Why i joined guard....

My First Exposure To Color Guard Was when I Was In 7th Grade & I Went To See My Friend Jen Siclari Perform At The Thanksgiving Football Game. Well, After That She Convinced (Or Forced) Me To Join. I Remember Her Telling Me All The Horror Stories Of Band Camp & What Hell It Was. I Was Kinda Iffy About Joining, So They Had A Sign Up/Practice Thing. So I Went To That & Practiced, After That I Loved It! I Became An 8th Grade Trainee, I Thought I Was So Cool Having A HS Lettermen Jacket & Hanging Around The High Schoolers. Band Camp was Fun, Even Though The Second Day I Cried Like Crazy Cuz I wanted To Go Home, But Looking Back I'm Glad I Stuck It Out. The Next Year We Had A New Instructor, Dana, Who Then Started The Independent Winter Guard Soul Ambition, She Tried To Makes Us A Good Guard, And It Felt Like It For A While. I Was A Member Of Soul Ambition For 2 Years, Then Something Happened & I Felt It Necessary To Leave. Now I'm Marching With The Insight Winter Guard. I'm Still Involved In My High School Guard, Last Year I Even Served As Captain. Now Its My Last Year, I'm A Senior & The Thought Of Leaving The NHS Raider Marching Band Brings Tears To My Eyes, I'm So Devoted To It, And I'll Be Forever Thankful To Jen Siclari For Starting Me There. And To The Rest Of The Band, My GUARDian Angels, & Everyone Else Who Made My 5 Years In The Band Memorable. So Now we Are Starting Up For Marching Band Season, We Even Have A Whole New Staff, And I'm Looking Forward To Where I'll Be With Guard In The Next Few Years. Its Something I Can't Give Up, I've Come Too Far To Leave Now.

Janine Bubet
NHSRB Color Guard '96-'01
Captain '99-'00

Why did I join guard? Hmm...well, when my brother joined the marching band my mom dragged me to all of the competitions. At first I was bored, but after a while I got used to going and I actually enjoyed them, especially watching the colorguard. When I found out that I could join in 8th grade, I was psyched but unfortunately didn't get the chance. Then when my friend Sam (who was in it in 8th grade and has been since) kept asking me why I didn't join and kept nagging me about coming to the competitions, I figured that maybe I should give it a shot. So I joined. The end. Nothing interesting, that's just why. I thought it would be cool. Can we say DUMB paragraph? LOL

*Diana*
Sayreville Colorguard
EXCEL-eration Winterguard

hmm why did i join guard? well when i was little and all the parades would go by my house ya know the christmas parade, the memorial day parade all that happy go lucky stuff, i would watch the flags go by (not knowing at the time it was the colorguard) and i'd say how when i was old enought i'd do that, and ya know parents being like ya ok, you can do whatever you want, and when i was in 7th grade and i heard you could join in 8th grade i was like dude, im so there! so needless to say i joined, and i'v been addicted ever since :o) going on my 4th year, can't get enough guard!

Shannon
Peace Love and Guard
Sayreville Colorguard 97-98-99-00
EXCEL-eration Winterguard 98-99-00-01
WGI 2000 Scholastic Regional A Silver Medalists

I'm FATTY (Martin Weider) just thought y'all might want to know :D

I'm got into guard b/c my sis told me I should join.. I didn't know what it was.. I thought it was dropspinning in parades... and then like I saw some tapes like a month or so afterward and it looked cool.. then I did marching band.. and then winter guard... and it's totally fun and rocks.. :D :D :D :D :D Dayton was a lot of fun :) I like winter guard a million times better than marching band... hl con mucho 'love and peace' Fatty :D

Fatima
^--MDO LOVER--^
"Cuando todo esta perdido, siempre brilla una luz." -Ricky Martin, Gracias
Por Pensar En Mi
"I just wanna be who I wanna be, I guess that's hard for others to see."
-Offspring, Smash

Why I joined guard:

Well, actually, my love for guard stems from my love of dance. In eighth grade I was captain of my jr. high dance team. I loved it with a passion. Then, when I tried out for the high school team (and didn't make it because of my weight), it just seemed the most natural thing in the world for me to try out for guard. I'm in my senior and 5th year, and am loving every minute of it!!

