While passionately spinning their flags, rifles, and sabers, Lebanon Trail’s Color Guard continues to impress moving into their spring Winterguard season. On January 31st, LT’s Varsity Winterguard took first place at the NTCA Little Elm in the Scholastic AA classification with their show “Inhale Exhale”. Behind the colorful display and perfectly executed, graceful choreography, the guard team spends hours mastering their routines.
“We have three hour rehearsals twice, sometimes three times a week,” Senior Captain Ira Sonawane said.
Through their time on guard, performers hone both their and standout equipment-spinning ability, advancing from flag to rifle to saber.
“The hardest thing I do in my show is I toss a saber quad, which is four rotations in the air,” Sonawane said.
Beyond technical difficulty, guard captains also work to foster community and team spirit within the team.
“I help to build team spirit by making sure I develop a bond with as many people on the team as possible. It’s really easy to stick with your same friends, but I make sure to be intentional, especially about bridging the gap between underclassmen and upperclassmen.” Senior Captain Marisa Naraine said.
“In Winter Guard, we spend a lot of time together, being around each other a lot can be a little frustrating at times, but I just try to remind each other to just like we’re all in this together,” says captain Maggie Gunawan.
Color Guard this year varies from previous years through the trajectory of their group as a whole. Their long hours and dedication pay off to produce a spectacular performance.
“I feel like this year is when a lot of people in guard experienced a lot of major growth. During this year’s marching show we got to show off a lot of our skills and I think that has benefited us as we transition to Winter Guard.” Naraine said.
Now nearing the end of her journey through LT Color Guard, Naraine reflects on her experiences being a leader and building a community within the team.
“Sometimes it is so easy to feel unmotivated but in color guard you learn to show up strong for something larger than yourself.” Naraine said.
For her peers, she wants to leave behind a legacy of leadership and community building.
“I want the younger people who I’ve spun with to know that I was someone who always was there for them. I hope that inspires the future leaders just to really build community in the guard so we can have a better team” Naraine said.
Gunawan, who joined guard her freshman year, describes how Guard has shaped her sense of self.
“I was really shy and Guard kind of brought me out of my shell, so that’s something I’ll be grateful for,” Gunawan said.
For Gunawan, the end to a perfect winterguard show is complete with a sweet treat from the Italian ice stand that frequents competitions.
“The highlight of any Winner Guard show is getting Rita’s after a difficult competition. And Rita’s is just Italian ice. It’s so good.” Gunawan said.
After all the theatrical spins and flowing choreography, maybe the real legacy is the community and memories built throughout the journey.
