Idea to boost Div II/III

[tubawarrior]

We are not just California Dreamin', we goin' to see that Big Hole in the Ground during one of our off days.

you mean the Rose Bowl?

[oldguard]

you mean the Rose Bowl?

Nah. I've been following Spirit of NJ's announcements. OldBones means they have plans to see the Grand Canyon during their trip to Finals. Pretty nice idea. :)

[LaneS]

I would love to march a 2nd age out.

[oldguard]

I am on staff with one of the 30+ member non-finalist Div III corps and we had a member from the 2000 Magic corps march with us. We also had a member from the Crusaders come for a short time. Kids like these are great. Unfortunately, there are not too many of them.

At the meetings in Atlanta, I talked to several recent age outs of Div 1 corps who are teching this season. I asked the simple question "when you auditioned for xxxxx corps, if you were told to come back next year, would you consider going to a Div II-III corps for training. To a person, the answer was "No". They wanted to march Div 1 only. Unfortunately, I also heard that a lot while recruiting this off season.

It is getting a lot harder to get members out of the mindset that "Div 1 is my ONLY option" or "Why march with you when I can march in a large All Age corps". Even if you offer them a tour fee of only $500 to Pasadena.

Even though, I am still looking forward to this summer. We are not just California Dreamin', we goin' to see that Big Hole in the Ground during one of our off days.

You are out there working with your corps and always have your finger on what is really going on and you are doing a great job with those kids who want to try.

What you say here pretty much sums up my initial reaction to the idea of allowing a limited number of age-outs to march in a limited number of Div II/III spots for an additional year. I thought, "nah they'll never go for this."

Then I read a couple of reactions in this thread which suggested that there might just be a limited number of people who would indeed consider taking part in some kind of "marching mentors" program during that withdrawal year after age-out. There are always, I suspect, more kids who would like to go on staff than there are positions available. Even if only a few of these could be channeled into this "marching mentors" idea we are talking about a limited number of spots anyway. It could work.

Of course, it would work best if some sort of college credit or internship program in the music education departments of several universities would recognize the program.

[oldguard]

I would love to march a 2nd age out.

It could work! :)

[PR_ducky]

I think a big part of the problem with Div II/III finding members is most kids only march 1 or 2 years and want to do it in Div I.

When I marched back in the 80s it was not uncommon to see kids march 5,6,even 7 years.

The reality is to march that long, you had to start in div II (or class A) because not many Div I corps were looking for 14 year olds. There were exceptions. I marched with a few kids who were 14, but as a rule.

Just don't see alot of kids with 6 or 7 years anymore.

[oldguard]

I think a big part of the problem with Div II/III finding members is most kids only march 1 or 2 years and want to do it in Div I.

When I marched back in the 80s it was not uncommon to see kids march 5,6,even 7 years.

The reality is to march that long, you had to start in div II (or class A) because not many Div I corps were looking for 14 year olds. There were exceptions. I marched with a few kids who were 14, but as a rule.

Just don't see alot of kids with 6 or 7 years anymore.

The time commitment and financial resources needed to march for Div I today seems a likely cause for some of this. Also, today Div I is the most visible. And ... as some of us lament frequently here on the boards ... gone are the days of all those great local corps where if you brought home a trophy from a show you were local heros and they had a parade in your honor.

Again there are exceptions to this, though. At the end of last season I had a guard girl from a Div II corps private message me after one of my reviews. She had just aged out after 10 years with the same corps. What a run. Corps must be doing something right to achieve such dedication.

Kids who never march Divison II/III are missing something ... and they are missing big time.

I don't want to turn this thread into another "alas, those were the good old days" rant. You can't turn back time.

New ideas are needed to pump some life-blood into the activity. You had an reasonable idea that could potentially help. So where do we go from here?

Edited January 30, 2007 by oldguard

[TastyWaves]

The time commitment and financial resources needed to march for Div I today seems a likely cause for some of this. Also, today Div I is the most visible. And ... as some of us lament frequently here on the boards ... gone are the days of all those great local corps where if you brought home a trophy from a show you were local heros and they had a parade in your honor.

