San Antonio Crossmen

[drewbugler]

The hardest part about this is realizing that I can't just send students up to march with the corps anymore. That was the only way I could really contribute to the organization, and I take pride in seeing kids I teach with the Crossmen because I spent many years there.

While I am not upset over the move, I am upset that I can't send them "up the street" so to speak. I'm sure they will prosper in Texas. I'll still buy a t-shirt.

[Musical_Spinner]

OH WOW! I DID NOT SEE THIS COMING!

I go to school only an hour from their auditions at Reagan, amazing. I found where I am auditioning for sure this year.

[Keith Laubhan]

OH WOW! I DID NOT SEE THIS COMING!

I go to school only an hour from their auditions at Reagan, amazing. I found where I am auditioning for sure this year.

Good luck! I know this will be a big deal down there. I'm sure there will be loads of enthusiasm.

[Matt_S]

Anyone have a bio for Mark Chambers? Drum corps pedigree?

No, but check out YouTube and Google Video. I was able to find a couple of Ronald Reagan's shows online with a minute of searching. Now, I would certainly wager that the new staff will make every effort to have the Crossmen stay true to their roots. I don't point these videos out to say "this is what Crossmen 2007 will be", rather I want people to realize that Ronald Reagan HS is one of the best in the activity. If you're familiar with Mark Chambers' accomplishments, you can't help but be excited for the Crossmen.

Edited September 21, 2006 by Maedhros

[zajicek1]

WOW

[ravedodger]

I am, for one, extremely excited about the news. This gives the Texas kids a great corps and will, hopefully, keep them in Texas. With so much talent there, this has been a long time in coming.

Here's to a new beginning!~

Edited September 21, 2006 by ravedodger

[ChicagoFan]

This may very well turn out to be a positive move for the Crossmen and is certainly a boon for the activity in Texas. However, I'm not ready to believe that the move will solve all the corps' problems. As I see it, membership was never really the issue for Crossmen -- the problems were in the areas of design, instructional staff and management. I think those things could have been rectified just as easily no matter where the corps was/is based.

[lbjazz]

While this will be great for the Crossmen as a name, the corps's base of volunteers, members, and fans in the NE will be moslty lost. I am glad to see Bones shift away from YEA, but at least this year I would expect the vet return rate to be down to no more than 10%.

GO BONES

[cowtown]

DCI has a re-write, shortend version on their site too

so they still get to be 2 fiddle to cadets and move to Texas?

great...the home crowd has got to love that

they should be re-named the crossed-men or maybe the double crossed-men

maybe when they break ties with daddy, I'll buy something of theirs...but I don't like this...they should have left the name and the identity behind

like when the browns became the ravens so they could be a browns again...we all saw how long it tooks colts to get it going in Indy....crossmen won't have that luxury of time

and yeah, its for the best...keep telling yourself that, thats what they always say....this is for your own good...yeah, right

it was nice knowing you all these years crossmen...had some good times, to bad they had to end this way

[Musicman1084]

WOW

Exactly.

I'm not sure how to put my opinions into words, but I will sure as #### try.

On one hand, I feel that this type of move is necessary, not to distinguish themselves as something other than the "Cadets Feeder Corps," but to recruit new members from an incredibly large pool of talent. Texas, and the San Antonio area in particular, is home to some AMAZING high school music programs. I'm sure there are also many college-aged members that have gone to these high schools that can't afford to fly to drum corps camps, so they will jump at the opportunity to join a drum corps in their home state. I feel this will be a great opportunity for the corps.

On the other hand, this must be slightly disheartening for all the members and alumni. I'm willing to bet that the veteran return rate is very low for this corps. I'm sure the die-hard Crossmen members will be returning to the corps, but with dues exceeding $2,000, this may be a bit pricey for their members. I'm willing to bet that 75% of the corps will be rookies (not to just the Crossmen, but to drum corps in general). And the alumni... the poor alumni. The Crossmen have a great group of alumni that support them so very much and they're mostly in the mid-upper atlantic area. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New York, etc. It's not going to be "volunteering" anymore so much as "paying to help out." Now these alumni are going to have to fly halfway across the country to help out or to see their corps, if they choose to. That's too bad.

I guess we just have to sit back and see what happens with the Crossmen this year. Honestly, with Mark Chambers at the helm and with them relocating to Texas, I think they're going to get the talent to boost them back into the top 12. That's right. I'm calling it.

One thing that does bother me though... Ronald Reagan High School is one of the most electronic-heavy bands I have ever heard. Do we have another director that advocates electronics in drum corps? :sshh: We'll find out soon, I guess.