April 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Visiting drum corps stays at Hauser
The Academy drum corp. from Tempe, Ariz., arrived Aug. 9th at the invitation of Hauser Band Director Josh Goodman, who was a member of that group in college and still knows some of its leaders. During most of that week, drum corp members practiced marching and playing on Hauser's outdoor field and slept at night on the gymnasium floor -- a nationwide tradition for traveling drum corps.
On Aug. 11th and 12th, The Academy took its routine to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the Drum Corp. International World Championship Preliminaries and the World Championship Semifinals. Solid performances qualified The Academy for the World Championship Finals, where it finished in 11th place behind other drum corps that qualified from around the country.
Drum corps are about a lot more than drums. They include a full range of percussion, wind instruments and twirling flags choreographed to unique field routines that drum corps have spent months developing. A huge gathering of fans watches the head-to-head performances each year, many hoisting signs of support to their favorite corps that may have one of their family as a member.
Goodman said he took his local band on a field trip to Lucas Oil for the preliminaries.
The students loved the performances, he said, and learned a little something about the sacrifice it takes to be great.
"You don't hear talking on the field," Good man. "Everyone is at total attention. They're focused."
Goodman said he wishes his band would have had a chance to learn from The Academy through more than just observation. He said the drum corp's demanding schedule left little time for much else before they left the morning of Aug. 14. He said he did manage to introduce to the students some of the members he knows personally. The students seemed to enjoy the encounters, he said, and were able to ask questions.
This was the second year The Academy visited Hauser. In previous years, Hauser hosted the Blue Knights from Denver, Colo., which through hard work of its own took seventh place in this year's championships.
"Hauser is a good place for a drum corp," Hauser Principal J.P. Mayer said. "It's near enough to Indy, so they can go up there and come back here at night. We always love hosting them at our school."[[In-content Ad]]
