At their last competition of the season, the winter guard placed seventh out of nine teams in the Mid Continent Color Guard Association (MCCGA) Championships in Springfield, Missouri.
Guard teams were placed into one of two divisions based on how well they were expected to perform.
“Since we were placed in the higher division, we were expecting to place ninth out of nine teams. So we were pretty surprised when we found out that we actually placed seventh,” freshman Nick Appelbaum said.
To prepare for competitions, the winter guard practiced for three and a half hours every Monday and Wednesday.
“We started by stretching and warming up on the flags. Then we worked on cleaning and fixing the show, and sometimes we added new moves,” sophomore Julie Whitten said.
The guard often faced changes in their routine.
“Our show changed a lot. By the end of the season, most of the show wasn’t the same as when we first learned it, so sometimes it just wasn’t as clean as it could’ve been,” Appelbaum said.
However, the guard members agreed that their performance at the MCCGA Championships was one of the best shows of the season.
“It was just a really great show. I was happy to be there, so I performed well. During my solo, I was a bit terrified, but it was pretty good. Championships was really fun because we got to hang out all weekend,” Whitten said.
The guard looks forward to next year’s turnout.
“I started this season not knowing much, and I ended knowing that I wanted to perform again next season. I’m excited at the possibility of doing a circus-themed show next year,” freshman Becky Kottmeyer said.