The World Guard, Winter Percussion and Winter Winds teams have been busy competing recently.
All three groups won first-place trophies at the Tri-State Warren Central Contest on Feb. 14, with teams from Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky competing. The three teams were unopposed in their class at this competition but used the opportunity to showcase all of the hard work they’ve been putting into their performances.
Most recently, both the Winter Percussion and Winter Winds teams have achieved success. On Feb. 28, Winter Percussion performed at the Greenfield Central IPA Invitational and placed second in their class. Winter Winds placed first place in their class at the WGI Kettering Regional, also on Feb. 28. All three teams will compete on March 7, with World Guard and Winter Winds competing in Kentucky and Winter Percussion at Center Grove.
The World Guard is the name that the color guard team goes by during their winter season. With the transition from fall to winter guard, all of their performances move entirely indoors. Senior Kendra Cooley enjoys Winter Guard and says the difference between performing outdoors and indoors is bigger than one may think.
“Winter guard is a completely different environment from the fall, but it’s in the best way,” Cooley said. “The way we compete and practice and perform is different from being outside, especially since there isn’t a band with us.”
The Winter Percussion team consists of instruments such as vibraphones, marimbas, synths, glockenspiels, bells, timpanis and a wide variety of drums. Being part of such an intricate performance takes a lot of practice and a team that is in near total sync with one another. Senior Virginia Walthers says her favorite part of being on the team is the bond she creates with her teammates.
“The countless hours of work we put in really pay off when we put it in front of an audience,” she said. “The way they cheer, smile, it’s a great feeling. The little connections and details we include in our show is what makes our group so special.”
The Winter Winds performers use instruments like piccolos, flutes, clarinets, trumpets, saxophones, mellophones, baritones and tubas in their performances. Junior Jeremiah Wright-Bibbs loves the feeling that he gets when the team gets to showcase their hard work.
“Performing in Winter Winds gives a lot of us a chance to take our skills that we work so hard on in class and at home and display them in a way that is creative, entertaining and has people on the edge of their seats,” Wright-Bibbs said. “The feeling of the roar of the crowd after we perform a big hit in the music or an awesome set in the drill is indescribable.”