Name, age, hometown: Jhay Delos Reyes, 20, Tracy, Calif. What corps are you in and what is your role this summer? Sacramento Mandarins, color guard co-captain. Give us your full drum corps/marching music background.I started drum corps in 2003 with the Mandarins and I've been with them ever since -- this is my third season with the corps. How did you decide to be a member of your corps: I came into the corps pretty late in the season, but when I was there (I really liked) just the environment I came into. I was pretty reserved coming into a group where I knew no one but the staff, and the members were pretty welcoming so I decided to give it a shot. After Memorial Day camp and being a part of the corps, it was the encouraging staff, the dedicated parents, and the cool members that let me know that I should be apart of this group.

Jhay Delos Reyes
What first attracted you to the drum corps activity: The level of excellence. Back in high school a few of the kids marched drum corps for the summer and came back so much stronger and good technique. After watching the 2001 DCI World Championships on PBS, just watching the people perform and achieve what they are doing at such a high level got me hooked. What advice would you give to young people who want to march: Always go in with an open mind and put everything you have into it. There would be no point in investing so much time and effort into an activity if you plan to sell your self short. Regardless of how much experience you have coming in, hard work and perseverance will always pay off. Do you have any favorite road anecdotes? At the Riverside show in 2004 our pants were pretty heavy and were held up by a piece of string. I thought I tied the string tight but I guess the weight of the pants just couldn't hold up with all the running we did for the show. After the rifle feature I could feel the string loosen and my pants start to sag, and as we entered the closer my pants slid to my butt. Thank God the show was almost done, and our tops covered a bit of our bottoms, because I had to hold up my pants for the rest of the show while trying to prevent a uniform mishap from getting worse. Always remember to suck in your gut and tighten up your butt when you get measured for a uniform. Naturally you'll lose a few inches off the waist and the size you were when you were first measure may not be the size you are when you get your uniform, as was my case. I definitely can't go away without mentioning the lake at our 2003 housing site for championships. After a pretty stormy night we come out to the field and it was pretty wet outside. The field had turned into a lake, or one gigantic slip-n-slide. Well, during the last run-through, I lost my footing on the field and slid to the left about a yard line, but then we had to switch directions, so when I got up, I slipped to the right not as far. This happened about another two times that run, and it was fun and gross at the same time. At least we got to go to Disney World afterward. The last good book I read: "Nightfall" by Nelson Demille The last great film I saw: "Meet the Fockers" Where I go to school and what I'm studying: California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, civil engineering Jobs I have/have had: Related to the activity, I work for Paso Robles High School as the assistant color guard director. Three CDs I'd want on a deserted island: "Fly or Die" by N.E.R.D.; "In Between Dreams" by Jack Johnson; "Born to Do It" by Craig David My favorite TV shows: "The O.C.," "Scrubs," "Family Guy" Favorite performers: Not one specifically, but those who just get in the moment of what they're doing. It's great to watch people who connect with a show musically, visually, and project that to the audience. How do you blow off steam: Go to the gym Favorite drum corps moment: 2003 Phantom Regiment, Canon Reprise Best drum corps show ever: 2003 Phantom Regiment What are you most looking forward to about the summer? Getting out on the field, performing in front of new and familiar crowds, eating really good food six times a day (no we don't eat six times a day), meeting new people and strengthening friendships with people I've already marched with. Best thing about being in drum corps: Not having to think and worry about life. For nine weeks I'm told when to sleep, eat and perform. I don't have to worry about school, paying bills or figuring out what's for dinner. Worst thing about being in drum corps: Not seeing my family and 14-day-old laundry. During tour, the best part of the day is: Anytime we get to eat, the parents cook some of the best food I've had. During tour, the worst part of the day is: After lunchtime, I get so groggy and tired it's hard to pay attention. Favorite drum corps personality and why: I'd have to say our staff, specifically the color guard staff, and specifically our caption head. Greg has given me so many opportunities to go out there and really bring the show to life. The rest of the color guard staff has pushed me to limits I could have never imagined and I've become so much better because of them. There is no way I could have gotten this far if it wasn't for them. What I want to be when I "grow up": Most likely a transportation engineer working for either a public firm in Northern California or a private firm down in Southern California, either way I just want to stay in California. Describe what you think a typical DCI show will look in 2015. With the way things are going right now I'd probably say that 200 bpm will be the new 170. Maybe a show that's written for both sides of the field. As odd as that sounds, you never know.