As the vibrant uniforms spin under the lights with twirling flags, along with the sounds of the band, the crowd cheers for the students who are putting on a show.
This is exactly what color guard has been practicing for months, creating the perfect routine to show off at halftime during home football games.
Ella Moore (‘26) said the most rewarding part is seeing the group continue to improve every day.
“(It’s satisfying) just hearing the crowd’s reaction to big parts of the show and just being confident and proud,” Moore said.
Many people underestimate just how much work is put into color guard. With practices after school twice a week, and every morning before school, team members have to learn to work around a tight schedule.
“Perfecting the routine takes a lot of time,” Eden Mercer (‘26) said. “So scheduling errors with work, school, practice and homework can be difficult to balance sometimes.”
The determined team doesn’t let this stop them from striving. Alana Biggerstaff (‘26) explains how the team stays on track with help from the coach
“Color Guard Coach Connor Frisch pushes us to do our hardest and makes sure we do our best even if it’s difficult,” Biggerstaff said.
Commitment is a major factor in guard, requiring discipline and dedication. Mallory Shaninger (26′) has been a part of the sport her whole high school career, due to her mom being part of Francis Howell’s color guard program.
“Guard isn’t something you will be good at right away but our team is always willing to help one another improve,”Shaninger said.
