March Straight and True, to Victory ...

... for Holy Name Shall Always Be.

It's championship week for DCI, and this year my beloved Cadets are back among the top-seeded corps in the country. At the moment they're duking it out with the Blue Devils for the top spot, having bested them by a mere .025 points at their last meeting on Sunday. Tonight is quarterfinals, followed by semi's and the championship on Saturday. Win or lose, I can say that this year's corps had the best music and drill books since probably 2000. It also had, in my opinion, the best Cadets brass since 2001 (my, what three years under Gino Cipriani can do for a hornline).

One of the my favorite things about The Cadets, and drum corps in general, is the huge amount of history that surrounds the activity. Despite name and location changes, the corps still wears essentially the same uniform they did in the 30's, has maintained the same staff since the 80's, sings the same corps song they have since the 40's, and has thousands of alumni that cover every decade in between. One of those alumni is actually the reason I'm writing this entry ... according to The Cadets' website, the original drum major of the The Cadets has been found and will be attending the corps' championship show on Saturday night. The full article is here:

http://www.yea.org/site/News2?JServSessionIdr004=8l4pnj5o1b.app7b&page=NewsArticle&id=13984&news_iv_ctrl=1021

The implications behind this are staggering. 73 years ago, this man and several dozen of his colleagues at the Church of the Most Holy Name served as the founding members of the entire Cadets organization. What began as some kids in a youth group would go on to become one of the premier musical marching units in the world ... and all of that was only possible because of this man's work and leadership at the very beginning. It is because of him that all of us who came after were able to pursue excellence and maintain the traditions that were instilled back in 1934.

This story is what drum corps is all about. Although I was a single member of the hornline for one season, I can still proudly say that I am a Cadet for the rest of my life. I know the traditions and the history, what it is to wear the uniform, how it feels to perform, the emotion that runs through you when singing the song. And most importantly because of this connection, I can also feel a great sense of gratitude to Mr. John Baumfalk, DM '34, and all the Cadets who came before me.

So with that ... I say thank you, John. Without question, your diligent example and timeless efforts have changed my life.

Good luck to The Cadets in all three shows this weekend, with special wishes to the friends I could have been aging out with on Saturday. I might not have come back, but not a day goes by that I don't think of you and the corps.

Here's to 73 years- and who knows how many more- of the Maroon and Gold.

Amen.