Brittany

I joined guard my sophmore year in high school because one of my friends and one of my teachers made me. I stayed with it that year and I really had a lot of fun especially at competions. I didn't get along with my coach that year well at all and I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep doing color guard because at times it really didn't worth it. After that season I got a phone call around April telling me that that season there would be a new color guard instructor and also a new band director. Since I did have fun my first year I decided to try it again with the new instructor. Well Our new instructor was really cool so i stayed with it all through high school and joined winterguard. I loved it and will do guard for as long as I can.
*~*Jen*~*
NHSRB
Soul Ambition

I joined guard cause I wanted to do something in school. It turned out to be the best thing I have ever done... it is my life. I am on both colorguard and winterguard. Winterguard is my favorite. I spin both flag and rifle. Next summer I will be marching with drum corps before I return for my senior on winterguard.

Shannon Visconti
Northgate Winterguard and Colorguard

The high school colorguard came to my middle school in 8th grade. They passed out flyers and when they handed me one, i took it, but thought it was kind of dumb and didnt want to join. Then I saw the flyer again a couple months later in the school office. Something just told me to pick it up (i think part of the reason is because it said if you join, you don't have to take any more phys. ed. classes). I had also been going through a rough time where I lost most of my friends and wanted to get involved in something fun to meet new people. I went to my counselor and asked if he could call for me because it was after try outs. The coach called me the next day and said I could join and all I had to do was come to practice. And now Im happy I did. I have more friends I could ever imagine, a team commitment and pride, and more confidence in myself. COLORGUARD ROCKS!
AshLS13@aol.com

hey im kathryn and here is my "why i joined winterguard" story. when i was im middle school there was this boy called sean he was so awesome!! he could throw the highest tosses do a flip under them and catch them. he was always outside twirling. i when to a show with him cause he was doing a solo i watched a guard called shaktai. i was in love with them and he was like "yeah my mom teaches them". he taught me a lot about guard and so i decided to audition for our middle school guard with him the next year. we both made it but sadly enough he moved to tallahassee. i had so much fun my middle school year so i decided to audition for the high school guard the next year. i made coast one "A" my freshman year in '98 (we did "dear sarah if anyone remembers) then at finals during independant world i was at the front and was watching shaktai and who do i see?!?! sean!! i talked to him after the show he said independent world was a workout but it was worth it! so that made me determined to be in shaktai. so i auditioned yet again the next year. i made coast one world in '99 (juliet show). i had the time of my life!!!! we traveled to amsterdam! words cant describe the feeling that the audience bestowed upon us! we were like movie stars to them! people asked us to perform again after retreat, they asked to get group pictures with us, and at retreat all the guards made a human tunnel for us to run through! i will never forget that. so of course i auditioned again how could i not! i made coast one world again '00 ( lion king show) it was a rough year for me i almost quit it got really hard but not matter all of what happend i couldnt quit. guard means so much to me. and besides what else would i do mondays, thursdays and sometimes the weekend? :) and hey i got my picture taken with james logan and we went to london!! but what was really hard was finding out that shaktai folded :( but thankfully my instructor teaches the silver medalist group ancient city ensemble so i have and independent guard right down the road to go to. i auditioned again made coast one world and now im sabre captain!!!!! as if guard couldnt get any better! we have fantasias director coming to help an awesome group awesome captains and my b-friend is audtioning to be in a.c.e. (he marched cadets of bergen county 2000). so i guess that is my story. more like a novel ha ha ha! oh yeah and i am a senior so this year is going to be really emotional i think all of you senoirs can understand where im coming from :( i cant wait until i do independent guard so i can get more expoure! but until then i cant wait to have the best season ever!
kathryn
cadets of s.m.s. sabre,flag '97
coast one "A" sabre '98
coast one world sabre,rifle,flag '99
coast one world sabre,flag '00
coast one world sabre captain (rifle??possibly) '01
c/o 01 !!!!!!

