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Marching Arts News: DCI All-Age Update + WGI Hall of Fame 2026 | Water Break Weekly
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Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts.
“It is time for your favorite show that gives you news, interviews, all things marching arts — and you are on a water break.”
This week on Water Break Weekly, Ashlee Amos, Nicole Younger, Stephen McCarrick, and Hayley Harrington break down the biggest marching arts headlines — including a brand-new drum corps in Indiana, major DCI All-Age updates, and the 2026 WGI Hall of Fame recipients.
SEGMENTS IN THIS EPISODE
• News
• 60-Second Tech Block (Nicole): “How to prepare for a critique.”
• Water We Doing?!
• Gush & Go
SPONSORED BY
• Guard Closet — @guardcloset — https://www.guardcloset.com/
THIS WEEK’S PANEL
• Ashlee Amos — @famousamossss_
• Nicole Younger — @o2bnpjs
• Stephen McCarrick — @stephenmccarrick
• Hayley Harrington — @h_harrington14
FIND ON A WATER BREAK
Website: https://www.onawaterbreak.com/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/onawaterbreak
Email: onawaterbreakpodcast@gmail.com
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Transcript
Introduction and Co-host Updates
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey everyone and welcome back to On A Water Break, the podcast where we talk about everything you and your friends are talking about at rehearsal on a water break. I'm Ashley and joining me today are Nicole, Steven, and Haley.
00:00:12
Speaker
Unfortunately, Woody, Jonathan, and Jack couldn't join us for today's rehearsal. Woody's out cruising. He's reliving Boston Crusader show Lost at Sea. yeah Jonathan and Jack are just just missing. Just don't know where they are. They always lapse. Actually, Jack, jack is gonna he's taking the boards. He's going to doctor. Yes, that's going to be. Anyway, we're all excited to dive into what's happening in the Marching Arts this week. And if you're new here, don't forget to subscribe and follow us. If you have a hot take or a story, send it in through the link in our bio and you can be featured on the show.
00:00:46
Speaker
Adolph the Met and go. Welcome to On a Water Break. The podcast where we talk everything Marching Arts.
00:00:59
Speaker
Everyone, bring it in. It's time for a water break. All right, let's meet our painter real quick. I'm Ashley, and I'm with Nicole today. hi Ashley. been a hot minute since I've been here, so I'm glad to be back. Yeah, it is. was just saying, i was like, oh my gosh, I haven't seen you in forever.
00:01:19
Speaker
How are you? I'm so glad you're proof of life. Proof of life.
00:01:25
Speaker
And we also have Stephen and Haley. Hey, Haley. Hey, Stephen. oh Yeah, finally getting a minute now that my Eagles have been eliminated from the playoffs. I can do things like on a water break and, so you know, be present at United.
00:01:41
Speaker
sorry I'm happy about it. Right. yeah was like yeah Haley's got the big job. She's our AP today.
00:01:53
Speaker
Yeah, excited to do this for the first time. It's my first time being a main host, so that's exciting too. one o All right, well, let's get into it um We had our first official episode of season season four last week on January 9th, so go watch it on YouTube.
00:02:14
Speaker
Listen on your favorite podcast app. They did a really good job too. Amari was the first time doing an AP and she did a really good job. I have not listened to it yet. going have to listen to it right after this. a good episode for sure right well let's get into the news then we're so cool now
00:02:47
Speaker
I love all these like little video things. Dude. Okay. I'm sorry. Go ahead. From humble beginnings. Yeah. remember producing this thing horribly when it was my job.
00:03:00
Speaker
Glad you're here, Haley. I'm sure you did great. stephen It was not horrible. It's kind of a rope. Exactly. Like the, you know, progress over perfection, you know? Yeah.
00:03:14
Speaker
It's the journey. It's not a run. Wait, no. It's not a sprint. it It's a marathon. not a sprint. It's a marathon. It's a marathon. numbs Yeah.
00:03:26
Speaker
I don't run. So like none of those things in my vocabulary. I've just been around long enough to know all the little puns and quips and so let's take this. Yeah. Haley, you have the first story?
00:03:38
Speaker
Yeah.
New Drum Corps Spotlight
00:03:39
Speaker
um In exciting news, there is a new drum corps out of Fishers, Indiana, and it's going to be part of the sound sport category. And what's, I think, one of the most amazing things about this is that the tuition fees are less than $100, which is amazing because everybody knows...
