Herschel Vaughn of Brooklyn, N.Y.'s Quest, chats with DCI
The Sam's Town Hotel Complex in Las Vegas was the site of the annual meeting of the Drum Corps International (DCI) DCI Division II & III corps directors, held last weekend.
The meeting was well-attended, with nearly all of the corps who participated in the 2002 championships and several prospective new corps present for the proceedings.
Highlights of the weekend included reports from DCI executive director Dan Acheson on the State of DCI, particularly as it relates to the Division II & III corps; a presentation from new DCI Division II & III judge administrator, John Turner; a 2003 Championship site presentation from DCI Pacific coordinator and DCI championship week contest committee member Tom Hope; an overhaul of the Division II & III administrative operating procedures; and the elections of new officers for the Division II and III advisory committee.
Acheson shared budgetary and statistical information and discussed future plans for marketing and administration during his "State of Drum Corps International" talk. He also reviewed the format of the 2003 Championship Week in Orlando, and previewed some of what's in store for the 2004 tour to Denver. He also emphasized that the "Drum Corps International Experience" continues to focus on "Youth in the pursuit of excellence," and encouraged corps directors to consider how their program fits into the collective, reminding them that "You represent all of drum corps, and not just your own drum corps." Acheson also announced that the 2004 annual meeting of Division II & III corps directors will be held in conjunction with the Division I board of directors' meeting and various workshops, and will take place in Denver next January.
Acheson then introduced John Turner to the directors as the new Division II & III Judge Administrator. Turner is no stranger to judge administration, having served as the DCI Judge Administrator from 1997 through 1999. Turner's primary responsibilities will involve scheduling of judges for Division II & III shows, and facilitating a positive dialogue between the corps and the adjudicators. The directors in attendance seemed quite pleased to have a dedicated administrator working with them to respond to concerns, to assist in developing an educational plan and to explore ways of fostering positive relations in this area.
DCI Pacific coordinator Tom Hope, a member of the DCI championship week contest staff, gave a photographically rich presentation on the 2003 Division II & III championship prelims and semifinals site at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla. The expansive campus, located right at the front gate of Universal Studios, will provide a tremendous venue for a great week of competition, and with the assistance of the Dr. Phillips high school band, there is a potential for a great audience of local enthusiasts.
J.W. Koester, Division II & III coordinator, reviewed an overhaul of the operating polices, and subsequently presented a proposal to the directors for ratification. Acting chairman Bob Jacobs of the Jersey Surf explained to the directors, "Over the past few years, our general housekeeping of the policies governing the way we do business has gotten a bit spread out, with many modifications to our policies and procedures existing only in the minutes of past meetings. This overhaul will clean things up considerably, and provides us with the opportunity to conduct business in a far more efficient manner." The proposal was ratified unanimously.Elections were also held for Division II & III advisory committee members for the 2003 season. Outgoing committee member at-large Tom Chopelas of East Coast Jazz was thanked for his service to the committee and to the body for the past year, and outgoing advisory committee chairman Peter LaFlamme of the Spartans was thanked for his significant contributions to the Division II & III membership, for which he has served as chairman for the last several years.
2003 Advisory Board Election Results:
George Brown, SCV Cadets, Chairman
Bob Jacobs, Jersey Surf, Vice Chairman
Patti Nolan, Patriots
John Rodriguez, Revolution
Paul Chaffee, Racine Scouts
Mike King, Marion Glory Cadets
Tom Maiello, Raiders
The DCI Division II & III Directors will meet again at the DCI Office in Addison, Ill., during the weekend of Oct. 24-26, 2003.
