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Star United
2010 Players Roster
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Becky Saddlemire, Drum Major |
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Becky first served as a brass player with Star of Indiana in the
corps' inaugural season. She has since served as Drum Major, Tour
Director, and Den Mother for the Star family, continuing her tradition
of performing with Star United. Becky's dedication to the
organization is unquestionable. She was the recipient of
Member of the Year
accolades from her fellow cast members in 2008. |
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Ron Dawson,
Percussion |
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Ron performed with the Star of Indiana percussion section between
1988 and 1991, helping the corps earn their only DCI championship. He
was lured to Star United in 2009 became an integral
part of the corps’ pulse. Although it’s possible he had no idea what he
was getting himself into, Ron couldn’t be a better fit for the corps and
is repeating the lapse in judgment again this year. Ron is a previous
recipient of the Member of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards (click
here). |
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Scott McCoy,
Percussion |
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No
stranger to the senior drum corps activity, Scott McCoy offers his
talents as a performer (along with his longtime girlfriend Penny) to the
Star United percussion section. Sure, they fight a lot, but Penny
always wins and it bolsters the rest of us to see a Cavalier lose
at something. Scott's impact on the corps was immediate and positive and
having him in the corps as a performer has been a rare treat. Scott is
also our token Schaumburg Guardsmen alum. |
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Penny Wyatt,
Percussion |
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Penny originally attended winter camps for Star of Indiana in
preparation of the 1991 season, but eventually participated with
the 1993 Concord Blue Devils. In recent years, she’s performed with
Music City Legend Senior Corps. Penny was a co-recipient of the
Member of the Year award for her work in 2009. More
importantly, she’s singlehandedly introduced the word “Y’all” into the
Star United verbal lexicon. |
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Raquel "Rachel" Rodriguez,
Trumpet |
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Star United is lucky enough to have Rachel
aboard again in 2010. A veteran of Star of Indiana ('92), Brass
Theater ('95, '96) and an inaugural member of Blast! She's
also received acclaim as a performer Synergy Brass and as a
soloist with the Fountain City Brass Band. Gee, I guess this makes her a ringer. She's
also the Assistant Trumpet Instructor at Northern Kentucky
University. Check out her great web site (click
here). |
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Brian Frederick,
Trumpet |
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Brian was a mellophonist at Star of Indiana from 1989 through
1991. He also performed with Brass Theater and was an original
cast member for with Blast! Brian also served his country with
distinction as a soprano bugler under the baton of Truman Crawford in
the Commandants Own Drum and Bugle Corps (1991-1995). If Brian
keeps working at it, he might play as clean and sharp as his jarhead haircut!
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Ed Cooning IV, Trumpet |
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Ed has been fortunate to
experience every incarnation of the Star organization. Although he is a
trumpet player in the formal sense, he is a card carrying member of the
Dead Mello Society (link).
When he is not playing trumpet or mello, he is usually training for his
next race with Jonnie's Goodguys (link).
Ed would like to thank Brian Frederick for introducing him to drum corps
and Star. Ed's best advice: "Start your day
with a dew!" |
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Dan Hubbard, Trumpet |
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It’s rare to encounter a quiet trumpeter. Dan has quietly fulfilled an
important role for Star United since its inception. A veteran of
Brass Theater (’96 & ’97), Dan has been depended upon to switch
between first and second trumpet parts at a moment’s notice. Dan is a
recipient of the Brad Stansberry Award (click
here). |
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Dan Goldman, Trumpet |
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Dan is a veteran of the Bluecoats' mellophone section, and has
been an enthusiastic presence in the trumpet section since 2007. His
fellow corps mates don't have the heart to tell him that when Star
United is announced, the crowd is saying "Boooo," not "Bluuuu." |
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Shane Connor, Trumpet |
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Shane's contribution to the trumpet section has been immediate and
dramatic. He's quiet and reserved (a rarity for a trumpet player) and
has added power and musicality to the small bores. Of course, this
doesn't imply that the trumpets are either small or boring. Shane
marched with the Cadets and the Cavaliers, but his tenure
with the Geneseo Knights (particularly the '85 show) cleans the
slate for us as far as that whole "Cavalier" thing is concerned. |
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Brad Poreda, Trumpet |
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Brad is a Star of Indiana alum who has formerly served as a Human
Capitalist Analyst with the U.S. Navy. We've asked what that means, but
have been told disclosure would mean certain death for all of us.
Currently, Brad works with Apple Corporation, so you can blame him for
issues with your iPhone reception. Brad is also Jim Prime, Jr.'s music
type setter (which has to be really cool). |
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Sean Conley,
Mellophone |
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Sean joined Star of Indiana in 1986 and has been involved with
the corps ever since. A resident of the Star “Wall of Fame,” Sean
undertook the task of creating Star United. It was a tough sell
to the prospective members, many of which were unfamiliar with senior
drum corps. Countless hours of planning, preparation, and extortion on
Sean’s part have made the dream of returning to competition a reality
for the corps' members (until Mass Brass kicks our butts!) |
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Scooter Pirtle,
Mellophone |
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Scooter is a veteran of Class A, Div I, Senior, and Alumni corps. He
created
middlehornleader.com
and has published articles and chapters on the
drum corps experience including the evolution of the competition bugle (click
here). |
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Angie Mefford,
Mellophone |
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Angie was a mellophone performer with the 1991 Star of Indiana,
returning to the corps in 1994 to participate with the new Brass
Theater concept. She's assisted drum corps midvoices throughout the
country, most recently the LaCrosse Blue Stars. Unlike most of
her fellow section mates, Angie can read music (very well) and has
anchored the section for three successful seasons. She also speaks
fluent Klingon. |
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Mike Chromik,
Mellophone |
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Mike is another one of the Star of Indiana inaugural performers,
participating in the corps from 1985 through 1988. Active on nearly 250
forums and boards ranging from drum corps to East European Anime, Mike
is the resident expert on all that is electronic. We suspect he may be a
Borg, but his bodily functions would suggest otherwise. Mike is also the
father of the sacred cheeseburger (click
here). |
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Angela Zoss,
Mellophone |
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This veteran of Capital Regiment and the Syracuse Brigadiers
relocated to Bloomington, Indiana to study information technology.