00:04:00
Speaker
they's It's so expensive to march now. I mean, it's like, and I know it's double what I paid so when I marched. So it's just crazy. There's actually, there's no auditions. There's flexible rehearsals. um And they're really able like to be open to working around schedules. And they are called the Blue Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. Okay. we've got some more blue out here um but when they have their website you should look them up on social media on their facebook and they've got a link to the website but they've already got some drill left loaded a course song they've got the opener loaded so you can check it out um the rehearsals are during the day so you get to go home afterward um
00:04:43
Speaker
And that's pretty much what this is. I just want you to share about it and volunteer to help out. Everybody knows volunteers makes ah drum core run a lot of the time. So yeah, this is amazing. And I think it's going to help provide a lot of opportunity for kids in like the Indiana area.
00:05:03
Speaker
And I like to see where it goes. No kidding. It's like they listened, you know, like a lot of people are like, it's so expensive to march and it's just like, Okay, well, if you're local or, you know, hey, since it's only $100, maybe if you know someone that lives nearby, you can get a job and like, this can be your experience that you have. um I think it's awesome. And then no auditions, like, that's a learning, like, the all these performers are going to learn.
00:05:33
Speaker
who So I think that's awesome. and Pretty wild. I'm pretty sure that I paid more than $100 to do like marching band or maybe indoor drum line back in high school. um Absolutely. It's like literally inconceivable. I don't know how it works, but you should go do it. Sounds awesome. so I will tell you back in the 1900s, I will tell you it's the late 1900s because I aged out 99. But um the drum corps that I marched, which was Patriots drum and bugle corps, I paid $150 in dues
00:06:06
Speaker
We also had a bingo home. There's been a lot of inflation since then. And they said, you know, 33% off Nicole. Make it cheap. Hey. And I, you know what? You should jump on that. That's a good deal. You're in the Indiana area.
00:06:23
Speaker
Do it blue cadets, right? Yeah. Yeah. Blue cadets. Yeah, join them. All right, well, I have the next news story. It is about DCI All Age.
DCI Division and Leadership Changes
00:06:35
Speaker
So they're in their third season this this year with, under DCI, i originally, or formerly DCA. um as I like to refer to it, weekend drunk whore.
00:06:47
Speaker
um yeah They had their um recent annual meeting in Indianapolis in January, and they made the decision to combine all three classes just into one. So they had world open and a class, and now everything is going to be under the same umbrella.
00:07:06
Speaker
So, wow. Yeah. I think this is really controversial. um depending like what what group that you're with so i'm really interested to see how this goes this year yeah it's kind of an interesting one like uh dca can the competitions there can kind of resemble high school competitions where you're like wait what do you mean there's three champions i only saw three groups or there were four groups here how are there three champions tonight um But then at the same time, at the end of the day, there's such a really widespread of groups that historically it's made sense that like we really should not compare like, you know, some of these groups to the Reading Buccaneers. It's just not even, they're not having the same competition to begin with. So now we are, everyone's on the same sheet, everyone's getting paired directly. So we'll see how that goes.
00:07:59
Speaker
Yeah. on'm really really curious how it goes because I feel like if you're this might be controversial I feel like if you're not with the Buccaneers then you're like oh well this sucks like okay so now everyone can get steamrolled by the Bucs Right. Yeah. I mean, I feel like it's tough if you're in an open or an A class group um yeah for all the like other three world class groups that exist, I guess. Then it's like, I guess it's good for them and good for the Bucks because then it's like, OK, now you could genuinely say, all right, we were fourth out of
00:08:39
Speaker
you know, 15 or 18 that complete, that compete in the all age division. I think another reason that they wanted to do this is that it makes the all age division about the same size as open class and world class.
00:08:51
Speaker
Instead of having like these three different subsects of all age that are like not really big enough to be their own competitive units. It's just three types of drum corps for three different tour schedules.
00:09:02
Speaker
Yeah. Weekend, open class and all summer. Haley, you're the visual caption head at Cincinnati Tradition, which is yeah the open class champion for 2025. I mean, i feel like some folks are like, or how you both feel, how Ashley and Steven feel, but also too, Haley, like, I mean, how does it how how do you how does how does Cincinnati Tradition feel about all this?
00:09:31
Speaker
Well, honestly, when I first heard it, I was a little bit like, Oh, okay. This is weird. You know, I had that initial reaction to you. Like, I'm not sure, but I know for us specifically, we were considering going into world-class because at the end of the day, it was just the numbers thing. It's like how many you have in your core and, you know, that's what determined it. And so we were actually looking into bumping up to world class because we, you know, won our open class two years in a row.
