Spirit of America Drum & Bugle Corps competition really sizzled

VICKI EVERETT
News Staff Writer
07-22-2005

Although the judges ranked Spirit from JSU fourth, the pounding percussion and elaborate props brought the crowd to its feet during the corps’ Spirit of Broadway show. Spirit has been associated with JSU since 2001. The pavement was hot and the air was muggy, but it was the music that really sizzled Monday night at the Spirit of America Drum and Bugle Corps Competition at Oxford Stadium. Eight corps from throughout the nation joined host corps Spirit from JSU for the battle waged with brass and percussion. Relocated this year due to renovations at JSU’s Paul Snow Stadium, the Spirit of America show is only one stop on the road to the Drum Corps International World Championship, Aug. 9-13. Each corps is made up of high school and college students who began practicing in May for the exhausting six week schedule that takes them by bus to cities nationwide. During the tour the students get their meals from a chuck wagon and their rest upon school gymnasium floors. Amidst Monday’s colorful display of flags and heart-pounding percussion, the sacrifice paid off for the Madison Scouts of Madison, Wisc., who took home first place honors in the senior division. Other winners in the senior division were: second place, Bluecoats, Canton, Ohio; third place, Boston Crusaders, Boston, Mass.; fourth place, Spirit from JSU; fifth place, Southwind, Lexington, Ky.; sixth place, The Magic of Orlando, Fla. In the junior division, first place went to Teal Sound, Jacksonville, Fla. Second place was awarded to Memphis Sound, Memphis, Tenn.; and CorpsVets of Atlanta rounded out the lineup. After Monday’s show, Spirit from JSU boarded the bus for Pascagoula, Miss., where the corps was scheduled to compete in Tuesday’s Blast on the Beach/ Mississippi Gulf Coast Music Games.

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