We have a new percussion instructor named Mike Eagle and he's introducing us to a wide variety of new things that we're not accustomed to doing. I'm doing fine with this new stuff but some of the others aren't so enthusiastic. How can we as a group cope with this?

For the most part I would say do what your instructor says. If there are small things that are tradition you could probably keep doing that. He would not be in charge unless he knows what he is talking about. We went through the same stuff this year with our drill instructor. He changed many of the things that we knew were "right". In the beginning, no one wanted to do what he said. Eventually, you grow accustomed to what he wants you to do and everything is cool.
If you still have a problem with certain people resisting, you or your captain could explain that things have changed and in order for the drumline to act as a unit everyone needs to be doing the same thing.

That usually happens with us in the pit every year except this year. Usually we had a new pit instructor every year and it would be different. Some people are trying to get accustomed to the way things are but is making us better. For all you know there is a reason why your instructor is there. He is there to teach you new ways of doing things. Take the information and go with it. This way you will know what he knows for later on in your life.