Color guard is a sport at Kennedy that is often overlooked by students and media. It involves dance, storytelling, intense practice and skill, as well as strength to support their props. It also requires synchronization and cooperation with the marching band.
This year, Kennedy’s Color Guard Team had six seniors; Kinsey Neely, Ellie Wray, Nex Farmer, Ella Young, Finn Zeien and Paige Villhauer. Five of the six had more than one season, participating in the marching band color guard and winter guard seasons. Each year and each season has brought new passions and challenges for the seniors.
“I originally started because my brother was in drumline and my mom wanted us in the same activity for a year, but I quickly fell in love with it,” Wray said. “I had no prior color guard experience, but did have many years experience in dance.”
Color guard is coached by Julie Yanda, Dustin Malec and Emily Milbauer, each with their own unique coaching styles and relationships with the guard members. Malec teaches Spanish at Kennedy and builds his relationships with the guard at practice and at school. Yanda marched with several groups and has a unique coaching style that pushes the members to their highest potential. Mauber holds guard training and focuses on enhancing movement and performative aspects of the guard’s routines.
“They are such great coaches,” Neely said. “They always push us to the best we can be. They always make sure that we are doing okay and they really care about every single one of us.”
Color guard is a complex sport, making it one of the most challenging sports offered at Kennedy.
“The hardest parts of guard are definitely the mental aspect,” Neely said. “When you cannot grasp a skill at first, it can be extremely frustrating. Thinking positively and telling yourself you will be able to get it with practice is a really good way to combat that mindset.”
Despite the difficulty of the sport, not everything was just hard work.
“It was worth the hard work and compromise because my favorite part of guard is the friendships I have developed because of it and the moments I got to spend with those people,” Wray said.
