Bright lights, sprinting and sweating, colorful makeup and costumes on the football field. Running out two six foot flags each, one small swing flag with a long silk, either two wooden rifles or a really fragile umbrella. The Papillion LaVista Colorguard.
An unseen struggle in the marching band. Not even considered a sport.
The color guards of any marching band would say how difficult it is being one of the main visual aspects of marching band while being overlooked at the same time.
Though it seems the hardest part is the competitions.
“Having to get all the equipment together, in the flag bags, and in the equipment trailer is a struggle,” Color Guard Coach Mr. Mikal Dahlstrom said. “Though that doesn’t compete with trying to keep everyone on task.”
It would seem that the captain agrees with the coach on this point.
“We as a team need to commit more time before competitions, even if it’s just five minutes,” Sophomore, Captain, Brylee Honeywell said.
Although as the end of the season draws near it is not just a consent struggle but the success story as well after so long.
Dahlstrom said seeing the end product and everyone having fun doing something they enjoy is worth the getting up in the morning and staying until eight pm.
Though the question is, do the struggles outway the strengths?
“One of our major struggles are just trying to get everyone on the same page without complaints,” Honeywell said.
By struggle or sweat the endproduct always seems to be worth the troubles of captain, coach, and performers.
“My favorite movement is movement three because I like how the baby flags (small pole with extra long silk) move with the dance and music,” Honeywell says.
Though there are always another reason for being more fond of movements.
“I like movement four as it bothered everyone else with how fast paced it is,” Dahlstrom said. “Specifically how the rifles get annoyed with the caveman dance.”
While no one can ever predict how a season of guard is going to go, whether their going to have enough people, if the choreography is a struggle or success, the Papillion LaVista ColorGuard is going to give their everything to make the show shine.