What Happened to Capital Regiment?

[btracht]

Some people have asked “What happened to Capital Regiment?” This is my attempt to answer that question in a historical sort of way. Some of what I have written here has been included in other posts I have made but I have tried with this posting to tell a more complete story. This post is very long. It is my take on what happened to this organization. It is as much of the whole story from my perspective as I choose to tell. It also serves as a bit of a purging exercise for me personally. So many of us have been very emotionally wrapped up in this thing for a long time. While we are indeed saddened by the fact that there will be no Capital Regiment on the field next summer, we are relieved that the corps is taking a break and hopefully material changes will occur so that the corps can return to the field in the future.

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Capital Regiment came onto the scene in 1992. At that time, Rick Bays was part of the management team for Limited Edition Drum and Bugle Corps in Columbus along with Mark Holm who was the director of Limited Edition. I had retired as Limited Edition’s corps director in the winter of 1991 and Mark and became corps director. At some point, Rick became part of the management team after serving as a cymbal instructor for the corps.

I know Mark and Rick became very frustrated at Limited Edition because they had a board of directors that wanted to micromanage the corps and a corps that had a very weak financial base. Rick and Mark believed that a corps could be better organized so they began the process of setting up the Capital Regiment organization so that drum corps would continue in Columbus. They stayed on board with Limited Edition for the entire 1992 season before leaving the organization and devoting their energies to starting Capital Regiment.

Mark and Rick believed a solid financial base and cash flow should be in place before any programming would begin. This was a very smart decision. The organization was also set up with the smallest board of directors allowed by law which in Ohio was 3 people with Rick being one of them. In this way, the founders could run the corps how they believed the corps should be run without the fear of a board becoming too powerful and micromanaging their organization.

In those early years, it is my understanding that the board did meet and generally functioned like a board should but it was really Rick who was setting the direction of the organization, running it, and had all the power.

After a successful bingo game was up and running and producing a good cash flow, the first programming effort was launched in 1996. The Capital Regiment Indoor Drum Line was established and became very successful in a short period of time. In 1998, the group finished 3rd in Independent World Class at the WGI World Championships.

The Capital Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps held its first rehearsals in the fall of 1998. A small division 3 corps competed during the summer of 1999. The corps experienced rapid growth and successes. By the summer of 2001, the corps was doing a full summer of touring and was fairly large in size.

It was my understanding that during those early years, most of the non-instructional work was done by very few people. There weren’t many Central Ohio members and so there were not very many Central Ohio people around to help with the work that needed to be done. There also were not may out of town parents who became actively involved or were even being effectively recruited to help. Rick was the workhorse. He devoted endless time and effort to the corps trying to do everything. While this “do everything” approach may have briefly worked when the corps was very small that first year and did limited touring, it began to break down as the corps became larger and did more touring. There were a few dedicated individuals who gave lots of time and effort helping the corps. Those few, along with Rick, kept things running on the support side. A talented but frequently changing instructional staff kept the corps moving upward competitively.

I first became involved with Capital Regiment in June of 2002 when I stopped in at the pre-tour camp to see how things were going. My prior exposure to Capital Regiment had primarily been what I saw on the field: a very good looking young drum and bugle corps that I assumed was very organized behind the scenes. I was truly amazed by what I saw and learned that day in June of 2002. There was really no management infrastructure. Only a few people were trying to do everything. So much needed to be done. How was this drum and bugle corps going to get out of town and on tour in a few short days? I volunteered my time starting that day and helped out on tour that summer and worked on tour management when I was back in Columbus. I spent between 3 and 4 weeks on the road with the corps. The corps was competitively very successful during that summer in spite of having some very major organizational issues.

During that summer I learned much about the organization. Rick worked very hard but tried to do too much himself. He was very effective at moving the fleet at night but driving a semi all night and being the corps director of a large, extensive touring drum and bugle corps were not compatible jobs. He also had difficulty prioritizing the tasks that needed to be completed. At times, Rick was very nasty to and intolerant of people who were part of the organization (staff, volunteers, drivers, members, parents, etc.) He also did not always effectively communicate very well with people in his organization. I attributed most of his issues to the fact that he was perpetually exhausted and he was trying to manage a large organization like it was a very small organization: growing pains. I was however very impressed by what he had accomplished in such a short period of time given how few people were involved in support roles in the organization and by how hard he worked. In addition to the director’s issues, there were too few people working in support roles and it did not seem that people were very not very actively recruited to help in support roles. Communication with parents seemed to be lacking.

