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Maroon and Gold News

THE 76TM ANNIVERSARY OF HOLY NAME

Hello Holy Name


News of Our Corps

DCI

Listen to Don Angelica´s solo from
1957


JUNE, 30, 2010

As this month draws to a close it’s hard to grasp the emotional roller coaster the Cadet world has been experiencing. We have thrilled to a Corps of Cadets who are predominately new to the maroon and gold (ninety of them wearing our fabled uniform for the first time), yet who have already shown they are Cadets of outstanding talent, accomplishment and character. They are performing a show that is receiving audience acclaim wherever they appear, and both the show and the performance level has been improving day to day, week to week, to the point where most of us mere mortals are wondering how they could possibly become so good so rapidly. Our alumni are so proud of our 2010 marching Cadets we can barely contain ourselves, and our pride is more than just about their competitive excellence. It is every bit as much about how they are honoring everything The Cadets represent, both as individuals and as a corps. Evidence the note written by Bob Peterson following The Cadets’ appearances in Bob’s new native state of Minnesota.

Letters from Bobby Peterson that make a Cadet smile !!!
· Jun. 29th, 2010 at 3:23 PM
Bob Peterson, one of the great Cadets of the past , wrote these recent notes. Both make me smile. Most remind me how lucky I am to be where I am.

1) To Rudy, the assistant director for the Cadets

2) To Scott, the percussion section leader.

 

Hi Rudy,

I am late for an appointment but I wanted to thank you so very much for allowing me the privilege of addressing the Corps and singing our hymn last evening. I am completely amazed at the character and quality of the entire organization. These kids are " off the chart special"and that does not come by accident. The entire staff is to be congratulated and applauded for instilling the character and qualities displayed last evening. I have a lot more to share with you but I am late for my appointment. I looked for you last night but I was engaged with the kids until the buses were pulling out. Please let me know the cost of the Gatorade and I will mail a check.

More to come and thanks again,
Bob

 

Good Morning Scott,

There are no words to describe the emotions running through my body at this time. We only had a few hours together last evening due to some logistics problems that prohibited the Corps from rehearsing in Mankato. For 3.5 hours I was captivated with the presence of ---without question---- the greatest group of young people I have ever had the privilege of meeting in my life.

Your show was absolutely incredible but even more impressive was the character of the entire organization. I have heard and read about the qualities of the 2010 Cadets but one must live the experience to comprehend the enormity of those qualities.

The drum head you presented to me signed by everyone in the percussion section is something I will treasure for the rest of my life. As if that wasn't enough, I completely lost it when you so graciously presented me your drum sticks. We both know the significant meaning of that gesture. Please thank the entire percussion section for their wonderful display of affection and inclusiveness.

Scott you are one incredible Cadet and I thank you for the privilege to be your friend. Best of luck for the balance of the year. Regardless of placement "Holy Name Shall Always be…"

From one old section leader to a great section leader of today.
Thanks so very much,

Bob

We both as a corps and as individuals are also simultaneously experiencing pain and sorrow beyond comprehension. Today many of us are preparing to attend services for our beloved Sue Erben, who lost her life so recently we have still not been able to come to terms with the immensity of our loss. A loss of a Cadet, any Cadet, shakes me to my core, as it undoubtedly does you as well. Cadet Nick Seputo, Cadet Pete Kooyenga, Cadet Lou Reda, and too many others, all lost to us long before we were ready to say goodbye, and all within such a short period of time.

Our new young marching Cadets, and their great adult leadership led by George and Rudy and the rest of the staff, administrative and instructional, and the volunteers who share their time and their talents without thought of reward of any kind, have been experiencing challenges of weather and travel that boggle the mind, yet they push on and overcome as though they are impervious to obstacles of any kind. Our office support staff, shattered by the unexpected and terrible loss of one of their own, press on and do what needs to be done to assist the corps and the young men and women they serve. That too is awe-inspiring. What would we do without them? They work so hard and accomplish so much it’s impossible to provide adequate thanks, but we can and we must support their efforts in the most practical way possible…through the financial donations required to keep The Cadets supplied with everything they need to successfully complete this hugely important journey of their young lives.

