Colt Cadets To Be Led By One Of Their Own

The Colts Youth Organization is excited to introduce Harlan Pfohl as corps director of the Colt Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps. Harlan has come full circle within the organization having first marched with the Colt Cadets in 2015.

Hailing from Dubuque, Iowa, Harlan has been on staff with the Colt Cadets since their return to activity in 2021. He has been splitting time between the admin team and the brass/visual staff, and has been a steady presence on the CC staff by doing whatever was necessary to create the best experience for the members and volunteers.

“We could not be more excited that Harlan accepted the role of Colt Cadets director,” said Colts Executive Director Jeff MacFarlane. “He has demonstrated over and over what it takes to get the job done — whatever that job might be. The time he’s spent with the organization has prepared him well for this next challenge.”

Harlan aged out of the Colts mellophone section in 2019 after four years as a marching member. Following his age out, he stayed in his hometown and volunteered occasionally at the Colts warehouse during the canceled COVID season. When operations got back underway for both corps in the Celebration season, Harlan was asked to join the Colt Cadets staff and he also assisted with Colts camps and other projects around the warehouse.

“I am very humbled to be taking on this role,” said Harlan. “The Colts Youth Organization is like another home for me. The people I have worked with over the last couple of years have been very welcoming and driven to be successful and that all plays a huge part in why I come back every year.”

For the past two years, Harlan has been employed part-time by the Colts organization while also filling out his time with other jobs around Dubuque. He has an uncanny knack for tinkering and problem solving a variety of odd jobs around the warehouse. Those same skills are critical in managing the many inconveniences that present themselves on a typical drum corps tour — none more so than 2023 when Harlan served as the Colt Cadets assistant director.

Harlan’s experience on the road, both as a member and on staff, has helped him be prepared for the various responsibilities of a director. “There will definitely be new challenges this next season, but I've got a great staff by my side and we're excited for what's to come," he said.

Harlan has been heavily involved in offseason recruiting for both Colts and Colt Cadets. He will now begin assembling the CC staff and making preparations for the 2024 season.

“I cannot wait to get the CC team back together and get started on 2024,” said Harlan. “It’s taken a bit following COVID to grow our numbers at Colt Cadets. We’re ready to get the corps back to the size it was when I marched.”

The Colts wish former CC Director Cameron Kotovsky all the best in the coming months and years. Cameron and his wife will be welcoming a new addition to the Kotovsky family in February.

The Colt Cadets will begin their season in late January with a series of open house rehearsals followed by full weekend camps in March, April and May. If you would like to receive information as soon as it’s released, fill out an Interest Form on the Colts website. If you are interested in getting a head start on a percussion battery position (snare, tenor, bass), we encourage you to attend a Colts audition camp as many of the students in the CC battery will be those we’ve seen at a Colts preseason event.