Pacific Crest CEO Stuart Pompel was honest. When the 2020 DCI Summer Tour went away, his corps felt like a golden opportunity had dissolved within their hands.
“We felt, maybe, cheated by 2020,” he said.
Of course, the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge for everyone in the drum corps community, and Pompel and his corps know that all too well.
But the southern California corps knew it had something brewing heading into the season that never was.
In 2019, Pacific Crest experienced one of those breakout years that come every now and then for drum corps — where an ensemble, quietly at first, but quickly, jumps competitive strata and reaches new heights. The 2019 season featured an all-time high final score of 85.350 and an all-time high placement of 14th. That marked an almost unthinkable improvement of six placements and 6.050 points from the year prior.
PACIFIC CREST KEEPS DIGGING TO BEST FINISH EVER (2019)
They’d come out of 2019 on a hot streak, too, rising from 16th to 14th place just within the final three days of the season. And according to Pompel, that momentum wasn’t slowing down in the early audition season.
“We had a great audition season going into 2020. Tons of kids, a super high level of talent, and a more rigorous selection process," he said. "I think we were poised to go even further in terms of production and performance, quality and maybe even competitive results."
DOWNLOAD (AUDIO): PACIFIC CREST 2021, “eX”
In Pacific Crest’s eyes, 2020 had the chance to be that next step. Instead, they had to put it in park.
Fortunately, though, as far as Pompel could see, once the ball got rolling again in 2021 and the corps began plans to participate in the 2021 DCI Celebration Tour, there was no stall. The way he sees it, Pacific Crest still has plenty of its 2019 fuel still in the tank.
“When 2020 got shut down, I think it was a sort of a collective moment, where we could have put our tails between our legs and walked away,” he said. “I think the fact that we knew we had to do something in 2021 and then to see what we were able to accomplish and achieve, I think that momentum is still there.”
AUDITION FOR 2022 PACIFIC CREST
According to Pompel, 2021 not only showed him the forward momentum his corps still had going for it, but it also proved to him how much his students and staff could accomplish, even with less time and resources to do so.
“I mean, what they were able to do in such a short amount of time last year creates a level of optimism for us this year that’s been a long time since we felt that way,” he said. “We had a very short time to put together a production, but the students really rose to the occasion.”
Pompel noted that while it’s been a gradual process coming out of hibernation and back into a normal audition season, winter and early-spring camps have been a success and there’s visible progress throughout the corps.
“We've had three really good camps,” he said. “And there’s a growing number of students interested in the program. They're getting great instruction and great experience … We're seeing a little bit of momentum, and a lot of great opportunities for them at the camps.”
PACIFIC CREST ENTERS WORLD OF THE PAST WITH 2022 PRODUCTION
Ultimately, the celebration of Drum Corps International’s 50th anniversary in 2022 adds bonus adrenaline to an already highly-anticipated tour for Pacific Crest.
"It’s DCI’s 50th anniversary," Pompel said. "And while some of our younger students may not really understand what that means, a lot of our students do.”
It’s something for which staff and performers alike share excitement — not just the anniversary aspect, but the fullness of the 2022 DCI Tour.
Whether veterans or newcomers to the activity, this summer marks the first time since at least 2019 that Pacific Crest members have been able to go coast-to-coast with their corps.
“We’re excited to be able to head out to, for example, Texas, and be a part of the full tour as we bring the whole activity back together again,” Pompel said.
And make no mistake, in more ways than one, Pacific Crest is ready to put the buses in drive and hit the road.
“It’s a special year,” Pompel said. “We’re back in full throttle.”
VIEW PACIFIC CREST’S 2022 TOUR SCHEDULE