New Circuit, Same Success: Winter Guard gears up for postseason

Carmen Thomas
onwardtrojans.com

Umbrellas, rain, and…rifles? This year’s Winter Guard show, Let It Pour, celebrates the beauty of the storm through “Singing in the Rain” and “Umbrella.”
The Winter Guard, coached by Jeffory DeHenes, is a team of dancers who tell a story through different movements. They toss flags, rifles, and sabers. The team is a subset of the Trojan Guard, CHS’s award-winning marching band.
“TG is more about the band and the color guard performing a show together on the football field…Winter Guard is feature-based,” said junior Brianna Manning, a three-year member and co-section leader.
The team’s practices combine strengthening and performing arts work.
“We start off by stretching and doing exercises to build up strength,” said junior Lucy Rutkowski, a four-year member and co-section leader who began her 8th-grade year. “Then we’ll run the show or work on specific sections.”
All of that work gets put to the test on competition weekends, which include team practice in the morning, a bus ride to Indianapolis, equipment inspection, warm-ups, performance, and an awards ceremony.
Color guard tournaments have only become harder this year, when the team moved circuits from Chicagoland to Indianapolis.
“The other circuit was very slow,” Manning said. “But this circuit is very fast-paced, and there’s a lot more teams.”
Though the competition is tougher, the Winter Guard gets the same successful results as before. Last Saturday, the team placed fourth at Carroll High School’s competition. Right now, the CHS Winter Guard is sitting at a comfortable ninth out of 78 teams in their circuit.
The tossers face their fair share of nerves, though.
“The most difficult part about Winter Guard is getting over the adrenaline and fear of going on stage,” Manning said.
Competitions are stressful, but for the Winter Guard, they’re also really fun.
“Not only do we get to compete, but we get to see what other color guards are putting out there,” Rutkowski said.
The other best part of color guard? The coach, according to Manning.
“Our coach is a memory in and of itself,” Manning said. “He’s just very iconic and super funny. He makes every practice fun.”
The team also draws support from its parent volunteers, who provide prop work, photographs, and the occasional snack.
“My parents have supported me a lot. They’re at almost every competition, every event. They’re always willing to donate food and make sure we’re taken care of,” said Rutkowski.
The CHS Winter Guard’s last regular season competition is on March 1, which determines their seeding for prelims the following Saturday, March 8.