By Aaron Ilia Merritt
Winterguard is an inside colourguard activity involving dance, rhythm, gymnastics, sabres, rifles, and flags.
Much like colourguard, the winterguard spins sabers, rifles, and flags using choreography to have the team in sync. Unlike colourguard, the band made of brass and percussion, doesn’t play while winterguard performs their routine. Instead songs are played on a speaker system or stereo. These songs are compared to the band in that the songs winterguard performs to are usually popular songs sometimes with occasional lyrics.
Some uncultured people say that winterguard is not tough or athletic. When Danniell Isaac, the WRHS winterguard coach, was asked about his response to those who do not believe that winterguard is a sport, he had this to say,” It is an art, but we are moving around and running, jumping and moving fast. It’s not like football, scoring touchdowns, but we do compete and it is competitive. The winterguard team is in fact very athletic and tough. The sabers, rifles, and flags are heavy and solid. The objects that the team throws often hit them in practice. When the team members fall or get whacked by an object they get back up and keep practicing.
In the season, instead of a game or match, there are competitions. In a competition a team will set up a custom tarp, then turn on the song they chose and perform a choreographed routine with dancing, flag, saber and flag twirling and throws. The teams perform in a synchronized manner with each other with the rhythm of the song.
The team is getting ready during the start of the season. They must make sure they all are on the same page, and they must all get along. When talking to one of the team captains, Alyssa Ashurst, she said, “Our team gets along really well and we’re just one big family.”
Team chemistry is very important to keep a successful team. The expectations are high this year. The team expects to get third or better in the state championship. Last year, the team was moved down to fourth so they are fully capable of getting third or better. So get out and support our winterguard this season.
