Here is my page dedicated to the one love of my life. Guard! It is my entire life now. Here is my story...
What is it
An outstandign group of precision flags and rifles and sabres. Auditions are held eac spring. This group performs at all marching band appearances and other musical activities. During the winter, it is performed on a tarp with just the guard and is referred to as winterguard.
How it all started
Little did I know wat the impact of this day would have on my life. Some day late in March the High School Winterguard came to the middle school and performed for us, and showed us a few things. I had kinda already known what it was, but never really thought about it. I thought it would be really cool to do that, but I thought I could never do that it was too hard for me. Then that weekend, Emily(my BFF) called me and asked me if I was joining and her mom was making her, and that I should do it because it was something I could get involved in. Well, that was probably a mistake on her part. LOL. So Monday March 19, 2001 was the beginning of the rest of my love for the "sport". As I walked in I was scared half to death, and I had NO clue what to do. Never having touched a flag in my life I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The first practice I learned SOO much, we learned the basic parts of guard, such as drop spins, jazz run, etc. Only two more training seccions left...Ok now its Monday again and its tryouts. Lots of things are running through my mind, will I make the team?? Whats this gonna be like?? Well, that Wednesday I checked the list and both Emily and I had made the team. GREAT!!! Now, I start to realize what I have just gotten myself into. Lots of hard work. This is deffinately not easy. At times it can get so frustrating. It takes LOTS of time, and LOTS of patience. Well, practice continued in the summer, and finally the week of band camp had arrived. One week of practices from 9-5 every day. Wow! The transition from our marching band from the begging of band camp to the end is incredible, they are not the same team. We worked our butts off and it showed. By now I know all the girls by name, and Emily had quit but that didnt matter. By now I am doing it for me not to hang out with her. Now we were down to 6 freshman, out of the 16 that had tried out way back in March. Then my very first game....Total chaosis. Rushing with hair, makeup, and costume. I ended up running down the parking lot with a shoe in my hand and neither shoe laced. Stepping out onto that field and staring up into the stands and every person is standing up cheering as you preform to the school song, thats the greatest feeling. Our first contest was crazy. We obviously needed a little work. District finally came. We had planned our whole season on this one day. We hadnt practiced for any contests before then, THOSE were practices for district. Went out on the field. It's windy, muddy, and cold. I had finally dropped my first, and only drop of the season. Then we went and sat up in the stands, anxiety aroused as the announcer announced our school...Southport..........Division 1!!! Yes, we had beat our goal!!!!!!! We didnt end up going past Regionals though, but that wasnt important to us, besides we were going to Florida...Florida was one of the best vacations I've ever had. The Friday we got back were tryouts for winterguard. At tryouts I was so nervous. Many of the girls wanted me to make the team so they kept coming over to help me, but it did no good. Monday at school, I went to check the list, and no nope Im not on there, but wait at the bottom it says All girls who did not make the team I would like for you to come to practices and travel with us on Saturdays. Well, thats where my story leaves off now. I still go to practices, and everyone treats me as a part of the team anyways. I love this sport!(Even though its not a "sport").Well, so much has happened since i last wrote. At the 3rd pract., Steph J. quit and Steph F. got put in her spot, i just couldnt take it ne more. I started crying...My thoughts were that i stunk really bad, and that i was the only one who cared that didnt make teh team. It was awful. Then Kelli came over and talked to me, and made me feel a whole lot better. Since then I have NEVER thought about crying. Molly, who rides my bus, kept talkin to Mike(our instructor) and asking him to give me a part, he said he was. Well, by the time the first contest came I still didnt have a part. And instead of crying i decided i would be as helpful as possible(cus the contest was at our school). I just love the way everyone on the team treats you exactly like a sister. It means SOOO much. Well, that next Sat. I got a part in the show!!! Its only 16 sec long, but that 16 secs means so much more than that. Well we went on to state finals, and although we had raised 4 spots since last year, we were still majorly dissapointed. It was still the greatest time of my life though. Throught just one year of guard I have learned so much. I have learned to deal with failure, the value of friendship, wat matters in life, dedication, and so much more. I can never thank any single person who has to deal with guard, whether its the members, the instructors, the band instructor, the quitters, whoever. They have all made such an impact on me, they can never know.
Year 2
Its hard to believe that one whole year has already passed us by. At guard "tryouts" for the on-coming. It is so weird not being the worse person on the team. I cant ever remember going that slow either. Its like ok drop spins. up down UP down UP come on UP. O well I guess I was 4 times worse. LOL.
| E-mail Me! |  |
|---|---|
| Continue The Tour! |  |
| Home |  |