I'm not really sure why I ever joined. I remember in 8th grade, I had to quit a life of dance for the whole marching band thing, and that made me a little upset. I always loved dance ever since I was little. And by going to colorguard I think I thought I could make up for not continuing dance anymore. Which makes sense. . .expect you're also spinning all this stuff extremely close to your body. Hahaha. It just something I do for fun and competitiveness. And I only stick with it because I think I'm decent. But I think I'm more talented at marching horn than guard.

Jen
EXCEL-eration Winterguard

Hmm..there are many reasons! I just joined the marching band playing the clarinet, and I got sick and tired of how I was a second to someone in my grade and younger people got spots and I didn't (I later found out that one of our instructors thought I was an 8th grader instead of a freshman). That really hurt. So, one day, I thought, well....color guard would be fun, so I joined! :) It wasn't that simple though, I joined 3 days into band camp.

Elyse
Sayreville Colorguard
EXCEL-eration Winterguard

When I was in the 7th grade, the high school color guard came to perform for us, and I thought it was just so amazing. I just thought the way they were spinning and tossing the flags was so cool. I had always wanted to join an organization that was artistic and used a lot of body movement, but not cheerleading, drill team, or some other sport. When I saw them perform, I just thought I'd love to be part of something like that. When I went to sign up for the auditions, I noticed I was the only one in my school who signed up, but that didn't discourage me. I was just a bit nervous wondering if I'd be good at all. I've always been a perfectionist, so it worried me a lot. Our current Guard Captain talked to me just before the audition, and she told me it didn't matter, as long as I really wanted it. I did want it, and at the auditions I tried really hard and I was doing pretty good. I was so glad I got in, and everyday, I'm at practice, I feel great to be there. marching with the band was a totally new experience for me. I had been in Orchestra for years, and I never really had much contact with many band things, but when I first got into it, I loved it. I think Color Guard has become a big portion of my life. It means so much to me, and I want to stick with it for as long as I can. Every time I march a show, I get an adrenaline rush like no other. It's a totally awesome feeling full of endorphins, and I love it. I've got to thank my captain, because she really inspired me to do my best. She was always helpful to me. I will always believe Color Guard rocks, and it truly does, because it's so awesome.

MooCowbabeS@aol.com
c/o '04

I first joined winterguard when i was at one of the last football games and saw the fall guard girls havin a great time on the field. I realized then that I had found something incredibly fun and unique. My friends all made fun of me for joining, but I relate so much better with my new guardie friends. Guard is the most amazing experience, and I'm so happy that i was lucky enough to stumble upon that one amazing fall show...it made all the difference!
Laurie
Marlboro High School Color Guard '00
Elektra Winterguard '00 '01

I joined colorguard because honestly, I had nothing else to do. Little did I know it would become my life. I can remember learning the technique of a drop spin and how confusing it all was. Now that I'm in marching band ( Pride of Broken Arrow Oklahoma) I realized how small you really start out. I absolutly love to do what I do and wouldn't give it up for a thing in the world!!

fefen

The first time I remember wanting to be in colorguard was when I was in the 6th grade. My older sister was already in highschool and was in the marching band, so we went to the highschool games to see her play. Well, at the homecoming game that year the colorguard did this slow, pretty, routine with these big white and red flags. I remember thinking that it was the prettiest thing I had ever seen in my life and I decided to find out more about it. Well, when I got into the eigth grade I elegible to try out for the next season when I would be a freshman. I went to the two week clinic that my school offered and then found out that I could not try out becasue there was a chance I might be switching schools. Well, I switched schools and spent my freshman year of highschool wishing I could be out on the feild. At the end of 9th grade, I tried out for the next season and made it. Now I practically live for the thrill of hearing the flag whip past my face and the excitement of being on the feild. I am always proud to admit that I AM A COLORGUARD MEMBER