Angela is a rare find in the drum corps realm, and has contributed
greatly to the Star United mid-voice section. Except for rare
moments when she yearns to learn drill, she’s a completely tolerable
addition to the corps. This is a very sad commentary on her part indeed. |
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Alan Ausbrooks, Baritone |
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Alan is a veteran of Brass Theatre, performing with the group in
1998. His appetite to march again was whetted when he participated with
the Star of Indiana Alumni Corps in 2004. As one of Star
United’s most enthusiastic participants, Alan brings a large amount
of passion, and occasionally great intonation to the baritone
section. Alan is a recipient of the Brad Stansberry Award
(click
here). |
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Lesa Nelson, Baritone |
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Lesa brings tremendous experience from her time with the Star of
Indiana baritone section to Star United. More importantly,
she's achieved acclaim as the off-duty firefighter who, during the Indy
Mini Marathon, stopped to render CPR to a participant who had a heart
attack. After saving the patient's life, Lesa completed the rest of the
marathon. Considering her fellow members current health status, she may
get a chance to repeat this feat in the near future. |
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Aaron Steele, Baritone |
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Aaron is a true renaissance man. He’s a digital imaging specialist and
photographer for the Indianapolis Museum of Art, a fine arts library
bibliographic researcher, and, oh yeah, and a three year member of
Brass Theater. Despite this, he’s meshed flawlessly into the Star
United family. He’s also a rabid St. Louis Cardinals fan. Judging
from Aaron’s jersey number, he’s also an Adam Wainrwight fan. |
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Kim Sommer, Baritone |
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Kim is an inaugural member of Star of Indiana,
aging out in the corps’ first season. Despite being the oldest veteran
of the corps, Kim is reluctant to back down to a challenge and rarely
demonstrates the inherent fear response that has helped to perpetuate
our species (unless he's out of margarita mix). Kim is also Star
United’s resident oceanographer, discovering the presence of Star
United-friendly sharks in Lake Ontario (click
here). |
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Seth Brown, Baritone |
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Don’t let the boyish good looks and the glued on sideburns fool you,
Seth is a grizzled drum corps veteran. Aging out of the Blue Stars,
Seth solidified his position within the Star United organization and
helped anchor the baritone section during their award winning 2008
performances. He has also perfected the
high mark time beer chug
(click
here). |
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Randy Soules, Baritone |
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Randy joined Star of
Indiana in 1986 as a sax player and immediately (and foolishly)
became a 3rd Euphonium who also played Contra in the Close Encounters
production. Two giant horns, no neck straps. Since re-discovering
brass with Star United, the challenges continue and the 3rd valve
is still a mystery to him. Wave a $100 and sheet music to "Mary Had a
Little Lamb" at him and he'll walk away sobbing. Give him six months of
rehearsal camps and a fingering chart and he's a monster with the
baritone. |
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Jeff Banyots,
Contra |
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Jeff started his career marching with the 1988 Santa Clara Vanguard,
and Limited Edition, ’89-‘90. After school, stints as a
trombonist on cruise ships, and a two year tour with the Tommy Dorsey
Orchestra, he came to Chicago in 1999. He marched with the Kilties, and
now three years with Star United. Jeff is a freelance Bass Trombonist,
and is also an eight year member, and past president, of the Illinois
Brass Band. He can also recite from memory the entire movie
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. |
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Brian Kraft,
Contra |
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Brian’s drum corps reference emanates from the Madison Scouts.
He’s also served as a visual caption head for the Blue Stars and
has assisted the Bluecoats. After many years being behind the
scenes in the drum corps activity, Brian is genuinely appreciative of
having an opportunity to perform before audiences again--especially if
they don't throw empty beer bottles at his head! |
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Spike,
Contra |
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Spike is a veteran of Star of Indiana and performed as a contra
player for Star United in 2006 & 2007. In an error in judgment,
Spike took over "bus mom" duties in 2009 and set about directing the corps down the road and making
endless, rambling announcement on the bus intercom. Fittingly, he was
returned to the contrabass section for 2010. |
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Brad Stansberry Award Recipient |
Jon
Miller Award Recipient |
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Rookie
if the Year Award Recipient |
Member
of the Year Award Recipient |
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Distinguished Star
United Alumnae
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Jeff Appel, '07, '08, '09 |
Matt Basey, '06 |
Nancy Brown, '06, '07, '08, '09 |
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Dr. Chicken Bone Bob, '07 |
Frank Cardenas, '08, '09 |
Rob Dorocke, '06, '08 |
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Matt Evans, '06 |
Julie Gerhardt, '06, '07 |
Kyle Gross, '06 |
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Mike Morrow, '06, '07, '08, '09 |
Mark Schleihs, '06, '07, '08, '09 |
Dan Solero, '06, '07, '08 |
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