday rehearsals...lets face it, DCI corps have the ability to achieve at higher levels than DCA corps do...don't flame me for that either please...) and BOA groups have the ability to be much more experimental since they have built-in fan groups that just won't jump ship (band parents, students, etc...). There are more, but there are some significant differences between what each of these variations on "our theme" can and can't do. But ultimately we all make up the same "industry" and should be supportive of our differences and strengths.

M

Edited September 18, 2006 by OMello1