Alimae2003@aol.com

i joined guard because i thought it would be fun to spin and throw something with shiny colors lol no i joined because some of my friends were trying out, and also old friends i knew were in it. and there was alot of more reasons... but i joined it because it looked like it was fun to do, well except for the dancing part, but i joined guard because the girls always looked like they were having fun

Addison Kaeterle
dartmouth high 00-01

The first time I saw a winterguard show was when I was in sixth grade and I really liked it, but you couldn't try out 'till your eigth grade year at my school. Then I saw another show again performed by my middle school when I was in seventh grade, where my band teacher also winterguard director, Mr. Bryan Austin, was handing out the ibformation packet for people to try out, except being a guy and all, I was shy to go over there and when I told one of my friends she just laughed at me. So I went to Mr. Austin in private and asked for one. I went to the tryouts and made it in. I was so happy. I was a flag and I really wanted to be a rifle, but that would come later on. So I tried out for high school guard and didn't make Coast One A, I was crushed. I did, however, make the field guard/ visual ensemble and I stuck with it and I'm glad I did. Some people had dropped out of Coast One A and Mr. Jeff Dodd, the genius director, was moving people up, and I was one of those peolpe. I'm so happy now and if you ask anyone in the Coast One Winterguard program, they'll tell you that I just can't stop spinning my rifle, which I am now a rifle and it is so much fun. My oals are to be the Coast One World Guard Captain, but to first be in Coast One World next year. I'm practicing really hard for it and I know I can do it. I also want to be the director of my old middle school, Sebastian Middle School. Here's my novel to add to Kathryn's, LOL! If anyone wants to e-mail me my address is happygolucky@z.com.

Cadets of Sebastian Flag 99-00
St. Augustine High School Visual Ensemble rifle/flag
St. Augustine High School Coast One A Rifle/flag
c/o 2004!

to be honest i never knew what colorguard was because we never had any at my school for like almost three to five years.so when my brother and my old band director/second father told i should be in it i was like no i like being a loner hang with myself.so when band camp came around i kid you not my brother and mother dragged me out of bed and forced me to go to the camp i was so mad but i thought since i'm already here i might as well stay so when we (whole colorguard) went to learn basics i thought hey this is pretty easy and it looks kinda cool and i got booger my pole and i decided to stay i've been it ever since.

keishi
DVHS Colorguard
co-captain '99-00
captain'00-01

Hey everybody!!! I am just writing about why I love guard and how I joined. Unlike a lot of other people, I joined my junior year of high school. I always had a desire to be in guard but no one ever asked me to so I never did it. Then I moved to Bellbrook. I live right behind the high school so during the summer when i am supposed to be sleeping in, i would hear our band director with the blow horn yelling "now everyone get to you opening sets!" at 9 in the morning. so i decided that as long as i have to hear the "cool" band music i might as well join guard. it was the best decision i have ever made. this year we worked our butts off and were class "a" grand national champs and we were the second class "a" band in boa history to make finals. I made some of my best friends in guard. i would be lost with out it. and bellbrook don't forget out #1 rule, DON'T SUCK! Peace out.
Allison Bors
Bellbrook High School
Class of 2002

When I was in junior high, I used to go in our front yard and twirl golf clubs everyday. From after school till dinner I would twirl golf clubs around and around to the radio and make up routines with them. I used to think "Why isn't golf club spinning a sport??" When I got to high school I found an activity perfect for me.... COLOR GAURD! Okay, so theres not any golf clubs in colorguard, and my parents thought my love for golf clubs would lead to a career with gpa golf tours, but theres nothing I love more than colorgaurd.. except maybe winterguard. And I can't play golf for the life of me. But I can sure twirl those clubs! P.S. Gaurd is life!! At least it is mine!

