Bluecoats Win World Championships

Written By Mike Scott

WITH A RECORD-BREAKING SCORE OF 98.75, THE CANTON BLUECOATS ARE ONCE AGAIN THE DCI WORLD CHAMPIONS, WINNING AN UNDEFEATED SEASON & SECURING THEIR EIGHTH MEDAL IN 9 SEASONS.

The 2024 Bluecoats, staff, and volunteers pose with the Founders Trophy after winning the Drum Corps International World Championships.

After three nights of stellar performances at the 2024 Drum Corps International World Championships in Indianapolis, the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps have won the title once again. Last earned in 2016, the corps has become a competitive and artistic powerhouse in the last decade, landing a top 3 finish in nearly every competitive season since 2014. In front of a nearly sold-out crowd, the corps performance of Change Is Everything brought the house down and earned the top spot. 

This was the corps’ first undefeated season. Tonight’s world class finals marked the final win in a string of seventeen competitive shows, and a total of twenty-one performances on their 8,000 mile national tour. 

Watch the video.

Beyond their undefeated status and World Championships, the Bluecoats organization notched several other ‘wins’ during their annual summer season. In June Bluecoats and its affiliate EN-RICH-MENT opened the brand new, $2mm EN-RICH-MENT Arts Education Center in Downtown Canton. The building is now operating as the permanent home of free arts, music, and life-skills programming for students in Stark County. And earlier this week, the organization announced a record-breaking crowd at its annual Innovations In Brass event, which drew more than 11,000 spectators, performers, and staff to Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium for the final event of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week.

Tomorrow the corps performer and parents will join the staff and volunteers at a private World Championships banquet to celebrate their win. 

In a statement about the win, Bluecoats CEO Mike Scott said, “Tonight the corps was incredible and proved itself the Champion. We’re incredibly proud of that. But win or lose,  I’m particularly proud of this corps, and our organization, for setting out to challenge itself artistically, and also achieve big things and reach for very lofty values. This Championship is a crowning moment to celebrate all that we have accomplished. 

The corps will host 2025 audition events in November and December in Dallas, Atlanta, Canton, and Southern California. Information has been announced at bluecoats.com/join.

Mike Scott
Mike Scott is a clinician, consultant, and the CEO of Rhythm X, Inc., a non-profit music education company in Dayton, Ohio. Mike earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 2012. There he studied percussion and conducting and completed the Farmer School of Business Summer Institute. Before beginning his career as an administrator and teacher, Mike was an active performer in the marching arts. In 2011 Mike was the conductor of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps of Canton, Ohio and was a performer in Rhythm X’s percussion ensemble from 2011-2012. Mike was also a member of the Miami University Marching Band for four years, serving as the drum major during the 2011 and 2012 seasons. In 2013 Mike began work at Rhythm X, Inc. as the Operations Director, managing the business development and logistics of the organization. He was also the Director of Instrumental Music at St. Ursula Academy in Toledo, Ohio. There he taught band, orchestra, and general music in grades 6-12. Prior to the 2015 competitive season, Mike became the first full-time employee at Rhythm X, Inc. as the company’s CEO. There he works with the organization’s President Tim Fairbanks to develop the future strategy of the company. During the summer months, Mike travels the country with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps as the group’s Tour Administrator. He has also served as the tour manager of The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Mike proudly endorses Innovative Percussion, Etymotic Research, and Fred J. Miller Inc.
http://mikewscott.com
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