It is difficult to fully explain our 1986 season. So many things happened, and happened for a reason, that are hard to explain. If you wanted to make a movie about our year in 1986, no one would believe the screenplay.
As you would expect, everyone worked very hard and it seemed each week that spring the corps was getting bigger and better. We had balanced talent in the horn line, drum line and color guard. We even marched well.
As you would expect, everyone worked very hard and it seemed each week that spring the corps was getting bigger and better. We had balanced talent in the horn line, drum line and color guard. We even marched well.
As we progressed through the season, and began to pass other corps, it became apparent to many we had a shot at the title. However, no one spoke of winning DCA inside the corps, it was coming from people outside the corps. It wasn’t until one or two weeks before championships that Frank Nash openly spoke to the corps of visualizing winning DCA.
Our prelims performance was good, but not great. We placed third and knew we could improve our performance in finals. There weren’t a lot of speeches, because everyone knew what we were capable of. One last performance and one last chance to max it out. The combined focus of the corps was intense.
Everything seemed to click. We had crowd response like no other show before. The hornline was tight and the soloists were hot. The colorguard’s work was seamless and stood out, so many believed we deserved best colorguard. The drumline simply would not be denied. They finished the season undefeated.
At retreat we first took high brass and then high percussion. Steel City and the Caballeros split general effect and marching respectively. We won our first championship, and first show ever, by bushwacking our competitors.