Dana
BHS Colorgaurd
Captain from 1998-2001

My friend LeeAnne introduced me to color guard when I was a freshman in high school. She had been doing it all year. I never even knew we had such a thing. She taught me all I needed to know before the season began and I joined. I LOVED IT (still do!)!!!!! We did all the half time shows for football games, and we did not only local parades but also NYC's cloumbus and St. Patricks Day parades. It's a big rush, especially when you go home to find out you were on TV, almost hitting the camera because they wouldn't move when you're coach told you too. And our squad doesn't stop twirling....some people are strange. They don't move when they see a group of girls twirling metal flags coming right at them. LOL. I became captain my junior year and graduated captain. I'm now in a college near my home town and I help with the parades, and the coach still lets me come with them down to NYC and other parades to twirl. I miss it so much and I hope to soon join a drum core so I can contiune. COLOR GUARD IS THE BEST!!!!!!!

Jennifer Sheehan
Valley Central Color Guard 97-00 (and beyond
Captain 98-00
Anyone want to talk about guard? email me: irish_princess81@yahoo.com

I decided to be in Winterguard, when I was in seventh grade. I was actually a gymnast, and I had planned to stick with that, but I saw one the HS's practices, and I just thought it would be so much fun! So this year, I decided to try out, and I made it! I love winterguard, and now I don't know what I will do when the season ends! The people in guard with me have become some of my best friends! So thats my story.

~ Emily
Monticello Magic Winterguard

this is going to sound silly but i know someone out there can relate. I joined guard because we had such a hot drumline my sophmore year! I knew what guard was and it looked cool plus it was a way to get closer to "HIM" i didn't have any idea that two years after he graduated i would be more in love with guard then anything else!!

DramaQueen122482@aol.com

Our colorguard hasn't been very good til this year, so I was never really interested in it. Plus I'd always played sports, but after the summer of 2000 I'd become totally into music and everything to do with it. Well..all summer...everyone that had planned to be in this year's winterguard was trying to convince me to be in the winterguard for 2001. The first time I picked up a rifle and tried to toss it, you would surely laugh. but I practiced all summer, and now I"m up to a 6 on rifle and I made rifle line for our winterguard. I'm glad that everyone convinced me and inspired me to quit my sports for winterguard, b/c it is truly the most awesome sport in the world, and everyone should do it. There's SO much more of a team aspect and a closeness between the members of the winterguard than of my basketball team from last year. Plus, the feeling I get out there performing is better than winning a bball game. Thanks to everyone who convinced me to do winterguard!!

Love,
Kara King
2001 Wabash Winterguard
Desert Rose 4-ever

I have always wanted to do something that involves dance. My friend Meagan told me about Guard. I loooovved it! I still do! I haven't gone to band camp yet, though!

Dana32968@aol.com

Well, when I first joined band I wasn't sure if I wanted to do this. I knew most of the girls and they were pretty mean. But somehow I put up with most of their crap. I found out that I was very good at twirling a flag and tossing a saber around. I really liked it. I had to put up with a lot of the seniors crap. And it made it hard for me to be in color guard with not only the older girls picking on me but the guard coach. I was treated like crap but I put up with it. And now I am a Sophomore and I am helping to lead new girls and a guy into victory. Not only do I think I am talented at color guard but the rest of the girls think I am as well and that is what keep me going.

One of Lemont High School's finest color guard,
Nadia Cipolla

Well It's really no big story. I was pissed at my cheer coach so I quit and got into guard!

Kimmy Metcalf

When I first moved to my current residence I was a majorette and my baton instructor was the instructor for Courtland High School Colorguard. Through some talking with the band director she persuaded him to let me be the twirling mascot until I got into middle school which would be in two years. I became the twirling mascot in '94 and remained a mascot until '96. After that even though I wasn't the mascot anymore I went everywhere with the band and did everything with them. during my two years as mascot I learned many flag twirls too. My second year as mascot i was permitted to perform with the winter guard and i loved every minute of it. after my sister gradated in '98 the band director and the colorguard instructor moved to the new school that opened but i still remained to learn guard tricks and dance and baton. when i entered high school the first place i went was to color guard..of course its not the same since my baton instructor left. thats obvious seeing as an already two year member who knew more than any of the girls trying out was an altanternt her first year because the instructor(a 19 year old) didn't like her or her sister, but seeing as i love guard so much and cant live without it i remained in it and i am still in it to this day until the day a graduate and i will probably be in it after that

