Fred J. Miller graduated from the University of Dayton in 1955 with a degree in Music Education. He was an educator in the Dayton school system for one year before he enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. After two years of service, he was allowed to return to Ohio where, in 1957, he accepted a job with Fairborn City Schools. There, he served as a general music teacher at Five Points Elementary and assisted with the high school marching band. The next year, he took over as the high school band director and began teaching instrumental music at East Elementary. He continued in this position for the next four years and was eventually named Supervisor of Music for the Fairborn school system. He held this position until making the decision to leave in 1968.

In addition to developing his musical interest, Fred taught baton twirling throughout high school. In the summer of 1958, Fred met Marlene Sedgeley at a twirling camp in Indiana, where both were teaching. This small event led to their marriage in May of 1959, in Marlene’s hometown of Auburn, Maine. The clinic program we all know and love was started that very same year, when the newlyweds opened a twirling camp in Livermore Falls, Maine. Then, in 1960 their first child, Mary Lynn, was born. Three years later, their twin sons Mark and Mike followed.

Soon, the Millers had developed one of the largest twirling studios in the country. The two of them trained more proud champions than any other studio in the country. To this day, no studio has rendered the success their passion and dedication to their students brought them. In 1952, they took on yet another project by founding the Miller Blackhawks Drum and Bugle Corps. The Blackhawks made a name for themselves in 1958 by winning the first NBTA Championship for corps. They went on to compete in the championships at USTA where they held the title of National Champions for 19 out of the 21 years they competed. In the late 1960’s, the Millers began to get more involved in the world of color guard, taking an active role in Winter Guard International. During this time, they started making flags and costumes for both their own groups and those interested in purchasing them. This was the beginning of the supply and manufacturing business as we know it today. Sadly, in August of 2012, Fred Miller passed away. The employees and friends of FJM work daily to make him proud and honor the legacy Fred has built.

Our mission is to cultivate a positive environment that allows students to gain a wealth of knowledge and skills. We strive to inspire students to discover, develop and grow into their best self; fostering the belief that they are capable of greatness.

We are responsible to one another and everyone is unique and can make a difference.

Our responsibility will produce exceptional results.

We are also responsible to the community in which we reside and work.

We will unite to achieve a common goal, no matter the size, time or place.

We shall keep an open mind and be focused on continually improving ourselves and the program.

The fulfillment of our beliefs establishes a culture that is truly extraordinary.

FJM Clinics provide the most current and up-to-date curriculum for flag and rifle students. With daily classes in equipment and movement technique, we will help your students strengthen critical technical skills and cutting edge equipment work. Students are guided through exercises to break down fundamental elements and increase technical skill and development. We offer different levels of technique classes to allow students of all experience levels and backgrounds to participate in a curriculum appropriate for their needs and to develop performance abilities in beginning, intermediate, and advanced students. Our clinic instructors provide constructive feedback and positive reinforcement to all students, improving skill and confidence in each individual and team. Students will also participate in our clinic routines, giving students the opportunity to apply their technical skills to the latest trends in choreography and combinations set to music. 

 Customized choreography is available for groups of 12 or more. Groups can submit their show music to the office prior to the clinic and have an FJM instructor create work to the music. The material will be taught during our instructional time at the clinic. This is a great option for groups that wish to get a jump start on their performance season with their own performance material and for groups without a choreographer or guard director. Customized choreography MUST be approved and arranged by the Clinic Coordinator. Please contact our office for more details regarding this section prior to registering for a clinic. 

Our curriculum offers a wide range of classes and topics for students to personalize the experience for the demands of their own organization. Students will select many classes in marching and playing performance techniques, musicianship (including warm up techniques, breathing, and ear training), score and drill chart reading, leadership techniques, team-building and motivational ideas, problem solving and mediation, as well as instructional and teaching techniques to run sectionals. Leaders in the ensemble and students without a leadership position or title are encouraged to attend and improve the quality of contributions they will make to the performance ensemble. Students participating in this section MUST bring their instrument, lyre, and flip folder.

Majorette and feature twirler students will participate in daily equipment and movement technique to strengthen their critical technical skills, twirling series, and tricks while experiencing creative, cutting edge choreography. We offer curriculum with a variety of options for students to incorporate dance, movement, tricks, and tosses into their performance based on their experience and skill level. 

 Customized choreography is available for twirling groups of 10 or more. Groups can submit their show music to the office prior to the clinic and have an FJM instructor create work to the music. The material will be taught during our instructional time at the clinic. This is a great option for groups that wish to get a jump start on their performance season with their own performance material and for groups without a choreographer or guard director. Customized choreography MUST be approved and arranged by the Clinic Coordinator. Please contact our office for more details regarding this section prior to registering for a clinic.

(offered at select locations, contact our office for details) 

 We offer a variety of dance techniques and styles for students to strengthen their performance skills. Our dance curriculum allows students of all experience and skill levels to learn and develop. Students will experience warm up and stretching routines to incorporate into their regular rehearsals, increasing flexibility, endurance, and precision. Our dance technique classes will be tailored to help your students refine skills and develop a variety of styles to fit your performance needs. We offer creative, cutting edge choreography that can be used for both football and basketball programs. Our dance curriculum is offered at select locations, or by request for groups of 6 or more, and for private clinics hosted at your school. 

