The corps performed to excellent standard throughout the year winning 3 shows during the season.

On the design front Rick Fry arranged for and taught the frontline for the first time to great effect.

Also, 2002 saw the standard of all sections improve drastically to a level that would establish the corps as one of the top units in Europe.

Below is an extract taken from Mike Waddington's show report of the finals event, with his view of Kidsgrove Scouts' performance:

I didn’t really want to refer back to my era of Drum Corps (the late eighties and early nineties) but in this instance please forgive me and bear with me. I make no apologies for the following comparison. You see, I personally thought that Kidsgrove Scouts were excellent tonight and reminded me of the great Imperial Knights who I always remember as the "People's Champion". The Imperial Knights were always popular with the crowd yet, for reasons only known to the judges, could never topple the Dagenham Crusaders or the Green Lancers. The Imperial Knights were the great entertainers and the ones who always pleased the audience. Often, when they were announced as being in third position, the crowd would boo in disbelief.

I’m not suggesting that Kidsgrove Scouts should be champions but I would suggest that they had earned the right to be considered "People's Champion" tonight. Those who remember this era will know what I mean and hopefully, understand where I’m coming from.

The overall package from Kidsgrove Scouts was professional, fast and furious, creative and electrifying. The whole Corps treated us to a pulsating show that was slick, spectacular, exciting and full of energy. This show, like those of the Imperial Knights, left the crowd wanting more. People sat nearby were convinced that they had just seen a championship winning performance from this highly talented Corps. Do I need to say anymore?