Color Guard

​ By: Devyn Clark (17)

  Color Guard may be looked at as just dancing or spinning a flag, rifle, or sabre; but to Color Guard team members, it’s much more than that.

  The season officially begins with practices that start in June and again in August, camp is two weeks long and once school begins, practices are twice a week. Color Guard performs at every home football game and competes at about seven competitions a year.

  The band season can be described in so many different ways by tons of different members. ”Band season is my absolute favorite time of the year because it allows me to grow as a person and leader every year, and it helps improve relationships between people. When it’s over, it makes you realize that every sweaty and horrible practice was worth it because you leave with something more than just a placement at a competition”, said Sam Zapor, co-captain.

  This activity definitely affects the members in many different ways and for Lindsey Gordon, another captain, it has impacted her in a positive way. ” [Color guard has given] confidence in myself and my abilities, how to fake it until you make it, how to handle failures and disappointments in a mature way”, she said.

  Performing in front of a group of people all the time and having to change facial expressions to fit the mood of the music definitely helps to improve confidence. As the season continues, the fear of performing can lessen. This skill can help when presenting a project in front of a class or in the future at a job or in college.

  Looking into the next season, there are going to be new members joining who may need some advice on the activity. “My advice would be to practice. The only way to get better is to practice and never forget the lessons you learned on the field. In life, keep your head held high and keep pushing through with confidence”, said Jocelyn Wilcox, co-captain.

  As the season comes to an end, all of the hard work from the whole season comes into play into the last competitions. What the members took out of this activity is more important than what place they came in at a competition. The values they’ve learned will stick with them for the rest of their lives.