00:09:56
Speaker
We beat one of the world class scores because like last year was set up even differently than two years ago because they had class championships and then they had the overall the next day. So like it's like they were trialing it last year.
00:10:10
Speaker
ended up being fifth overall. And so it's like, OK. And that kind of gave us like. Maybe we can bump up in into world class. We just get because we were really close, like number wise, like with everything last year. And so in some ways, it's almost like, well, it doesn't really matter because we're going to keep doing our thing anyway, because we were kind of looking into that.
00:10:29
Speaker
um But, you know, like you all said, like Reading Buccaneers, it's like they're just they've been doing this for a long time. They're an amazing group. their very seasoned. They kind of set the tone for what DCA and all age has been for a long time. Um, but at least we'll give some opportunity for maybe some nearer cores that have like opened up into all age, like MBI and everything like that to get some different experiences. Um, hopefully, but, um,
00:10:56
Speaker
Yeah, it it was interesting at first, but now I'm like, you know, maybe there's some relief because we have to worry about, oh, we have to have this many members to be in this certain class and we can just focus on we're going to perform super great with what we have and do that.
00:11:08
Speaker
do that I think it's weird to have like the numbers based on like a open and world anyway, like in high school, it it goes off like of one, two, three, four, whatever your group is based off the numbers. And then you'd have like a or open based on the skill level, but like the numbers just to be based off of what seems to be the skill level doesn't really make sense.
00:11:34
Speaker
So this is seems like a good thing. And then it'll encourage everyone to just grow their numbers. I feel like this is just a bit like right now, as far as like DCA all age. I mean, I know it's not DCA anymore, but like, I feel like we're trying to meld that into where does that all fit in and like, you know, Hey, we're seeing what, what sticks.
00:11:59
Speaker
And so but I think this would be an excellent way to do it. Plus, like, I feel like those crowds for all age last year were not as big as they could be. So I think that this would just bring more to it and bring them more exposure as well.
00:12:16
Speaker
So stay tuned, go to DCI so you can watch it all. yeah po And speaking of DCI, my next story is about DCI electing new board of directors for 2026. So each year, three representatives are elected to rotating three year terms for their nine member board.
00:12:37
Speaker
ah This year, Don Rawlins was elected to a three-year term. of Rawlins is an attorney with more than 30 years of experience in corporate law and governance. He served on the DCI Board of Directors for six years, as well as a member of the Board of Directors for Carolina Crown.
00:12:55
Speaker
ah In addition to Rawlins, we've elected Patrick Sweeney. Sweeney has a career in public education as a teacher, administrator, and a superintendent with experience managing budgets, developing policies, and fostering positive environments. Co-owns Doc Sweeney Drums as well, holds a BA from the University of Northern Iowa, and an alum of the Colt Cadets and the Cadets, which is Awesome. I'm affiliated with the Colts now as well. i'm super excited for the next summer.
00:13:29
Speaker
I'm glad you are too I used to be. Nice. Cool. Yeah, we'll have to talk more about that sometime soon. Cool. But I still have to talk about Russ Gavin, PhD. Elected director for a three-year term.
00:13:43
Speaker
ah he is the CEO of Vanguard Music and Performing Arts, previously the core director at Blue Stars, and has been involved with administration and drum corps since 2007. um Currently the director of bands at Stanford University, former associate professor of music education at Baylor.
00:14:00
Speaker
And this will be his first time serving on the board of directors. Nice. Well, congratulations to those new ah board of directors that got on there. You know, hey, we can only go up from here. any I feel like this episode should be labeled growth. The growth episode. It's early in ah season four.
00:14:20
Speaker
It's the growing phase. Right, right. That's what we've been saying about this entire podcast for four years. We're growing. It's the growing phase. Four years later. That's right.
00:14:36
Speaker
A little toddler now eventually will become a teenager and adult. Yeah. Or do we do it in dog years? No, it seems as though it's not dog years.
00:14:47
Speaker
Okay, gotcha. I wish it was dog years. We're getting there. Getting up to a toddler is a big deal. It's a lot of growth. That's right. ah So I have the next one.
George Mason's Mysterious Return
00:14:59
Speaker
I'm not even going to look at the, ah I'm not even going to look at the rundown for this or the script, but um George Mason is back. And I love the tongue in cheek Marvel way that they said that George Mason would be back in 2026. They give you really nothing.
00:15:19
Speaker
Except for George Mason's gonna be back. So really I honestly think that this is the only thing that I could really say about this except for that. um And I wanna say that I think that George Mason was kinda, cause like was in the guard category, we kinda have sweethearts of the activity. And i feel like George Mason could be the sweetheart of the drum line side of the activity. What do you think, Steven?
