With the sport of Color Guard debuting as a military requirement, the connotations now attached to this pastime have changed from its original militia benefit to a beautiful physical activity. Teams wave pleasing flags as a form of self-expression; directors design new flags each season to convey the team’s theme. These Frequent reinventions keep the team fresh.
Schools across America include Color Guard in their list of extracurriculars and provide students with the opportunity to express themselves through the sport. High schools in Cobb County School District such as Wheeler and Kell include Color Guard in their extracurriculars, however, NC stands out in the pool of Guard teams around the county.
The NC Color Guard performs at football games, pep rallies, local parades, local and regional competitions and other community events. During competitions, the Color Guard adds to the overall score of the band through visual and general effect captions. Additionally, the Guard receives an individual score from a judge selected for the guard’s specific element in the show.
Similar to other sports, Color Guard teams compete for awards. The NC Color Guard team participates in local competitions and impresses audiences during football games during halftime. From April to November, the team travels to competitions to present their talents and hard work.
Comparable to other competitive activities, the Guard receives number scores. The Guard can secure incentives through scoring and placements. These placements may vary; For example, if a Guard member drops their equipment and quickly makes it back in with the choreography, then the judge will add a certain amount of points.
The directors labeled this season as “Monarch,” referencing the monarch butterfly. Monarch butterflies make relationships and bond together until the cycle continues, similar to the team. The Guard and band members bond together as a family until their season ends and the cycle continues. Team members build long-lasting relationships and accomplish their goals together; each member possessing similar goals builds chemistry and meaningful connections. Whether the connections lead to external rewards such as team captain or internal rewards such as confidence, the team overflows with love. Audiences can see the love in photos, at sports events and in school halls.
After days of practice, the team competed at Kennesaw Mountain High School (KMHS) October 28 against high schools such as Walton, Lassiter and McaEachern. NC’s Beautiful performance placed the team in third place. The team prepared for a long competition day by starting with two hours of rehearsal time.
“We all got on the bus and it wasn’t that long of a bus ride so it was chill for the most part. We got to KMHS and had a lot of extra time so our coach sat us in a circle and made us go around saying our favorite part of the season. Shortly after we got to our warm-up spot and just worked choreo [choreography] , then we split off into weapon and flag line,” Once they were ready for us, we got ready to perform. This performance was the best run our team has had all season. We got 3rd place overall out of the six bands that performed,” NC junior Jasper Payne said.
The team performed late into the afternoon after the other schools finished. While waiting to perform, the team sat and studied the other performances. After this period of waiting, the NC Guard finally stepped on the stage, ultimately saving their best run for the last performance. Placing third motivated the team to push their limits because they ended their season with a first-place trophy at their last competition at Newnan High School.
Along with these exciting events, their sister sport, Winter Guard, held auditions two short days after their final competition. As the Color Guard chapter closes, the team can focus on their activities with the Winter Guard.
“This season is actually gonna be more enjoyable. I love Winter Guard more than Color Guard, less heat and people are more tolerable. Last season was also super nice. I met so many people and improved my performing skills and learned not to be afraid under the spotlight,” NC junior Olivia Gonzalaz-Langhorne said.
