With Tri-Valley’s color guard growing in popularity (26 strong as of last fall, the largest TV has ever seen) it is no surprise that winter guard would follow suit. The 2020 TVHS Winter Guard is the first in 12 years to compete. “Up until this year, we didn’t have the commitment level from enough members to make it successful. The benefits to completing a winter program are immense. It keeps the members spinning year round which will innately improves individual skills,” explained TVHS Color Guard Instructor, Carrie Schott.
This year’s winter guard is made up of 15 members from the fall program ranging in grade from 7th to 12th. Although winter guard is not mandatory it is encouraged. Members included: seniors – Rylee Birkhimer and Spring Conklin, junior – Mackenzie Newell, Sophomores – Sophie Vansickle and Taylor Rhodes, Freshman – Leah Bertelson, eighth-graders – Lillie Schott, Mackinsey Reeves, Brianna Lauvray, Shianne Williams, Elysia Shaver, Destiny Hottinger, Lauren Shroyer, and seventh graders – Erin Myers and Taylyn Mitchell.
Performing in the Scholastic Regional A Class as part of the Ohio Indoor Performance Association (OIPA) circuit, the winter guard used a variety of equipment such as rifles, flags, and sabers combined with dance choreographed to a soundtrack of music from the movie “Leap”. Their show entitled “The Rainbow Within” depicted the journey that we go through in trying to find the positive of a bad situation. Their performances received high marks and praise throughout their first four contests earning them a top three rank in the state. The group was well on their way, with only two competitions remaining, to compete at the state championship which was set for the end of March.
“We were sitting right where we wanted to be. We wanted to be the underdog that no one knew about. We will never know what the final outcome would have been, but in our hearts we were on the path to a medal,” said Carrie.
Interested in joining the
2020 Fall Color Guard?
Contact Carrie Schott at
cschott@tvschools.org.