00:15:45
Speaker
Yeah, right now they definitely are. They've got a lot of you know popularity going behind them. And I also think it's it's with good reason. like They figured out a new thing a little bit. They kind of like break the fourth wall. They have a very clear identity. So it's like, let's see what they do with it.
00:16:01
Speaker
They're back. George Mason is back. much If you expected that they wouldn't be. Or that he wouldn't be. All of them are back. They all are. ah wo o um I also, am I going back to back here?
00:16:19
Speaker
I think I am.
WGI Hall of Fame Inductees
00:16:20
Speaker
Yeah. that right? Yeah. Okay. Well, yes, that's cool. So WGI has announced its 2026 Hall of Fame recipients um to be inducted.
00:16:33
Speaker
Yes. And the induction is going to happen on Wednesday, ah April 15th during WGI for percussion. um The inductees are Darcy Ungst from Massachusetts.
00:16:50
Speaker
ah Darcy is the wife of Tom Angst. I think you all know who that is. And also is the mastermind behind, because I had to look this up, ah Gallery X, where it comes to life. I don't know if you all saw that Dartmouth ah high school indoor percussion show.
00:17:08
Speaker
Yeah. Beautiful show. If you have not seen it, please look it up there. It's so colorful and so moving. I love indoor percussion for this reason. It's because it's that idiom of bringing in all these other things and you've got great musicians underneath it. um So.
00:17:26
Speaker
ah That came from the brainpower of Ms. Darcy Onks. Darcy is also an executive, is on the executive leadership team and deputy superintendent for the new Bedford public school system in Massachusetts.
00:17:41
Speaker
um We also have Chris Heston, who is a percussion arranger and a coordinate percussion arranger and the percussion coordinator for Spirit Drum and Bugle Corps. Used to work with Glassman, used to work with Kixke area.
00:17:57
Speaker
high school, um also a WGI percussion judge, and also is the percussion judge trainer for MEPA and FFCC. So MEPA is Mideast Judges Association in Ohio, and FFCC is Florida Federation of Colored Art Circuit.
00:18:17
Speaker
um Also a part of the Pennsylvania Federation of Contest Judges and also and works like his nine to five is he works with sound design and commercial scoring. So, yeah, I'm super excited for him. Oh, he's also a BOA judge and a music for all judge.
00:18:36
Speaker
um And then also Wayne Markworth. um Wayne started the WINS group, the WINS division with WGI. um He just resigned from that position 2024. And um so he started it, fostered it, and now like made it into what it is right now.
00:18:57
Speaker
Um, he also wrote the dynamic marching band. know if you've ever seen that book or heard about that book, but it's basically like a, a, a marching band resource workbook to, you know, get your band from beginning or like, you know, a like couch to 4k or 5k and gets them from couch to show, you know?
00:19:19
Speaker
um right um so great resource book. And if you don't know where to find it, you can actually find it on Amazon. I looked it up. um He's a band director for 35 years um at Centerville High School. So if you've ever heard of the Centerville Jazz Band, always say Centerville Jazz Hands. That's what I call them. um That's who that is. And he's also, he's been um ah inducted into the Hall of Fame for BOA in 2007.
00:19:49
Speaker
Great. And like, honestly, congratulations to those Hall of Fame inductees for 2026. yeah. so
00:19:58
Speaker
Fantastic. Fantastic. Awesome. Well, all of these news stories are really cool. So hopefully we can all go check them out. And it looks like we are at commercial break.
00:20:23
Speaker
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Speaker
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Speaker
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Speaker
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00:21:16
Speaker
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00:21:29
Speaker
Check us out at guardcloset.com or follow us on social media.
00:21:47
Speaker
All right. And we're back. So now it is time for our 60 second tech block. 60 second tech block.
00:22:02
Speaker
I love that sound so much. i lose It's so good. Ricardo's voice is incredible. No, no. All right. Well, our 60 second tech block, this is the segment where one of our hosts or guest clinicians is put on the spot to deliver a nonstop 60 second tech session on a topic that needs some serious attention after that last run.
00:22:27
Speaker
And our special tech this week, which is Nicole, has come with three topics they think they can talk about for a full 60 seconds straight. No hesitation, no pauses, just pure technical gold. I'm nervous.
00:22:42
Speaker
okay What do you got? What are the topics? got See, hold on a second. So the the ah season three finale or whatever, it was Stephen, Jackie, and I. And Stephen had to do the 60 second tech block. And he was like, oh, my goodness. but bla blah And I was like, ah just do it. And now I'm like, this is karma.