 Customized choreography is available for dance groups of 10 or more. Groups can submit their show music to the office prior to the clinic and have an FJM instructor create work to the music. The material will be taught during our instructional time at the clinic. This is a great option for groups that wish to get a jump start on their performance season with their own performance material and for groups without a choreographer or guard director. Customized choreography MUST be approved and arranged by the Clinic Coordinator. Please contact our office for more details regarding this section prior to registering for a clinic.  

Customized choreography is available for groups of 12 or more. Groups can submit their show music to the office prior to the clinic and have an FJM instructor create work to the music. The material will be taught during our instructional time at the clinic. This is a great option for groups that wish to get a jump start on their performance season with their own performance material and for groups without a choreographer or guard director. Customized choreography MUST be approved and arranged by the Clinic Coordinator. 

 CONTACT CLINIC COORDINATOR, LAUREN TUCKER

The FJM Clinic Staff brings instructional and performance experience from the nations top college and high school marching bands, drum corps, winter guards, dance teams, and twirling lines. We recruit and employ talented performers and instructors from organizations such as The Cavaliers, The Glassmen, Boston Crusaders, Madison Scouts, Crown Guard, Northeast Independent, Corona, Blessed Sacrament, Zydeco, Northern Lights, Pride of Cincinnati, Onyx, the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Kentucky, Louisiana State University, the University of Nebraska, Purdue University, The Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Notre Dame, North Carolina State University, Bowling Green State University, and Miami University.

Each clinic is run by a clinic administrator with an extensive background in education, leadership, and pageantry instruction. With a combined 20 years of FJM clinic experience, our three administrators hold bachelors and masters degrees in education, music, and educational leadership. 

You simply will not find a more highly qualified and well trained instructional staff!

Please visit our FAQ page for additional information regarding your clinic experience.  You will also find our General Information document, Health Form (required for all participants at check-in, must be signed by parent/guardian but notarization is no longer required) under our FORMS AND DOWNLOADS link.  Several of our locations also require an additional waiver issued by the university which can also be found with the General Info and Health Form documents if required (Wright State, Indiana Wesleyan, and UTSA currently). 

Final check-in information and reminders will be sent via email on Wednesday or Thursday prior to your clinic.  Specific check-in locations, reminders for forms, final show location and other details will be included in that correspondence.  Deposit payments must be received two weeks prior to the start of the clinic to guarantee participation.  Final payment can be submitted prior to the clinic or at the clinic check-in.

We hope that you will find this event both informative and enjoyable. Should you have any questions, please contact us at 1.800.444.3524 or at the email addresses below.

If you have not done so already, please submit your payment.  Checks can be made payable to FJM, Inc. and mailed to FJM, 8765 Washington Church Rd, Miamisburg, OH  45342.  Please include the participant name with the check and clinic site attending.

In previous years, we have emailed links to print tickets for check-in.  Those tickets will no longer be used and ticket links will not be sent for 2020.

Thank You!

Brenda Milano (June 1 - July 29) 

brenda.milano@fjminc.com 

Lauren Tucker 

lauren.tucker@fjminc.com 

1.800.444.3524 

Cancellation and refund policy: 

After a deposit or full payment is paid at the time of online registration, we are able to refund all but $35.00 of the payment if we are notified of the cancellation by telephone 14 days prior to the start date of the clinic you are attending. If we are not notified 14 days prior, a refund cannot be issued. Deposits and payments of students who are no longer able to attend, may be transferred to another student who will serve as a replacement. Transfers can be made at the start of the clinic at the clinic site, but refunds cannot be made at that time. In the event that a clinic is canceled due to low enrollment, a full refund will be issued to those who have registered for that location and made a payment. We must have a minimum of 5 students registered for a section per clinic site in order to offer the program in its entirety. Participants will be notified by our office prior to the clinic if minimum enrollment is not met for a section or the clinic site.

Commuter students attend the clinic between the hours of 8:00 am and 9:45 pm only. Commuters do NOT stay in the university dorm. No meals are included with the commuter registration. Commuter student fees are $230 at most locations. 

Resident directors stay in the university dorms for 3 nights during the clinic. All meals from dinner on the first night through lunch on the final day are included. Directors are welcome and encouraged to attend any student classes they wish. We do not offer full curriculum and classes for directors. Meetings, discussions, and sessions will be made available based on the interest at each location. Resident Director fees are $230 at all locations.

Commuter directors attend the clinic between the hours of 8:00 am and 9:45 pm only. Commuters do NOT stay in the university dorm. No meals are included with the commuter registration. Commuter director fee is $150 at each university.

After a deposit or full payment is paid at the time of online registration, we are able to refund all but $35.00 of the payment if we are notified of the cancellation by telephone 14 days prior to the start date of the clinic you are attending. If we are not notified 14 days prior, a refund cannot be issued. Deposits and payments of students who are no longer able to attend, may be transferred to another student who will serve as a replacement. Transfers can be made at the start of the clinic at the clinic site, but refunds cannot be made at that time.

Contact Me!

937.434.1121 ext. 1209 

lauren.tucker@fjminc.com