Drum Corp International Completes First Ever Competition In Oskaloosa

Four of the best drum and bugle corp bands performed at the Lacey Complex this past week.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Performing at the top of their game, four teams in the Drum Corp International (DCI) took to the field in Oskaloosa. Each team performed their routine, perfected after hundreds of hours of practice.

The DCI can be traced back more than three decades. It seeks “to promote and inspire unparalleled excellence in music and performing arts throughout the world”.

Drum Corps Mid-America, a competition between four of the best Open Class Drum & Bugle Corps from across the U.S., was held for the first time ever in the stadium at the Lacey Recreation Complex. There are over 135 DCI events each year in cities and towns across the country, touching more than 40 states. Over 400,000 fans are reported to attend these competitions each summer.

“I thought the event overall turned out very successful at providing entertainment to our community,” said Terry DeJong, Director of Athletic Bands at William Penn. “It all began because the drum corps, who have visited Oskaloosa in the past seven years, have expressed extremely positive comments to Drum Corps International about our community, facilities, and hospitality, to which in turn DCI asked us to host this competition in Oskaloosa.”

Vanguard Cadets of Santa Clara, California, took first place, with Genesis of Austin, Texas, coming a close second. Shadow of Oregon, Wisconsin, finished third and Colt Cadets of Dubuque, Iowa, took fourth place. A show for all ages, families from all over the nation made their way to the stands to watch the highly competitive, top-notch performances. This competition was one of many as these corps make their way to the World Championship in Michigan City, Indiana, on August 9.

“The corps members, directors, and judges were very positive about having this competition here in Oskaloosa and we are looking forward to hopefully continuing this event in the coming years to make it a bigger event with more corps competing,” said DeJong. “I would like to express my personal gratitude to all the sponsors of this event, volunteers, and William Penn University, who helped make this possible.”

DeJong who himself participated in drum corp early in the 1980’s, with the Cavaliers and Vanguard, said that “it takes an extreme amount of dedication to commit to this”.

The audition process is very competitive for those spots that open on a drum and bugle corps. Once you make the corps, DeJong said that after Memorial Day, a performer will move to the corps’ location and “basically rehearse morning till night every day until you go on tour”.

DeJong, who kept up with the competitive drum and bugle corps after his time performing in them, has helped to host practice locations for some groups in Oskaloosa locations for the past 7 years.

“It’s great exposure for the school”, said DeJong of William Penn University and the Lacey Complex playing host to the competition.