The Sport & Art of Winterguard

by Lexi Rosenbaum

​Have you ever heard of Winter Guard?  To me Winter Guard is both a sport and also an art. It combines different types of dance, flag spinning, rifle tossing, and sabre throwing.  It is similar to color guard but instead of performing with a school band at a football game, Winter Guard teams compete interscholastically in the Spring.
     I joined the Swiss Point Winter Guard team in 6th grade after my mother enrolled me in a camp at our school to try it out and see if I liked it.  I am now going into 8th grade and it will be my 3rd year of Winter Guard – so I guess it is safe to say I loved it.
     What equipment is used?
The equipment that the Winter Guard teams use show off the artistic effects and also the ability of the team. The flag is the most fundamental piece of equipment because it can show grace and elegance, but also can show strength and confidence. The rifle is my favorite because it is flowy, fun, energetic, and hardcore. Now the sabre, the sabre is the hardest in my opinion. You have to throw it high above your head and this requires a lot of patience and hard work, but it is really fun.
     What is it like to be on the team?
So some qualities that you will need for Winter Guard are patience, hard work, positivity, a fun attitude, and to be yourself. To be on the Swiss Point Guard is awesome because our coaches always push us to be the best we can be. Also being on the team is like having a second best family to look forward to seeing. On the Swiss Point Winter Guard team we have great coaches, including Evan, Michael, Katie, Charis, as well as girls from the Bartram High team who sometimes help. The main coach is Coach Evan Black, he is a hardworking and intelligent coach who spends time preparing his teams for championships and other competitions. Also he is very fun to work with.
     We practice every week on Wednesday and Thursday from August through April 1st ,when we attend the final competition at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach. In 2015-16 our team, Swiss Point Middle School Winter Guard, won 2nd place at this regional championship and our score placed us 3rd overall in the state of Florida.  
     I have learned a lot while being a member of the Swiss Point Winter Guard team.  How to work hard to accomplish my goals, the value of supporting my teammates and having them support me, and that the worst thing you can do during a guard competition is to drop your smile.