Colts And Colt Cadets Finish Strong In 2017

August 15, 2017

The Colts and Colt Cadets concluded their 2017 seasons with performances at the Drum Corps International World Championships in Indianapolis, August 10 - 12. The Colt Cadets finished 14th at the DCI Open Class Championships in Michigan City on Monday, and ended their season with a score of 60.925 Thursday morning in Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts made a strong charge at the end of the season, being featured on their fifth consecutive "Big, Loud, and Live" brodcast on Thursday, August 10, and ended the season in 15th with a score of 83.888. Many throughout finals week commented on how the corps performance, and the corps program "Both Sides Now," was the strongest they have seen from the Colts in many years.

Photo courtesy of Jon Braude Photgraphy.

Both corps wrapped up their competitive seasons and dismissed from Ball State University on Saturday, August 12. The end of season wrap up for both corps included speeches from all caption heads, both corps directors, playing of the corps song, and, for Colts, speeches from its 25 age outs.

The Colts media team was hard at work throughout the summer, documenting every move, rim shot, and catch on Instagram and Facebook. Be sure to check out the great pictures and videos!

This summer brought many new and exciting things to the Colts, including new design and instructional staff, the corps first visit to the northeast since 2012, the corps first visit to Florida since 2008, and brand new uniforms. In total, the corps traveled over 12,000 miles this summer and did so with incredible smoothness and flexibility, thanks in large parts to strong partnerships with Windstar Lines and Hirschbach semi tractors. The new design and instructional staff brought many unique perspectives with them, which all meshed together incredibly well to create one of the most aesthetically pleasing and enthralling shows of the summer. The corps stops in the northeast included three parades around the Boston area - in total, the Colts performed for an estimated 100,000 people in one day. Moving quickly down the highway to the Sunshine State in just three nights, the Colts spent three days in Florida, performing twice, before heading back north to Dubuque for the annual home show, Music On The March. To view a full itinerary of every day of Colts tour this summer, you can click here.

The Colt Cadets also had many new and exiciting things for their 50th anniversary. First-year director David Alford did an incredible job of recruitment and brought together one of the largest groups Cadets has seen in their entire history. In total, there were 87 students this season. This increase in numbers allowed the design team, led by first-year program coordinator Phil Snyder, to challenge the members of the Cadets in new ways with show pacing, content, and overall design. The Cadets celebrated their 50th anniversary with a large crowd of alumni on Saturday, July 15, at Eagle Point Park in Dubuque. The event featured a cook out and a performance from the Colt Cadets. You can read more about the event here. 2017 also saw the induction of Sonia Hickson, founder and first director of the Colt Cadets, into the Colts Hall of Fame.

Photo courtesy of Brent Smith.

The organization as a whole also had many successes throughout the summer. June and July featured three great events planned by the Alumni Steering Committee that brought together the alumni from both corps together to celebrate the season and reconnect with the current membership. August saw the recognition of Bill Symoniak as one of the DCI Volunteers of the Year. Construction at the warehouse has continued, and most of the office spaces are almost ready to be moved into! Plans are in place to finish a majority, if not all, of the remodel this winter. Finally, the Colts inducted six new individuals to the Colts Hall Of Fame. You can read more about their achievements and contributions to the Colts here.

Of course, this season, and this activity, could not have happened without the help, dedication, passion, and love from our many parents and volunteers. A huge THANK YOU to anyone and everyone who helped throughout the summer, whether cooking, driving, sewing uniforms, or anything else that helps both drum corps move down the road, the Colts appreciate you so much and cannot thank you enough. Similarly, a huge THANK YOU to all of the incredible donors, sponsors, and endorsers who continue to believe in the mission of the Colts Youth Organization.

Plans are already being formulated by the Alumhi Steering Committee to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Colts next summer. You can keep up with the plans on the Colts Alumni Facebook Page. You can also help ensure the Colts legacy continues for another 55 years down the road by making a tax-deductible donation or by signing up to become a Colts Monthly Giver.

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