00:23:01
Speaker
all right just do it this is karma you got this you still got this all right so our topics are how to prepare for critique everything parents and performers should know about judging and how to spin literally object any object ever so which one do we think that nicole should do which one will fate choose for you I would like to know how to spin literally any object ever.
00:23:36
Speaker
so what a lot i don't know about you guys. You guys are more familiar with that than I am. I am almost in literally any object ever. So wrapping paper. Interesting. Have you seen all of the twirler like TikToks with wrapping paper?
00:23:50
Speaker
Yeah. That was me in high school. I now if I really if I was bold enough, but I'm not. Yeah, no.
00:24:01
Speaker
Well, I think I want to hear how to prepare for a critique. i think I think a lot of people would benefit from that. It's a little more practical, I guess. I suppose it's a bit more practical.
00:24:14
Speaker
Right. Yeah. i Go ahead, say Haley. I'm sorry. I'll say I feel like a lot of directors could do a better job in like at least being prepped how to listen better and take the critique and yeah.
00:24:29
Speaker
Oh yeah, 100%. Great. I can do that. You got this. All right. Well, Steven, you can talk really fast, y'all. All right. Okay. 60 seconds the clock. Ready? All right. Go.
00:24:42
Speaker
sixty seconds on the clock ready all right go Okay, so first of all, you wanna make sure that when you prepare, and I'm doing this for like two staff members or less because a lot of people don't have a lot of staff members. But once you get to the show site, make sure you have access to wifi or you have a mobile wifi with you.
00:25:01
Speaker
um Decide ahead of time which staff member is gonna listen to which caption and take notes. After the performance, find a quiet spot, isolate yourself and listen to the commentary. And then you want to trade off with that other ah staff member because they're probably with the kids so they can do that same thing. You should always have one to two questions ready prior to the show that you want. So if you can have justification, clarification on some kind of decision that you made in the show. You want to take notes on anything in the tapes. um and something if If something confused you that the judges said, or they're there to help you not to alienate you, so ask. I put closed mouths, don't get fed.
00:25:38
Speaker
Move fast when you get into critique because you only have three minutes with each one. This is your time. You're not going to be able to discuss your whole show. So have specific moments to talk about, specific questions be ready, specific parts of the comment period to talk about.
00:25:51
Speaker
Ah! dang okay i had three more little party two seconds exactly but i think i got that good parts oh yeah that was pretty spot on yeah that's great advice y'all might i'm gonna make a joke for my high schoolers they would be proud of me but i'm gonna be annoyed and cringed it's too bad it wasn't 67 seconds oh yeah i'm sorry i'm sorry i'll see myself out All right, yeah, see you. Bye. That whole six, seven goes into like um that. I don't like YOLO either. Like that makes me want to, that I get aggressive. like
00:26:31
Speaker
right like how I yearn for the days of YOLO.
00:26:40
Speaker
Okay. Wow. I feel like there was a weight that has been lifted off of me. Last night, actually, it happened not on purpose. Last night at rehearsal, i was telling, we're doing like a toss and a ripple. One person tosses on three, catches on five.
00:26:54
Speaker
So I thought they actually toss on two, catch on three. And the next person, i thought they were supposed to toss on five, catch on seven. And I look at her and I'm like, six, seven, you toss on six, you catch on seven. They're all like, oh my God.
00:27:11
Speaker
I would be like, you never say six, seven. You can count one, two, three, four, five, eight. Yep. I want to put in here really quick, though, because I did have some parts in here that was kind of ah important at the very end. um Just know that you control critique the director. You control critique.
00:27:32
Speaker
Be prepared and ask questions. Like, honestly, if there's anything that where there that the judges are there to do, they're there to help you. Not there to make you feel like you don't know anything. um And get a copy of the sheets.
00:27:47
Speaker
There you go. I'm done. Good advice.
00:27:53
Speaker
moving Here literally all week. All right. Well, that was a solid 60 second tech block. Did great job. Hopefully someone out there just got the tech advice they didn't know they needed. And I'm sure that would be a lot. Listen to the tapes before you go to critique, please.
00:28:13
Speaker
probably the biggest one. But now it's time to switch things up and it's time for everyone's favorite. What are we doing? What are we doing?
00:28:31
Speaker
What are we doing? All right. This is the part of the show where we let loose a little bit, e maybe a lot. This is your chance to rant about something in the marching arts that's just doesn't make sense.
00:28:44
Speaker
All right. So who's first? Looks like Nicole's first. I feel like I'm being ganged up on. It's fine. This is karma, apparently. Just i one thing you said.
