The indoor color guard team competed on February 6 at Biglerville High School. They placed fifth out of sixth in their division. The team consists of 21 members under the direction of instructor Will Hernandez, and they compete in Keystone Indoor Drill Association (KIDA) competitions.

The team competes in the white division of KIDA, which is divided into seven basic categories: junior, bronze, gold, white, blue, platinum, and world.  The divisions are based on the level of the different teams, not including the junior guard division, which includes students from New Market and Windsor Knolls Middle Schools.

A color guard performance is composed of four basic elements, including dance, flag, rifle, and sabre choreography. After combining all the different pieces, the work is put to music for a show. The song selection for this year is “A Sky Full of Stars” cover by The Piano Guys.

The members have also added a personal twist to the show by tie-dying their own flags. Making their own flags not only helps the budget, but gives each flag a personal identity.

First year member of the team, freshman Caroline Etherton, said “The guard is really great. It’s a lot of fun and worth the time.”

This year’s show is directed towards the LGBTQ+ community. Hernandez said, “It was a big year for the LGBTQ+ community and I feel that it needed to be continued.”

The team also looks forward to their competition season, “I think we’ll do well this year,” said Hernandez, “The group has definitely grown a lot lately.”

They’ve all taken the theme of “Acceptance” to heart, making them closer as a team.

Hernandez said, “All the members are good friends, and really appreciate one another.”

Over the past few years, the team has almost doubled in size, though it has faced stiff competition throughout the season. Sydney Clark, the captain of the team, said, “Since I was a freshman, we’d get last place. Now we’re close to placing and have an overall better attitude.”

The team had a big obstacle this year: trying to make time for practice around Winter Storm Jonas, before their first competition. However, the color guard worked hard and is ready to perform their next show. The team has six remaining competitions this season, all listed on the marching band website. The next on this coming Saturday, February 20, at Musselman High School.