Whether it’s football, soccer or basketball, sports receive praise daily. However, an under-appreciated and underrepresented physical activity is the one that converges musicality with fluid movements: color guard.
Color guard is divided into two seasons: marching season and winter guard season. Both seasons are equally challenging and rewarding, but there are distinct differences.
Marching season consists of the entirety of the band unified to perform at school events, most notably at football games. Winter guard season, on the other hand, requires another audition in which the team gets divided into JV and varsity, and furthermore separated into flag and rifle.
Junior Amelie Temple has been a member of color guard since her freshman year, making varsity each time. Temple is a color guard captain on rifle.
“Whenever you audition, you can audition to try out for saber and rifle,” Temple said. “But as you get better at flag, because you have to be good at flag before you can do the other stuff, [our director] Mr. [Khalil] Sanders can tell what you’re supposed to be on.”
Temple has learned many lessons throughout her years of color guard, and she credits a lot of her character growth to the program. As captain, not only does she help others become the best version of themselves, but she gets the opportunity to grow as well.
“I think [color guard] has made me realize a lot more about different people, which I feel has made me more aware of the way that I should be acting towards others,” Temple said. “[This is] so that we can have a mutual respect for each other.”
Through her experience, she has become more patient and knowledgeable in how to handle different personalities. She has learned there are many ways to critique peers.
“People don’t always want to be corrected, and if you do correct somebody, you have to give them a chance to try it,” Temple said. “If you automatically tell somebody to fix something and they do it one time and they mess it up, give them a couple of chances because otherwise they’re just going to get frustrated.”
Temple has made numerous memories throughout her color guard journey, but one from her freshman year sticks out to her the most. The team made it to state and won second place, and everyone was electrified.
“We all looked at each other and we were so happy because we didn’t think we were getting second because we were competing against such amazing people who’d been beating us all season,” Temple said. “We just pushed through, and everybody was in complete shock.”
Despite the joyous experiences, color guard does come with difficulties, as does any other extracurricular activity. The team has to balance schoolwork, long after-school practices, and unexpected injuries.
“One time, I broke my nose,” Temple said. “I was doing a double 45 [tossing the flag at a 45-degree angle twice in a row]; I didn’t catch it, and it came slamming into my eyes.”
Color guard can also involve mental struggles regarding knowing your own talent. However, it also provides a space to learn to believe in yourself.
“[I’ve learned] that sometimes you just have to focus on yourself and practice,” Temple said. “It’s going to take hard work, but at the end of the day, you just have to trust yourself; [at] a show, when you know you can catch it, stop thinking about it and just do it.”
Sophomore Peyton Kiser is one of the JV color guard captains, and she attributes many of her friendships to the program. As the seasons change and the team gets divided, her friendships change alongside it.
“You definitely lose some [friends,] and you gain some,” Kiser said. “Communication is key.”
Color guard has provided Kiser with a community and friendships, but it has also provided her with knowledge she can carry with her forever. It has taught her how to accept others, become independent and take responsibility.
“I’ve definitely learned a lot of communication skills, how to be a bigger person and how to be an advocate for people whenever there’s not a higher authority,” Kiser said. “[I’ve learned most] to have fun, but also be serious at the same time and know when to really focus.”
Kiser recommends the activity for anyone looking for ways to get involved.
“I definitely would [recommend color guard because] it gives you so many life experiences, you’re constantly busy, and you get a lot of time out of the house with people,” Kiser said. “You really grow to have strong connections with a lot of people.”