00:28:58
Speaker
um This kind of goes back into that whole thing. I'm talking to directors again, but um what are we doing not using the notes section of Competition Suite? it's It's a helpful tool, you know? um A lot of people are like, oh, they don't understand my show.
00:29:14
Speaker
Put it in the notes section. You know, that's going to help that judge when you go into critique too. That's another tool you use. um Time and time again, a lot of people are like, no I don't need it. And it's just like, but it could be helpful to you in the long run. So um use the notes section of Competition Suite.
00:29:35
Speaker
Fact. Anything can help. that's Anything, yeah. I mean...
00:29:44
Speaker
I mean, you're asking the judge to understand your show, so. Yeah. Just, like, blindfolding them and, like, giving, serving them the plate. Okay, just listen. Mm-hmm.
00:29:56
Speaker
don't know. There's been a lot of times when there's shows that are super esoteric and, like, um or you need that little bit of, like, backstory. Yeah.
00:30:08
Speaker
You know? So give us that little bit of backstory so we know what we're looking at, talking about, all that other stuff. And then that makes for a better dialogue when you come into critique, too. Yeah, they could be thinking they're watching one show and really it was about something totally different.
00:30:26
Speaker
That dog show? Oh, it wasn't... That's not what it was about. that's At all. If only there was some way that I could tell the judge what the show was about. That would be great.
00:30:39
Speaker
Interesting. All right. Well, moving on to our next one. Haley, do you have a water redoing? i Yeah, actually had this revelation yesterday because I'm a Peloton user. i'm a Peloton freak. And there was I was like taking a class and the girl was instructing. She was like, I just released this stretching book and i have a seven day stretching challenge. And I'm like, you know what? I am getting to the age where I need to stretch every day. i feel it, you know. and ah And then I did the stretch class and I was like, why?
00:31:14
Speaker
what are we doing not stretching more? And then I thought about how, like, especially in rehearsal, like we do warmups and we stretch before we do rehearsal and we do all our like physical training, but like how often does anybody take time to like actually do a cool down and stretch after rehearsal?
00:31:33
Speaker
um like a group, you know, it's like when your rehearsal is done, everybody's just over it and done. And then we send everybody home and then everybody doesn't stretch. Well, I actually assume, but I think most people don't go home and stretch and then you get injured because you don't stretch. So that opened my eyes. So I'm like, what, what are we like me included?
00:31:52
Speaker
need to stretch more. Same. Yeah. I feel like I just need to stretch more. probably haven't stretched since I aged out. yeah You're not lying. I was just thinking about it. As soon as you were like, oh well, I stretched. And I was like, I don't remember the last time I stretched.
00:32:12
Speaker
It hurts me to get on the ground. hurts to get off of the ground. Getting down? I'm fine. It's getting up. That's the issue. All right. It is my turn for what are we doing?
00:32:25
Speaker
I think... So I am ah i'm judging a baton competition this weekend in Maryland. i maybe preemptively doing this but in the twirling world there's not so much like at least now from what i see there's not so much like musicality um like over the years it's just kind of like you're twirling whatever song is in the background not like twirling with the music or same goes for for color guard like you're spinning with the music like you see the highs you see the lows like
00:33:00
Speaker
in the choreography, but also like within facial expressions. So I hope that i can actually see some levels this weekend. I'm hoping and praying. You should give us follow-up.
00:33:15
Speaker
I will. okay Sometimes I feel like people just start trying to really push and make things so like driven for what the competition is asking for and they forget to make it like artistic or or anything like that.
00:33:27
Speaker
Right. Design it towards the sheet. Yeah. Or sometimes not even that. They're just doing whatever they feel like. It's random acts of color guard or random acts of person. Right. It's like, oh, this looks really cool. So I'm just going to do all these cool individual things and nothing goes together. It's like choppy. And sometimes choppy is not what we're going for. Yeah.
00:33:52
Speaker
The artistry sometimes is missing. and I mean, we're literally a pageantry sport. Yeah. Come on. yeah So, and I mean, and so is pretend twirling. So yeah. Yeah.
00:34:03
Speaker
yeah All right, Steven, you're up. Yeah. Yeah. So mine mine's not too serious. I've done so many of these for so long. i don't want to throw anyone under the bus, but I saw something online and it kind of is, what are we doing? So what are we doing with our friends all summer? Are we just sitting on the couch? Cause I see some people online now are literally just taking them and their friends and they're forming a sound sport group.
