Eric Kitcherman

 In every corps' history, there are those who distinguish themselves as leaders with a passion, intensity, and an unmistakable quest for excellence. Very few Crossmen have exemplified those qualities over the years better than Eric Kitchenman. Over the years, he has influenced countless Crossmen members on the field as performers, and off the field by helpinga them get involved with teaching young people how to find the best in themselves.

   Eric has been involved with drum corps and the marching arts for most of his life. His father directed the Earls of Bucks Drum and Bugle Corps in 1964. Eric's life in the Crossmen began in 1977 where he marched as a baritone player in the horn line. After aging out in 1979, his teaching career began in the visual and movement design fields as a marching instructor for North Penn High School from Lansdale, PA. There, he moved up the ranks to become their show designer where he continues to this day bringing recognition to their award-winning Marching Band, Indoor Visual and Percussion Ensembles.

 In 1987, he fulfilled a long-time dream and began writing the drill for the Crossmen. Along with the design team of Mark Thurston and Matt Krempasky, he helped lead the corps back into Finals after a four-year absence to become a consistent DCI Finalist. After the 1991 season, Eric moved to the west coast and began writing drills for the Velvet Knights. He returned to the Crossmen as drill writer for the 1996 and 1997 seasons. In 2000, Eric began a relationship with the Reading Buccaneers as their drill writer. After taking some brief time off from that position, he returned to the helm for the 2006 season. He has served in almost every capacity in the marching activity, from tech, to designer, to caption head, to program coordinator, staff coordinator, and even as Assistant Director of the Crossmen in 2004.

 Upon moving to the west coast in the early 90's, Eric began his adjudication career under the tutelage of Shirlee Whitcomb for the Winter Guard Association of Southern California. After two years, he achieved Winter Guard International status and returned to Philadelphia, where he is a member of the East Coast Judges Guild. In 2003, Eric was named as the Educational Coordinator of the Texas Color Guard Circuit. Eric is also a USSBA judge and WGI judge mentor. He recently started a company dedicated to movement design named The Movement Arts Consortium.

 Through it all, it is his tremendous work ethic, his dedication to his craft, and his relentless passion and energy that have made him one of the most influential teachers the Crossmen have ever known.