One of Green Hope’s many extracurricular activities, Colorguard, continues to soar in size and success as it continues through its Winter season. In addition to performing with the marching band in the fall, the team’s winter season allows the team to compete individually. Known for its colorful flags, rifles, and extravagant props, Colorguard’s Artistic skill and graceful movements captivate audiences during halftime shows and various events. The GH Falcon sat down with senior Kara Lloyd, one of the team’s three co-captains, to inquire about her role on the team and her motives for joining.
Lloyd is in her 8th season of Colorguard at Green Hope after beginning the fall of her freshman year. She initially planned to try out for the marching band, marching with the clarinet, but was put on hold when she was convinced to try out for guard by her brother’s girlfriend. Lloyd enjoyed tryouts immensely, ultimately deciding to pursue guard instead.
Being a captain on the team comes with various responsibilities, such as ensuring practices and performances run smoothly. “As captain, I lead warm-ups and assignments, and I’m walking around helping people during rehearsals. Occasionally, we don’t have staff show up, so I lead rehearsals,” shared Lloyd. During her fall season, she works alongside various section leaders from the band to ensure positioning on the field is correct. “It’s working closely with our staff and with other section leaders from the band in the fall, helping with traveling, making sure we have everything,” she shared.
With eight seasons under her belt, Lloyd has a fair share of favorite memories and experiences from her time on the team. “My favorite memories in my time in guard are from last year. My co-captain, Sarah, and I worked really well together. We were really close, and we won a lot, especially in our fall season, and that was just always a good moment,” she shared. Lloyd noted that the team had previously been struggling, so seeing the moods of her teammates shift made the season more enjoyable, and their wins more worthwhile.
Lloyd encourages students to join the team, as it was one of the highlights of her years at Green Hope. She notes that although it is a large time commitment, the activity is incredibly rewarding and leaves participants with a supportive and respected community. “My advice to somebody who would want to join the team in the coming years is just be susceptible to learning. Be okay with the fact that you will fail first, and it will seem really difficult. You’ll look at the other people and think it looks so easy for them, but you have to work to get there. Just be willing to put in the effort, and be okay with putting it above other things in your life,” she shared. “You’ll get to the point where that’s what you’ll want to do, and you’ll want it to be your primary focus, and you’ll care about the people around you so much. Just push through that beginning part of it, and it’s really worth it.”
Alongside the three captains, many other members of the team report a similar positive experience. Monica Perez, a sophomore at Green Hope, practices and competes alongside Lloyd. She initially joined the team in the winter of her eighth-grade year after her older sister, a previous guard captain, convinced her to try out, and she has loved her experience ever since. “The atmosphere [on the team] is great,” she shared. “Everyone is so encouraging of each other and always keeps a positive mindset. Especially when I got upset or frustrated, they would always comfort me and motivate me to be better.”
Being on the team has allowed Perez to meet new people, many of whom she quickly befriended. “My favorite part of being on the team is getting to learn impressive tricks with my friends. I’ve met some of the best people through guard that I wouldn’t trade for the world,” she shared. Her favorite memories from her experiences so far include going to the team’s annual Cary Band Day competition and the charter bus rides with the rest of the freshmen when she first started guard.
Like Lloyd, Perez’s experiences with Green Hope Colorguard so far have positively impacted her life, and she encourages others to join the team. “I would 100% recommend joining the team. Like with most things, it can be pretty intimidating to start, but sticking with it was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and it’s infinitely beneficial in more ways than one,” she stated.
Like many of Green Hope’s many clubs and extracurriculars, Colorguard is a great choice for students interested in branching out. The competitive and performative nature of the sport, along with the artistic aspects revealed through costumes and props, appeals to a wide range of interests and makes it a great choice for many.