00:34:26
Speaker
They're just like, yeah, me and like 15 homies are just going to like, yeah, we're we' a group now. You have to tolerate eight minutes of us in the arena while we compete.
00:34:38
Speaker
I did not know that's how people were putting groups together. This is the thing. this is the thing now that I think at least someone's doing. I see it online. Someone was talking about it because they were asking what are the actual rules and turns out there's not not a lot of rules. So you can get your clique together and just go out and put a show on.
00:34:56
Speaker
Yeah, I think they're using their own instruments. I think that the rules allow for them to have enough members that they count. So, yeah, they are a sound support group. They're going to do a show. and That's kind of fire. On the internet, so never lie. so All right, see here's here's a thought. Should the On a Water Break podcast become a sound support group? Oh, goodness. No.
00:35:22
Speaker
That's not being...
00:35:26
Speaker
I yeah them people we have people. lot of people. but It would sound like really i don't mean interesting. You know, like the marching band in the Spongebob episode?
00:35:40
Speaker
yeah Yeah, it'd be kind of like that. You're right. We would do a Spongebob show. That's what we would do. We would do, oh my gosh, on a water break, Spongebob. Oh my goodness. Now, okay, just edit all that out. I shouldn't have said anything. think it's a great bit, to be honest. Someone's going to be inspired by this, and then we're going to see some Spongebob shows. We're going to see Spongebob shows.
00:36:04
Speaker
Well, they can't stop me and my friends from going in the arena and doing our SpongeBob show for eight minutes. so Eight minutes of SpongeBob. You gotta accelerate But like, turn down the lights like that. I think it's like, well, it's some kind of episode where they're like in that dome. and A bubble bowl. Yeah, the bubble bowl. You've heard it here first, people. It's happening. It's happening. You just, you wait.
00:36:29
Speaker
All right. Well, now that we got all that off our chest, let's get into our gush and goes. Great job, everyone. Set your equipment down. Gush and go.
00:36:43
Speaker
All right. Welcome to gush and go. This is your chance to shout out something awesome happening in your life, marching arts related or not. note and No negativity here. Just pure unfiltered hype.
00:36:55
Speaker
And first up, we actually have a special gush and go from On A Water Break legend, Trish. Hi, it's Trish from the On A Water Break podcast. And I am gushing and going. going be gushing and going a lot because this week starts winter garden competition season.
00:37:12
Speaker
But I'm honored to have one of my good friends who you will know from on a water break. He was on the Bruno Zucola episode. It's my good friend, Ryan Bronner. Hi. How is everybody? Hope you have a great start to your winter season.
00:37:26
Speaker
Who's your early prediction for world class? I got to go etude. Okay. I got to go etude. Okay. That's good. We'll see how that goes. What are we doing? sorry hot take before we even see anything hot take wow awesome i'm so glad that trish was able to do that for us and you know send us in something like that that's cool that was funny too she always cracks me up i love her uh the voice recording for the water we do she's
00:37:59
Speaker
Like the accent. I feel like she's like throw her hand. She is a Jersey ma. Yeah, that accent is Jersey ma all the way. way's but I think I have the next ah gush and go.
00:38:14
Speaker
You are. We're ganging up on you. What'd you say? We're ganging up on you. First and everything. And you're not going to see me much on screen this season. So I get it.
00:38:25
Speaker
um But ah so my, my gush and go has to do with like, again, how much growth we have with on a water break, but specifically with the APs. So Amari Lewis, who did the first episode, um did a great job um and also is contracted with Boston Crusaders for next summer.
00:38:47
Speaker
um Emily Nee, who does all of our characters, you know, us in in comic book form. um She is also one of our, um another AP that we have, and her episode is next week.
00:39:01
Speaker
And then we have ah Jeremy Zobda. ah he He runs the Drum Corps World um website and has been on before. Amazing. He's doing...
00:39:14
Speaker
week after this next episode. And then we have Haley who is here, who is doing tonight's episode, Aspiring Judge, and also the visual caption head of Cincinnati Tradition, who is the Open Class Champion for DCI All Age 2025.
00:39:29
Speaker
So I'm excited about all of you guys. Like, honestly, this is something, i don't know, mind blown something. I don't know. I'm excited. i'm I'm in shock and I'm gagged. So it's awesome. But that's what I'm gushing about.
00:39:44
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. I've seen the show come a long way. So just seeing like the, even that, the automatic switch of me popping into the screen, Nicole's talking, we have transitions and everything, and it's really cool. So thank you to all you guys for for coming on board. Yay, one big happy family.
