Eleven days after the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps qualified for the elite finals of the Drum Corps International World Championships for the first time in 26 years, and after he was shocked to be named Director of the Year by his peers, Fred Morris is not yet ready for vacation.

In those 11 days, he has:

*hired all of the design team and caption heads (brass, percussion, color guard) back for next year;

*had three design meetings;

*has three shows on the table;

*has met with the accountant and paid the bills; and

*is frantically searching for somewhere to hold the first three-day audition camp the weekend of December 4-6.

But he's also not ready to stop talking about what 132 kids from 28 states did that landed them on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on the night of August 8.

"Our numbers were holding, and we were like 'huh,' after the West Coast swing," Morris said. "The kids really started getting the fervor going and we said, 'Let's start shooting the lock off this thing and see what happens.'"

When the numbers held through Denver and Texas and then through the East, Morris and his staff ramped up their message to the kids.

"We said, 'We've got a real shot at this thing.' They've got rightful ownership of this thing. They have pride of ownership. At some point in the season, after all of the installation and working and fine tuning and changing, they take over. And this group just got better and better and better."

At a brunch in Indianapolis the morning after the finals, Morris said good-bye officially to 26 Troopers, who reached the DCI-set age of 22 during the season or will have reached it before next season starts.

"That's a lot for us," he said. "All but two of them had been here since '07, they were my comeback kids. It was very emotional."

Morris worries that not everyone outside of drum corps understands what a huge accomplishment reaching the finals is in only the third year back on the field after taking 2006 off from competition.

Next year, Morris wants to add six horns to make 72; six color guard to increase to 36 and two percussion spots to make 40, for a total of 148. DCI limits the number on the field to 150.

"We've all agreed we're raising the bar again," he said.

The 2010 season officially begins in December, when Morris and his staff would like to host the first audition camp December 4-6. He needs a big gym and is having trouble finding a location, so anyone with one available is welcome to call him.

In December and January, all Troopers will audition.

"Nobody has a sacred spot," he said. "Come and show us what you've got."

Beginning in February, the selected corps will have camp once a month, and with the exception of key school activities and family obligations, attendance is expected.

There is a $75 audition fee, a camp fee of $50 for food and a space on a gym floor; and a $40 bus fee if transportation is required to camp.

"I got my first e-mail July 8," Morris said, "and I've got 200 interested from all over the country."

Wyoming band students interested in learning more about the Troopers have two opportunities to meet Morris formally in October, on October 3 in Laramie and on October 17 at the All-State Marching Band Festival in Casper.

All audition information is available on the Troopers Website, www.troopersdrumcorps.org.

Those interested are also invited to call Morris at 472-2141 and leave a message.

Community News editor Sally Ann Shurmur can be reached at (307) 266-0520 or sallyann.shurmur@trib.com. Read Sal's blog at tribtown.trib.com/Sal/blog