CrazyLilDevilMM@aol.com

My story about why I joined guard is sort of strange. In 5th grade, our elementary school had a guard, but strangely enough, I was one of the 6 girls who didn't join it. Then, the summer before 9th grade, I joined guard at Green Hope High. I had no clue what I was getting into. I believe the flyer said "Enjoy performing? The Green Hope High marching band is looking for girls for their colorguard!". Well, being English, neither I nor my parents knew what guard what. However, I joined anyway, and it has been one of the best decisions of my life. I have some of my closest friends in band and guard, and my boyfriend is in band (heehee, we're band geeks). Anyway, some days at practice I want to leave or give up, but the feeling you get while performing makes it all worth it. There is such a rush. Anyway, our band didn't compete untill my sophomore year, because our school opened when I was a Freshman and we don't have any seniors and at the time there were no juniors. Well, in our first competition, we're expecting to lose of course, we were a first year competing marching band, we don't have ANY seniors in the band. Good god, when we won it was the biggest high, and I haven't looked back since then. Guard, it's a way of life.

PS....IT IS A SPORT! And do NOT confuse us with cheerleaders. ; )
--Lisa Philpotts (Lisa Pizza)
Green Hope High School Guard 99-00, Most Valuble Guard Member
GHHS Guard 00-01
Current member of GHHS Guard 01-02 (Yes, we've already done tryouts, don't know the Captain/Co yet)

I was in 4th grade when my older sister decided to join guard. As being as little as i was i looked up to her and ended up going to every compition. I saw how much fun everyone had and i said i was going to be just like my sister and do guard. My mom bought my sister a rifle and she would teach me to do stuff. As the years went by and me practicing all the time I got my friends interisted in guard. In 8th grade (the 1st avalible year) i tried out. I made it this year and guard was a blast. Thanks to Jess we will never forget the check points for a peggy. To our coach Robyn we will always be your girls. Robyn we will never forget to squeeze our marbles or how to control our puppies. It was only my first year but i still cry when i look back at pictures and programs and think of what a great experience this has been. Who Rocks The House? Thank-you to the parents, coaches, floor crew, siblings, boyfriends, other guards, our senior guard, 9th grade guard, and a special thanx to syty syghts. You have made this 2000-2001 season possible. I hope marching band will be as great as an experience as winterguard has. Thank-you Sarah for ever showing me what guard was and how much fun it was.
Who let the Dads out?
Don't cry because it's over but smile because it ever happened.
Nichole (Lynn)
00-01 rifle
Northstars 8 cadet winterguard 2nd place champions. Syracuse NY

I had been in band since I was in sixth grade, and I thought I was happy with what I was doing. I was of course in the marching band when I was a Freshman, but I hated it. I remember watching the flags and always wishing that I had done that instead. So, I joined Guard when I became a Sophomore, and I love it. there is nothing else I'd rather be doing. I am the Secretary of our colorguard, which means I send out emails, manage our website, and best of all, author our newsletter. I can't see myself doing anything else. I've permantely left the band, and I promise no one missed me. The guard though, is my second family. But hey, you know how it is!

~~Laura~~
THS Colorguard,Taylor, Texas
Class of 2003

At the beginning of my soph. year I started dating a mellophone player. His parents were nice enough to tote me along to most of the marching contests. That year the band made it to state finals after having missed it the year before by a fraction of a point. As I watched my friends and boy friend storm the field, I had this incredible wish to be part of everything. Somebody suggested joining the colorguard. I took them up on it and tried-out. It was wierd being a 1st year member and being a junior, but after 2 seasons (one marching and one winterguard) you couldn't pay me to quit. As I look forward to my 2nd and senior year my biggest regret is that I didn't start sooner.

