Does the PROMOTION system work

[guardrocks101]

I wanted to know peoples thoughts on the WGI promotion system. After WGI promotes a unit do you think they are successful in their new class? Success is measured in different ways but how many achieve finalist status that next year? If they don’t does that mean it didn’t work or did it based on other things??

Examples anyone?

[TrishDish1002]

Depends on how the staff approaches it. If the staff truly takes a good hard look at the sheets for their new class and designs a program that meets that criteria then it's successful.

If they take the approach that what they did last year was deemed good enough for the new class, then sometimes its not so successful.

Kennesaw Mountain HS went from SA champ. to SO champ. to SW finalist. Others have as well (and I am sure people will add on to this thread!) That's just one example of the system working!

[dancedance]

That's a great question.... one that people will all have varying opinions on based on their own success or failures in the promotion process. I think it often depends on a variety of variables.

Obviously, the transition from Open into World can be the most strenuous. It's not the spinning that seems to be as much an issue, as the DESIGN of programs that often holds groups back. So much integration is expected at the World Class - a level of sophistication that seems to truly seperate the men from the boys. But if you examine (for example) the SO guards last year who got promoted, ....several of them made it into the World Class Finals. Chesire was the SO Gold Medalist - and finished 15th in World Class. Shenendehowa was the SO Silver medalist and finished 7th in the World Class. And Trumbull was the SO Bronze medalist and finished 10th in the class. (Certain groups that promoted themselves did not make the World Final but let's remember that they were not a WGI promoted guard.) Others, such as the promoted Cypress Falls, were lovely and may just need another year of growth to make the Final. In terms of the move into the IW class, ....it's no wonder WGI only typically promotes the IO medalists year to year. It goes without saying what an incredibly tough class that is.... one that can't be measured by "who makes the final" - - for it's an honor just to be in that class at all.

In terms of A guards getting promoted into the Open class.... well, this is just a necessary part of the growing process that WGI must enforce. Sometimes it's painful, as SA guards in particular often have to work for years to make it into the SO final. But there's nothing wrong with that.... nothing at all. It's not all about making the Final. It's about taking steps each year to build your program into a comprehensive movement, design and spinning machine. So if you are an A guard being promoted to Open, ......settle in for what could be a few years of necessary growth and don't get frustrated by the ideals of making or not making the Finals. Last year, the SA Gold medalist did sneak themselves into 15th place in the SO class - Gates Chili. Others will need to wait, ....work, ....grow.

In time, many groups will succeed. A few will fail. Is it not any different in competitive sports as a whole? I think we need to trust the review committee to look at units in a global way - to examine show design and body/equipment integration - and if they feel a unit is truly ready.... they deserve a shot at the next class up. Should they flounder, .....well, a decision will need to be made by a thoughtful staff. I say respectfully - good for them for trying. They can always move back down if need be - or - take their lumps and grow, push, grow, push, and wait for their time in the sun.

I'm sure not everyone agrees. But in general, most of us support the promotion system that WGI has in place.

[Jeremy Denzer]

I think it works very well. Just from looking at the guards in world finals this year 8 IW finalists (Fantasia, Northeast, Onyx, Braddock, Black Watch, Opus 10, JSU Center Stage and Sacred Heart )and 9 SW finalists (Avon, Arcadia, Flanagan, Shenendehowa, Stoneman Douglas, Trumbull, Rancho Bernardo, Centerville and Cheshire) are the results of promotions.

I think in most cases guards that WGI promotes were in the wrong class to begin with and should have been promoted prior to championships.

[Musical_Spinner]

Obviously, the transition from Open into World can be the most strenuous. It's not the spinning that seems to be as much an issue, as the DESIGN of programs that often holds groups back. So much integration is expected at the World Class - a level of sophistication that seems to truly seperate the men from the boys.

I'm still waiting to see Interplay, gold medalists from IO 05 and Medea (silver medalists) to make it into world finals.

On the flipside the people at Sacred Heart have it down making all the IW finals all three years after their 2004 championship (they grabbed the last spot in finals, a coveted spot this year for sure)

But I definitely agree with you.

[Senagod]

I think it works for the most part. There's a lot of intangibles. Staff is a big one. Also, if we're talking about independent groups that aren't world class, there's the age-out factor. If you have a lot of them the one year you make finals and then you get promoted, you could be hurting. And sometimes you could have that one great year that's out of character.

I've been happy with the promotion system after 2002. I don't think that all of the A class finalists in 2002 should have been promoted.

And to whoever listed the guards in world finals that were the result of promotions, I know Black Watch was promoted under the old system, where anybody who popped a 95 or higher got put into world.

[wrband]

This year?

Guards promoted from SA to SO: 2-Gates Chili and Norwin

Guards promoted from SO to SW: 3-Cheshire, Shenendehowa, and Trumbull

Guards promoted from IA to IO: 4-Etude, Onyx, Salem Blue, Emanon

Guards promoted from IO to IW: 1-JSU Centerstage

I think thats a pretty good success rate!

[Jak]

Remember, there were only 19 or 20 guards in SW this year. Since 15 made finals, it wasn't a terribly difficult thing to get in. You just had to not be in the bottom 5. I wish they had promoted more SO groups; I would really like to see the numbers in SW be up over 30.

[Jeremy Denzer]

I agree that a few more guards in SW would be a good thing.

Although even with only 20 guards getting in finals was difficult this past year. The class was and always is very strong from top to bottom.

[dancedance]

fyi - for numbers sake - There were 24 guards in SW this year - a few of the bottom-most ranked guards decided to not attend worlds or they pulled out at the last minute. It's a long way to travel and a LOT of money to spend to only get to do Prelims. Remember, ....that's all you get in the World Class.