In the fall of 2002, I agreed to come on board as the corps assistant director because I felt the organization had potential and that things could improve plus help was really needed. I had learned after the 2002 season there was no real board of directors in charge of the organization. Mark Holm and Greg Smith were on the board, but they had no real authority. They, like all of us who worked with the corps, just accepted the fact that this was a “one man in charge” organization and chose to support Rick and work for the organization. I tried my best to help the organization function better and implemented or tried to implement a variety of ideas and systems which I thought would help with some of the organization’s problems. In some ways, things were much better than I had seen during the summer of 2002. Rick had made some progress but most of the problems I had previously reported still were problems. What disturbed me most was how he too often treated people. I also started to see that the lack of an oversight board was not a good thing because his performance as a manager was left unchecked. I talked with him about my perceptions but I had no authority. I worked for him. I left the organization after the 2003 season because I was so frustrated by how things were managed and by how Rick treated people couple with the fact that being the assistant director of this corps took up way too much of my time and energy. I needed a break.

The 2004 season was once again a competitive success, but at times it was an organizational nightmare. I had had some direct contact with Rick and the corps plus I had much information coming from staff, parents, volunteers, and Mark Holm who was a good friend. Rick had not replaced me as assistant director and there was really no other management personal. This was a bare bones operation. The director was driving every night. There was no assistant director. There was no tour manager. There was no one really managing the food operation. There was no ever present souvenir operation. Things were not good. Program coordinator Wayne Dillon did a great job of trying to jump in and help get things done. Mark Holm came out on tour several times that summer and from all accounts really saved the day. It was a different year, but the problems remained the same and by most accounts they worsened.

I agreed to come back as assistant director for the 2005 season. Before agreeing to return, I met with Rick and laid out a plan of what I thought needed to happen for Capital Regiment to become a world class drum and bugle corps. Just as in 2003, I tried my best to help get the organization to function better and once again in some ways progress was made but in other ways things were much worse. For the first time I learned how finances were handled. For one thing, there was no budget and the corps was running at a deficit. Now, in addition to the other problems there were fiscal control issues. After the 2005 season, I once again left the organization because of how poorly Rick treated people and by how poorly the organization was being run.

For the 2006 season, my wife and I let our daughter march her second season with the corps. Initially we were dead set against her marching with Capital Regiment. There were just too many problems there. But, we had heard and were optimistically convinced that some things were really in the process of changing so we let her march. Much to our dismay, things really did not change. The same old problems remained and once again by most accounts the problems worsened. The members persevered through it all and thankfully so many people stepped up to help the organization get through the season including some young “thrown in the fire” tour assistants. Many problems did occur this summer. It is of no use to get into specifics at this point. Suffice it to say the problems contributed to members not having the experience they deserved or thought they were buying into.

After the close of the 2006 season this is my take on what happened. Many members, parents, and others associated with the corps including myself were upset by how poorly the organization was run and how Rick treated people during the season and voiced their concerns to Rick Bays, DCI, and publicly through internet options like DCP, the Capital Regiment website, and personal blogs. Many specific incidents have been reported but it all boiled down to poor management and poor treatment of people by the director. Most staff had already decided there was no way they would return. Many if not most members had already decided they wouldn’t return. There were numerous reports from the road during the summer and after the end of the season that there were some financial issues. Many of us had finally had it and refused to give Rick Bays another chance and wanted real change: a real board of directors and new director of the corps. At some point last month, Dan Acheson met with Rick, Greg, and Mark to talk about Capital Regiment. I am not privy to what was discussed at that meeting, but I do know that DCI did not tell Capital Regiment they had to take a year off but I have to imagine it was clear to everyone at that meeting that there was lots of work to be done in order for Capital Regiment to have a future.

Capital Regiment has had great, hard working members. Capital Regiment has had very talented, hard working staff members. There have been many hard working parents and volunteers. There have been drivers who have worked hard. Current board member Greg Smith has worked hard. Former board member Mark Holm has worked extremely hard. The management assistants who have helped over years have worked very hard. Karen Gabaree who holds things down at Capital Regiment Centre and at Bingo work very hard for the kids. And while I have come down hard on Rick, he has worked harder than anyone. He really got things rolling and for this we are grateful but it is most definitely time for a change.

In the real world, call for organization/managerial change happens all the time. Calls for change come from stockholders, board of directors, voters, dissatisfied customers, etc. It is part of life. I make no apologies for stating my opinions and concerns in public nor should others who have in good conscious voiced their concerns and opinions. People should never sit idly by and I am afraid some of us who were involved with Capital Regiment did so for too long because we kept hoping things would change. Myself and others have called for change at Capital Regiment. Many of us believe Rick Bays should not be director anymore and call for a real board of directors to be seated. I know Rick has stated “I’m excited about the opportunity we have to reorganize to ensure the longevity of the corps.” but frankly I can’t imagine after all I have witnessed a scenario that includes Rick in a position of ultimate authority that will lead to any real differences for the future.

