In the dimly lit gymnasium, hours after the final bell rang, McLean’s color guard team can be found through bursts of twirling vibrant flags as the team rehearses their routine in synchrony.

Color guard combines elements of dance, choreography, and equipment manipulation to create captivating and expressive performances.

Although the team’s main productions occur during the autumn when the football team is in season, the team competes and performs year round as they are currently preparing for upcoming recitals.

With their first competition of the season having taken place on Feb. 3 in which they brought home gold, receiving first place in their respective category, the team has displayed that they are back in full gear.

“To prepare for [the competitions], we’re combining drills, which refer to placement on the floor, that we’ve learned with choreography to build our show,” junior color guard captain Calliope Kimmett said. “Along with that, we tape our flag silks so they all look the same and match the show. We also have additional practice the day before our competition to finalize everything so we’re always 100% prepared.”

For members of the color guard team, participation extends far beyond mere athleticism; it includes a sense of community and camaraderie, ensuring strong and compatible team dynamics. Every team member has a role and duties to fulfill, the sense of unity making all the hard work worth it.

“[Captains] are the bridge between the coaches and the team so there’s a lot of correspondence with both groups,” Kimmett said. “We have to organize the calendar for the entire season, schedule our competition days, take inventory, run the social media, and lead stretching and sometimes choreography at practices. It is super fun though, because I get to be extra involved with the activity and sport I love.”

Under the guidance of dedicated coaches and instructors, the color guard team spends countless hours after school perfecting their routines, honing their technique, and refining their skills with the goal to achieve a seamless blend of artistry and precision in every performance.

“The team environment is my favorite aspect of the sport,” Kimmett said. “Everyone gets along, and we have so much fun at practices and competitions! Everyone on the team is a hard worker and we’re constantly helping each other grow to be better performers. Along with that, we’re a really competitive group, and there’s no better feeling than winning a competition with your friends.”

However, the season has not been without its own unique set of challenges as the team has struggled with finding adequate spaces for practice.
“There’s so little room at the school that we can use to spin equipment, and even on days where we’ve booked the spaces, sometimes we still aren’t allowed to practice because they give it away to other teams, or because the school has scheduled an event there without checking to see that it’s been booked,” Kimmett said. “It makes it really difficult to work on our show when we don’t have adequate room to use our equipment.”

The team hopes to stress the message that color guard is welcome to anyone, regardless of their background.

“The first thing I tell people who are interested in joining [color guard] is not to be worried about having little experience or being out of their comfort zone,” Kimmett said. “Our coaches are amazing, and they’re great at teaching new people, plus we have tons of rookies each year who haven’t ever done color guard before, and they all grow to be super experienced and talented!”

The team is looking forward to continuing the season with the same unwavering dedication they’ve displayed so far, embodying the spirit of unity and athleticism in every show.