Greg Pych, John Hannigan, and Jim Dugan have established a scholarship fund in Sue’s name designed to assist Cadets who find themselves facing the possibility of not realizing their dream of being a Cadet or not returning for another year because they lack the finances to do so. This has been the dream of many Cadet Alumni for many years, and to see it come to fruition, with George’s support and endorsement, is yet another legacy Sue has left us. Through our tears she has touched our hearts and inspired our souls. Thank you Greg. Thank you John. You too make us very, very proud in realizing, once again, what being a Cadet is all about.

Last night while our Cadets were on tour in the Midwest, they partnered with Jersey Surf to sponsor a contest at the College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ. It couldn’t have been a grander success. The night was a perfect night for drum corps. The site was magnificent. The roster of participating corps and their levels of excellence were mind boggling. The stands were packed end to end, and for the first time that I can remember in a very long time, I saw members of corps who had completed their performances, wandering around the stadium, socializing, meeting members of others corps, watching their competitors perform. It made my heart swell. I arrived early in the afternoon specifically to watch the YEA team move into their now-almost-flawless organizational mode, another point of very great pride and admiration for me. I watch them and think to myself…they are “The Cadet Team,” and they are really, really good, and we are very, very lucky to have them.

The Cadets, due to their tour schedule, were not present at this competition, and they were missed. Their guest corps, however, more than made up for their absence. I have never seen so many corps so good this early in the season. Thank you all for the privilege of allowing those of us in attendance to witness the magic you brought to the field.

An especially important event of the evening was the induction of three more Cadets who served our country in the military into The Cadets Honored Hall of Military Veterans. Two were original Holy Name Cadets, part of a three brother team who enlisted in the Navy and served our Nation from 1941 to 1945. The third brother, Nick Patrisso, also an original member of the Holy Name Cadets , was inducted at ceremonies in Allentown on June 18th. The third inductee last night was Greg Zwarycz, a helicopter pilot who was seriously wounded in Vietnam, and is now deceased. None of the three new inductees were able to be present so I was honored to be asked to represent them in accepting their awards. They or their families will receive a plaque that honors their service to our corps and to our country, and additionally their names will be affixed to a large memorial located in the YEA offices in Allentown, Pa.

As we move into July the competition on the field will become more and more intense. Many thousands will thrill, once again, to Cadet performances that bring spectators to their feet in roaring approval. During the heat of that competition it is often hard to stay focused on what sets The Cadets apart from the other wonderful young men and women in the talented corps they will meet on the fields of competition. But, behind it all…the real point of it all…is the philosophy of this very special drum corps we all love so much: the values and work ethic our young marching Cadets absorb, and the confidence we all feel that when their time in uniform is done, they will carry what they have learned out into the world, and just as they have done in The Cadets, they will try every day to be the best they can possibly be in whatever fields of endeavor they choose to pursue.

This is the Cadet Creed. This is why we exist. This is why we donate our time and our labor and our personal treasure. Our 2010 Cadets, like all The Cadets who preceded them, will continue to enrich and strengthen who and what we are, and though we will suffer the pain of loss as we are now enduring, we will go on, and Holy Name shall always be…

As one final thought I would like to ask all my Fellow Cadet Alumni to join with me in congratulating our good friends and long –time competitors ,the Boston Crusaders , on the occasion of their 70th Anniversary. It is our sincere hope that Boston continues on with many more years of proud accomplishment. The Cadets salute you.
Similarly, thought it seems hard to believe, our closest friends and competitors in our home area, Jersey Surf, are celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year. It has been a thrill and an honor to watch them grow bigger and better with each passing year. The Cadets salute you, and wish you many more years of Surf magic.

What It Means To Be A Once And Always Cadet.

For Holy Name shall always be…

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