I sincerely hope that Rick opens up his organization, establishes a real board of directors, and embraces all of those who wish to see Capital Regiment prosper. Here’s hoping that he steps back and lets others take the lead.

[tbobaz]

Thank you for taking your time and energy to voice your thoughts.

I believe the drum coprs community wishes all the best for a new capital regiment in '08.

[SpookyKid]

That must have been very tough to write. It hurts to see a corps you love go through such troubles. I hope the best for CR in 2008.

[CapRegBari]

Bryan Tracht for President.

:)

[BASTimpanist]

Uh....screw president...bryan tracht for emporer of the world!!!!!

[IMcomguy]

Long overdue, thank you Bryan for your well thought out post.

And sadly, despite the (probably hundreds of) individuals that have tried to help the situation within the corps in some facet or another, the doors leading to a change remain under lock and key because of the lack of having a functional board of directors. In fact, just this past week, I received a message from one of the two above individuals who are a part of the board, and sadly enough, learned of his resignation as of September 30th. This leaves literally two people on the board, one of which is Rick himself.

Unfortunately, without something monumental changing in the way he relates to people and the respect he shows them, the corps will not progress forward in the manner in which it needs to. There are too many people out there who he has offended or treated poorly for this to continue in a positive fashion.

This paragraph from Mr. Tracht about sums it up:

In the real world, call for organization/managerial change happens all the time. Calls for change come from stockholders, board of directors, voters, dissatisfied customers, etc. It is part of life. I make no apologies for stating my opinions and concerns in public nor should others who have in good conscious voiced their concerns and opinions. People should never sit idly by and I am afraid some of us who were involved with Capital Regiment did so for too long because we kept hoping things would change.

Best wishes to this decision being a positive one for all.

[Piper]

The OP was excellent. If CR can get a solid BOD together they can be in good shape. After all, even a U.S. Pesident is only allowed limited authority. Good luck CR. :)

[Elmo Blatch]

I met Rick in early 1996 at Buddy's Carpet in Columbus--the place where the indoor drumline was practicing and I think, where bingo was held. I had talked with Rick a couple times on the phone and wanted to get involved with the corps and had heard such great things about him (and they were all true as I would come to find out). The indoor drumline was rehearsing and I was absolutely amazed that he had new instruments for for the drumline and front ensemble (which even ten years ago, was great for a start-up corps).

He had a vision that I bought into. Unfortunately, with a marriage on the horizon, I was not able to commit to Rick and ever since, wished I would have found a way.

Honestly, I believe Rick to be a creative genius in terms of starting things. He is very particular in that he has a vision and knows how he wants to get there. As is the case with extremely creative people, he can get easily frustrated when others can not deliver up to a certain perception or devote the same amount of energy to a project. I am sure that it is for this reason that Rick took it upon himself to do many of the things he did; if something failed, he didn't want anybody to blame but himself. I know, because in many ways, I can be the same way.

True genius is often misunderstood and unfortunately, if given different circumstances, who knows where Capital Regiment would be. See, in many ways, I see Rick as comparable to George Hopkins. So, I must ask: where would Capital be if George were director and all the other staff remained the same?

This is not meant to belittle or acclaim either. The matter of the fact is this; Rick did something that very few people have done in this activity and he did it through his vision, hard work, treasure, and passion. With all due respect to the hard work of others on staff, please don't crucify Rick. He has his shortcoming as well all do, but a significant move has been made. I am certain that this has not been easy for Rick or anybody associated with the corps.

If Rick does leave, I would hope they might consider an emeritus status for him.

I feel for the entire organization. Decisions like this are hard; even harder if your life has been thrown into it.

Elmo Blatch

Edited October 6, 2006 by Elmo Blatch

[btracht]

I believe many people who have worked closely with Rick over the years would not share this perception

" I am sure that it is for this reason that Rick took it upon himself to do many of the things he did; if something failed, he didn't want anybody to blame but himself. "

My intent is not to crucify but to express desire for substantive change.

Edited October 6, 2006 by btracht

[Elmo Blatch]

I believe many people who have worked closely with Rick over the years would not share this perception

" I am sure that it is for this reason that Rick took it upon himself to do many of the things he did; if something failed, he didn't want anybody to blame but himself. "

My intent is not to crucify but to express desire for substantive change.

Maybe that is just me coming into the context then. My humble apologies if I offended anybody. As I suggested before, I never worked with him. I would like to thank you for your honest and candid experiences.

I hope this movement helps turn this corps around for the better.

Elmo