Again there are exceptions to this, though. At the end of last season I had a guard girl from a Div II corps private message me after one of my reviews. She had just aged out after 10 years with the same corps. What a run. Corps must be doing something right to achieve such dedication.

Kids who never march Divison II/III are missing something ... and they are missing big time.

I don't want to turn this thread into another "alas, those were the good old days" rant. You can't turn back time.

New ideas are needed to pump some life-blood into the activity. You had an reasonable idea that could potentially help. So where do we go from here?

I hate to be the one to say it, but the div2/3 product just has get better.

Instead of 1 or 2 exceptional corps, and 3 or 4 "good" corps, there needs to be more to attract kids.

My version of "Back in the day" was the early to mid 90s. Back then, there wasnt so much access to drum corps. We had the PBS broadcast, and if one of our buddies ordered the vids, we could watch it. Now kids can see EVERYTHING. The media thats out there now online takes them from the audition process to finals and just like anyone else, they want to be a part of something great.

Its real easy to say "oh.. i would do it if i had it to do again", but i dont know how many people really would. Its alot of money no matteer what division you march in.

the div 3 corps i taught that folded didnt even make the second round, it was astruggle to get through tour and put a show out, and then at the end the kids were paying an amount comparable to that of a div 1 corps.

Then parents get in on the act too. Parents who are unimpressed tend to be much less supportive.

In terms of where we go?

I dont know to be truthful. I think some of the corps out there going inactive for a year and building up some money are doing the right thing.

I think some div2/3s need to save up, and tho i hate to say it, Get some "big names" in there. Drum corps nowadays has a certain amount of "celebrity" to it MUCH higher than "back in the day". Kids in drumlines out there are superstars now just from vic firths"in the lot" series" videos alone.

the big name instructors and arrangers are where its at.

And i dont mean get them to write the book and never show up, i mean they need to be a presence that kids go to the first day, they see them, work with them, etc.

If your thinking "this sounds too hard" , thats because it probably is. I dont know which "big names" would give up their current gigs to work with a 35 member, weekend only corps.

I think that it just really takes 1 or 2 solid seasons to build something up. Do that, and anything becomes possible later.

tony

[no_itsnotadash]

My idea.... raise the age limit for Division II/III up to something like 24 or 25 and allow the top 5 in each Division to go up against Div 1 Quarterfinalist.

This promotes interest in all divisions and allows for many people to experience finals.

It allows for many people who may have missed a chance to march a division 1 to have another chance to experience DCI and it promotes interest in Div II/III.

Ok... may it sounded a little better in my head 5 minutes ago.

*sigh*

Just a thought.

[saraqsfan]

I hate to be the one to say it, but the div2/3 product just has get better.

Instead of 1 or 2 exceptional corps, and 3 or 4 "good" corps, there needs to be more to attract kids.

My version of "Back in the day" was the early to mid 90s. Back then, there wasnt so much access to drum corps. We had the PBS broadcast, and if one of our buddies ordered the vids, we could watch it. Now kids can see EVERYTHING. The media thats out there now online takes them from the audition process to finals and just like anyone else, they want to be a part of something great.

Its real easy to say "oh.. i would do it if i had it to do again", but i dont know how many people really would. Its alot of money no matteer what division you march in.

the div 3 corps i taught that folded didnt even make the second round, it was astruggle to get through tour and put a show out, and then at the end the kids were paying an amount comparable to that of a div 1 corps.

Then parents get in on the act too. Parents who are unimpressed tend to be much less supportive.

In terms of where we go?

I dont know to be truthful. I think some of the corps out there going inactive for a year and building up some money are doing the right thing.

I think some div2/3s need to save up, and tho i hate to say it, Get some "big names" in there. Drum corps nowadays has a certain amount of "celebrity" to it MUCH higher than "back in the day". Kids in drumlines out there are superstars now just from vic firths"in the lot" series" videos alone.

the big name instructors and arrangers are where its at.

And i dont mean get them to write the book and never show up, i mean they need to be a presence that kids go to the first day, they see them, work with them, etc.

If your thinking "this sounds too hard" , thats because it probably is. I dont know which "big names" would give up their current gigs to work with a 35 member, weekend only corps.

I think that it just really takes 1 or 2 solid seasons to build something up. Do that, and anything becomes possible later.

tony