Our Trip to Indianapolis

Last weekend Jason and I traveled up to Indianapolis to meet my Mom and Dad to see KELSEY march with Carolina Crown Drum Corps in the Drum Corps International World Championships.

It was an amazing experience. One that I will NEVER forget.

Friday night was semi-finals. We were excited to be there. We were kind of on the 2nd level, 15 yard line area. It was a fun place to be. After Kelsey's corps performed, she and her friend came to sit with us to watch the Blue Devils (the corps that ultimately won the championship).

I have a drop dead gorgeous sister... and that night I was SO proud of her! I think I could have told the entire stadium about her!

The next morning we met Kelsey at Avon HS to see her group rehearse. Drum Corps is like professional marching band and it is amazing to see these people work.

They even put their bookbags and water bottles in a line.... amazing.

Guard people.

A close up from the Blackberry.... not very good, but you see Kelsey with a flag.

Love my family!

The most horrible smell you could ever imagine resided in this gym where the corps slept. I mean honestly... these people really stink. Kelsey says the problem isn't with the people, it is in the fact that when they get in from rehearsal their clothes are wet, and they just never have time to dry before they are on the road again. 

Friday afternoon we headed back to the city. Mom, Dad, Jason and I ate a nice dinner at a restaurant/ micro-brewery downtown and then walked to the stadium. Our seats for finals were INCREDIBLE. 

That's right. Fifty yard line. Second Row. Loudness Heaven.

These corps are made up of young adults who really put all of their heart into the activity. They begin rehearsing at weekend long camps in November (usually once or twice a month) and then move in full time with the corps in May. Once that begins, they rehearse all day long every single day for a few weeks before hitting the road to go on tour. Once on tour, they travel on charter buses all over the country, sleeping on gym floors for a few hours at a time if given the opportunity and then spending every day in the heat rehearsing, and later performing at a local stadium for fans. It is really quite amazing.

Each corps has their own traditions. One really cool tradition comes from Santa Clara Vanguard out of California. Their "age-outs" (members who will be too old to march next season... 22 years old) get to wear green feathers in their Aussies (hats). 

You can see the green if you click on this photo to enlarge.

When Carolina Crown came out we were so excited. We saw Kelsey, yelled for her, and because we were so close, she was able to hear us and mouth "Hush!".

A photo of Kelsey's back.

Now... just so you can kind of experience what it was like to be there... here is a recording (from my camera) of Carolina Crown during finals. It isn't very big... but if you turn up your volume... it is VERY loud!! It was even cooler in real life.

I do have to tell you a bad story of Carolina Crown's finals run. Right at the very end of the show, one hornline member fell down. Apparently he had been nursing a stress fracture in his leg all summer long, and while he was marching the bone just broke into two pieces... it was super scary to see him fall, then try to get up and hop off... a ton of staff members ran onto the field to help get him to the sideline, and they ended up bringing in a stretcher to take him off the field. The day after the performance, he had surgery to insert a metal rod into his leg to repair the broken bone. So scary.

Anyway... I have tons of photos... but I'll only post a few more :).

See... we were really there!!

And... last but not least, Kelsey!!