2013 Competitors
In 2001, a group of corps fans decided that Arizona needed a drum and bugle corps, giving birth to what was to eventually be named The Academy (Tempe, Ariz.). For its first three seasons, the corps had less than sixty members. In 2005, a guard was added and the corps grew to 130 members. This growth resulted in the corps’ first national tour in 2006, where the group won the Drum Corps International Division II Championship. In 2007, the corps moved to Division I status, taking the next big step in its rapid competitive development. Read More
The Bluecoats (Canton, Ohio) organization was founded in 1972 as an outreach program of the Canton Police Boys’ Club. The corps’ name was then chosen to serve as a tribute to the city’s retired police officers. Making their competitive drum corps debut in 1974, the corps has historically been known for incorporating jazz and swing music into its programs. Fans traditionally welcome the corps to the field with a signature cheer of “BLOO!” The corps has finished as a DCI World Championship finalist every year since 2000, winning its first medal ever in 2010 with a third place finish. In 2009, they won the Enshrinement Festival show for the first time in 21 years, and took top prize again in 2010. Read More
The Cadets (Allentown, Pa.), originally named the Holy Name Cadets when founded in 1934, is the oldest continually operating Division I group in Drum Corps International. The corps is known for pushing the artistic envelope of innovation and has won nine World Championships since 1983, becoming the first corps to win three consecutive titles in 1985. The Cadets have performed at a wide variety of highly public non-drum corps events, including the Statue of Liberty rededication in 1986 and the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta. Read More
The Carolina Drum Corps Association was founded in 1988 with the desire of its founders to bring a drum corps to the Carolinas. Carolina Crown (Ft. Mill, S.C.) was founded the following year by that association. The corps won the Drum Corps International Division II World Championship in 1993, and now competes as a Division I unit. In 2012, following the show in Akron, Ohio, the corps rattled off a record 14 wins in a row on their way to a 20-win season. At championship week, they won their second silver medal for second place in the past four years with a record-high score of 97.65 and a first-ever high visual performance trophy. Read More
The Cascades (Seattle, Wash.) organization was formed in 1957 as the Greenwood Boys Club Corps, becoming the Seattle Thunderbirds the next year. A split in 1966 saw many members join the new Cascade Cadets, which changed its name to Seattle Cascades in 1970. The corps won the Drum Corps International Division III World Championship title in 2000, and then doubled its size to compete in Division II in 2001. In 2002, they became the first Pacific Northwest corps to become a Division I finalist. Read More
The Oregon Crusaders (Portland, Ore.) hold a deep-seated philosophy of Education Through Performance. This is manifest through exceptional training in the areas of percussion, brass, dance, and visual ensemble artistry. OC achieved artistic and performance excellence, and is recognized as an exceptional and driven group. With the inclusion of a leadership curriculum drawing upon top training methodologies used in corporate America, the organization provides educational, cultural, interpersonal, physical, and emotional growth necessary for our young people to become leaders. The corps employs some of the most talented design and instructional professionals in the country, who design programs that over 160 talented performers convey through a powerful, athletic, and artistic performance. Read More
Pacific Crest (Diamond Bar, Calif.) was created in 1993 and marched only 33 members their first season. The corps continued to grow throughout the next ten years, and in 2003 the corps took their first extended tour to DCI World Championships. This tour allowed first-time viewers of the corps to witness the group’s presence in Division I Semifinals, a feat that caught many other corps by surprise. At four weeks long, the corps’ 2007 tour is the longest in corps history. Read More
Founded in 1976, Spirit of Atlanta (Atlanta, Ga.) quickly rose to prominence, finishing in sixth place in only the corps’ second season. Well known during its formative years for a huge brass sound and performances of Southern Blues, Spirit has been instructed by DCI Hall of Fame members including corps founder Freddy Martin, brass arranger Jim Ott, and percussionist Tom Float. In the 2000s, Spirit became one of the first DCI corps to partner with an educational institution and was known for several years as Spirit from Jacksonville State University. The organization has since returned to its Georgia roots, once again taking its original Spirit of Atlanta name in 2010. Read More
FESTIVAL FACTS
In 2013, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Enshrinement Festival will mark the 50th anniversary of honoring the legends of professional football, which includes conducting a world-renowned festival celebrating the annual enshrinement of football players, coaches and contributors into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The collaborative efforts of this leadership team, combined with the professional staffs at the Canton Regional Chamber and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the dedicated team of more than 4,200 volunteers, will ensure the success of 19 diverse events from July 19 to Aug. 6, 2013. The Enshrinement Festival activities, attended by nearly 700,000 people, are expected to produce an economic impact of over $32 million for the Canton/Stark County area and $56 million for the State of Ohio. In addition, millions will experience aspects of the Enshrinement Festival as events are televised and covered by other media. The central focus and highlight of this year’s Enshrinement Festival will be the Aug. 3 Enshrinement Ceremony for the Class of 2013 Enshrinees: Larry Allen, Cris Carter, Curley Culp, Jonathan Ogden, Bill Parcells, Dave Robinson, and Warren Sapp. For the complete schedule of events, ticket information, and latest news, check the web sites periodically: www.profootballhofef.com or www.profootballhof.com.###