Angela Butler Columbus North Color Guard CNCG rocks!!!

well I originally tried out for cheer. Sadly I didnt make it:( After that, I tryed out for drill team. I didnt make that either:( Well After those two failures I was feeling very bad and sad.I felt like I couldnt make any thing. Well anyways I was sitting in the office one day and I saw a paper that said colorguard tryouts.I thought, this is my chance to prove to the popular peeps that I could make it for something. So, i went to the clinics and tried out.It took a week for the list to go up to see if we made it or not.Well, last friday the list went up. I ran up and looked at the list. My name was the first one on the list. I cant say that i know how it feels to be colorguard and i cant say that it rules because I just made so , if you wanna email me and tell me how colorguard is, go ahead:) well that's my storie!!!

Rocky Houston

There are so many reasons of why I joined colorguard. Drum Corps and Colorguard has been a part of my family for many years... Having both parents involved in the activity, I was always lingering around the practices watching the different sections.. I always found the colorguard to be the most amusing... By the time I was about 6 I joined my 1st Drum Corps which was called Alegrow. I was never able to get to the practices because I lived about an hour away, but it didn't really matter because all we did was parades.. When I turned 12, I finally was old enough emotionally and physically to join the Spartans Colorguard... I think that was the best decision of my life.. Being so young was hard, but at the same time was an amazing experience for me.. I have been with the Spartans since 97. And now, I am formally the colorguard captain at the age of 16.. Which, I think is one of the youngest guard captians they have ever had... Guard is a tough sport both physically and emotionally and not to many people can handle the abuse.. At the same time, it's just something you need to get used to.. Growing up in the activity and seeing what happened through the years that I just watched, I knew I was ready! Colorguard is so amazing.. You get so much out of it.. Great Friendships, Different Personality, An Emotion Life... But it always turns out to be good things! I will never regret starting colorguard. I am just really thankful my parents were there to encourage me to go for my dreams in Drum Corps!

Shannon Dufault
Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps ColorGuard 97-present
ColorGuard Captain 2001-?

Well, the reason why I join color guard was because actually it was sense 5 Th. grade when the junior high that I would be attending came to my school to perform for us and I was really excited to see the color guard than the band. But at the school that I was going made fun of me because I wanted to be in color guard, so I joined band. I would always look at the color guard practice and think to my self I want to do that. So when I went to high school I was in band for a year and a Half. Second semester came and they had winter guard tryouts and I tried out. I made it and I was happy. That year (10 grade year) we did Pyico and I had a solo in the begging and I was happy. The next year I was in field and I was on the weapon line. I would practice so much to be on the weapon line. I was In winter guard and we did "fast as you can" by Fiona Apple. I was one of the top members that year. I was also the junior high color guard assistant sense 10th grade. Well, 12th grade I was in ti again and I was sad because it was my last year. I know have my junior high squad and I LOVE being a color guard instructor. I love coming up with my shows and being in charge. I did two shows on my own and I loved seeing what I was doing. My first year we did "Spanish drums" and this year we did Romeo & Juliet "A tragic between two cross lovers." This will be my 4th year and for winter guard I will be doing blue man group Title "Weird thing keep on happening." Well, I really don't know what else to write but that color guard is now my life and I will always have a part in my heart for color guard, and I think that it is so much fun.
Thanks Alex Vasquez
Sierra Vista High School
Class of 2001
Color guard Advisor for
Sierra Vista Junior High
Vasquezdoors@aol.com

I joined guard because it was my desision. Nobody forced me. My older sister was in guard and her best friend was captain. I looked up to my sister and her friend. Ya know that "i wish i was as cool as you" sister stuff your little sis does. Well I was the little sis. I tried out. I got on. I started having the best time of my life. I became obsessed. All I ever talked about was guard. I was constantly doing the winterguard dance work around the kitchen. Then I tried out for captain. Months past. The instructors were making sure they made the right descision. Over this time, I grew as a colorguard member. My first year I could toss a 5 and I was 12 years old. Then I got captain. Wonder woman--the girl who comes onto a guard, totally amazes you, can toss a 5, and gets captain her first year--thats me.
-Kimmi :o)