00:40:03
Speaker
Yes. All right, Haley, do you have a gush and go for us? I just want to gush about the fact that it's 2026,
00:40:12
Speaker
And I didn't really care about setting a new year's resolution. So I just don't have any pressure going into this new year. And it's like, I'm just going to be free this year, not worry about things like I normally do. And I tell myself that, but then I'm still probably going to do it, but it'll be fine. But no, it's just like the, you know, whole cliche new year, new beginnings. But no, it's exciting to see all these new things happen. So.
00:40:39
Speaker
yeah We are so happy to have you on the water break or with the, on the water break family really are. I'm excited to be here. All right. Well, my gush and go, I think I'm going to have to talk about um my indoor program
Innovative Indoor Guard Collaboration
00:40:55
Speaker
that we're doing. So last year it was just, um so we have five high schools in the, in my County. And the one that I teach at is rising sun high school.
00:41:06
Speaker
We are combining schools ah into one like County indoor guard. Cause there's no other indoor guards in the County. um so I have kids from like all over the county in the program, which is really, really exciting to see.
00:41:23
Speaker
um I'm excited to see them grow in whatever our show is going to be. I'm also going to be doing something a little bit different. Like we've been doing, you know, the lovey dovey, like, i don't know, love shows.
00:41:39
Speaker
It's still kind of like that, but it's got like a little bit of a rock and roll aspect to it. So, I'm excited. do it Yeah. I'm going to leak some info. it's ah song The song is sung by Youngblood. Oh, nice. okay
00:41:57
Speaker
Okay. saying It's to interesting. I literally can't say anything. I am speechless about my own gush and go. yes what Would you go as far as to call it a gush and grow?
00:42:12
Speaker
Yes, I would. Yes, I would. Stephen. that dad joke. I'm kidding. Horrendous. um yeah i kidding i have a bunch of new stuff that I'm finally excited about. So if anyone has been thinking about like getting an iPad to teach with, I got an iPad and it is so worth it. It is really, really good. I am paid by Apple. This is a paid advertisement. I'm ah But um yeah, if you've been considering it, I totally personally think it like has really helped me feel more professional as an educator.
00:42:47
Speaker
And then with credit card points, I bought myself a five-string bass, which I've been getting into. so this has been my little, like, earworm in my brain all day. I'm just like, I haven't actually felt this way probably since, like, sheesh. I was, like, really into producing beats in Logic around, like, mid to late COVID, where it was just in my brain all day. i was like, I want to get into DAW.
00:43:13
Speaker
Well, right now I want to play my bass. So I've been really excited about that. That looks amazing. She's pretty. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. All off credit card points. So that's my advice. My advice put together is, you know, go get an iPad, put it on the credit card, swipe away, don't think about it. yeah You're going to get points back. It's free money.
00:43:36
Speaker
It'll all work out. Yeah. Free money. Cancel each other out. It's a wash. Yeah. This is not financial advice. Please don't listen to any financial advice we give. This is satire. Is it?
00:43:52
Speaker
Oh, gosh. Is it? All right. Well. Hey, it's called Gush and Go, not Gush Stay. Let's go.
00:44:05
Speaker
Well, it looks like we are about done here. If you've got a question or a good topic to talk about, send us your water redoing, send us your gushing goes or any new stories that you might want to hear about.
00:44:16
Speaker
You might even see yourself featured on a future episode and check out the link in our bio to submit using
Closing Remarks and Engagement Reminder
00:44:22
Speaker
our form. And thank you for a great rehearsal this week. Thank you to everyone who is spending time with us today.
00:44:28
Speaker
een Nicole, Haley, thank you so much for being here. was to see all of your faces. After several months. Exactly. Don't i'll make a habit of being this long next time. Yeah.
00:44:43
Speaker
Well, for us, for Steven and I, it might be a little longer, it's okay. I'll see. I'll see you when I see. yeah I think you guys should be around as often as you want.
00:44:54
Speaker
You guys are great. So I just wait for the call. Plug me in coach. sitting there playing your bass and then you get the call yeah the call comes in we need you on on a water break i'll put the bass down for an hour fixed all right and one more thing don't forget we have a youtube channel now so go subscribe so you can see us all there also before you close out of your podcast listening out go subscribe write us a review share with a friend make you follow us on social media at on a water break and we'll see you at the next rehearsal on a water break go practice
00:45:34
Speaker
The On a Water Break podcast was produced by Jeremy Williams and Christine Ream. The intro and outro music was produced by Josh Lida. To learn more, visit LidaMusic.com.
00:45:46
Speaker
And until next time, thanks for tuning