After the flags and sabers have been tossed in the air, Winter Guard have delivered for their final performance of the 2026 season.
The results of the varsity competition for winter guard went in Greenwood’s favor.
“The competition went well. We met our goal of having the best run we could and ended up with getting sixth place. JV ended up getting fifth place. After the performance there were a lot of emotions, especially because it was our last run of the show. It was a little sad since we are losing the current seniors but it was also exciting because of what we had just accomplished in our performance. I’m excited for what next year has to offer because I am confident that our group can handle whatever is thrown at us,” sophomore Evelyn Forster.
Every team has obstacles that can appear during practice, but sophomore Elijah Russel feels confident that their team can still succeed.
“I think my performance has been pretty good so far in this season, I’ve never dropped during a show and always make sure to give everything my all on the floor, and I think this year’s show is in a much better place than it was last year. However, we have endured many hardships during this season, whether it be team injuries, schedule complications, or practice space issues, we have all powered through obstacles and focused on our craft. This hard work and perseverance has gotten us to where we are today, however we are definitely not perfect,” Russell said.
Forster dedicates time to practice, even after an injury from last season.
“I have gotten to where I am right now by giving myself time to heal after injuring myself late last year, which allowed me to return late in the season ready to work without further damage. While practicing for Guard, it has been most effective for me to take constant reps of my work to ensure that I am confident in it, as well as asking constant questions to make sure that I am doing the work and blocking correctly to make sure that my part runs the way it is supposed to,” Forster said.
Last year’s show for Guard has inspired the team to do better this year.
“Last year’s winter guard show was called “If I can Dream “. The tarp was just black, our uniforms were purple, and we had small star props. The show was fun to perform but this year’s show is much more entertaining. Last year I made so many new friends in winter guard and it is just a great atmosphere to be in. Last year we got seventh place at state finals but I think we can do better this year if we all work as a team,” sophomore Jaylyn O’Dell said.
Miller feels a similar sentiment, as he cherishes the memories he made last year.
“Last year’s show featured ‘Manchester’ by Kishi Bashi as its show music. I found it as a very fun show to perform and still hum the show music every now and then. It is very different from this year’s show, however I still enjoyed performing very much. Winter guard is a great experience for anybody and I’ve made my most cherished memories participating within this program,” Miller said.
Despite the similar name, Color Guard and Winter Guard have their differences.
“Color Guard is during the summer and fall with the marching band, while Winter Guard is during the winter and it’s just us on the floor. Other than the obvious comparisons of it being outside versus inside or football field versus tarp one of the biggest differences is skills. The winter season gives everyone time to work on and achieve those harder skills that aren’t usually seen during marching due to the wind,” Forster said.
Winter Guard also has differences in length.
“Winter Guard and Color Guard are very similar but also very different in many ways. Winter guard is indoors and usually the show is around 3-4 minutes, and it is a song sung by an artist. While the color guard is outside, the music is played by the marching band. The show is usually about 7-10 minutes long, and we don’t have a huge tarp,” O’Dell said.
