If you've been a fan of the Bluecoats for the last few years or even the last decade, you know about the corps' home away from home: Denison University in Granville, Ohio. 

In 2018, however, the corps will spend its pre-tour phase at Indiana Wesleyan University in northern Indiana due to a planned renovation restricting the available housing space at Denison.

"Big Red" To "Big Bloo"

The corps has spent its five-week spring training at the Denison University since 2007, and even the small town of Granville quickly became an extension of the Bluecoats' fan base. 

Hosting free concerts and open rehearsals to the community, the corps has always brought in a constant flow of drum corps fans/participants to the area to enjoy the local shops and restaurants with a side of top-tier marching arts.

“We established an incredible relationship with Denison University," Bluecoats Business Development Manager Mike Scott said. "Members of their staff and community truly became part of our family. We even participated in a recently published, yearslong scientific study with the research department on campus.”

The corps utilized the university's athletic facilities such as Deeds Field, an indoor field house called the Mitchell Center, and at least three other football field-sized spaces.

“A number of housing renovations at Denison University slated for this summer was going to make it difficult to keep everyone comfortable for our five-week spring training," Scott said. 

The limitations of housing pushed the corps to pursue another solution for a spring training location that was seemingly hiding in plain sight: IWU.

Granville will be missed by the Canton corps, but Marion, IN, is not an unfamiliar place for it either.

Moving In To Marion

Since 2013, Bluecoats have made Indiana Wesleyan University the final stop on their two-month long summer tour. Now, they begin where they will end.

The corps' members and staff will use the university's dormitories as well as a number of the campus' impressive facilities.

From the Bluecoats' official press release, "the corps will have access to air-conditioned housing...the Phillippe Performing Arts Center, Troyer Fieldhouse Athletic Center, and the university's new state-of-the-art football complex that will be completed prior to the corps' arrival."

Indiana Wesleyan University has always been a housing site in high demand for drum and bugle corps but has never had a devoted football stadium. Now, this site goes above and beyond when it comes to setting up a corps for success on its summer tour.

"We’ve been spending championships week at IWU for a number of years so this was a match made in heaven," Scott said. "We’re really eager to try out the brand-new stadium!”