Final Project
“Spinning is a safe place. It’s why I love it.”
-Sydney Rushing
Sydney Rushing is a member of the Germantown High School color guard and winter guard. This is her fifth year participating in color guard. She has performed in six shows, two as a part of the GHS marching band and four during indoor season. She and her team have performed in the highest level of high school color guard, as part of a 6A marching band and in a winter guard category called Scholastic Regional A. This project was focused on her experience in the GHS Color Guard, the skills needed and learned, and her love for her team.
Sydney is on both the flag and dance line of her guard. As an upperclassmen, she is one of the most advanced members on the team. She has choreographed for the middle school color guard and tried out for captain of the high school team. She and her team won the Mississippi Indoor Association state championship in the cadet category in 2017 and 2018, placed second at the Mississippi Bandmasters Association marching band state championship as a 5A band in 2019, and placed second in the Winter Guard International regional competition in the Scholastic Regional A category in 2019.
What is Color Guard?
Winter Guard International, the organization over indoor color guard competitions, calls color guard a, “sport of the arts”. Color guard members use equipment to create elaborate and beautiful shows both on the football field with the marching band in the fall (referred to as marching season) and in the spring in gyms or coliseums during competitions dedicated to only color guard (referred to as indoor or winter guard season). The color guard uses flags, mock rifles, sabres, and other types of equipment to produce visually stunning shows telling the story of their choice. Judges critique each show based on the technique, design, and overall performance quality of each team.
Learn more about WGI and color guard at wgi.org
The 2020-2021 Season
Sydney started participating in color guard in middle school. Since then, her love and passion for the sport has only grown. She said it has taught her teamwork, dedication, hard work, and perseverance. Though the hours can be long and the training can be hard, she cannot envision a life without color guard.
Because of COVID-19, she has not been able to participate in color guard this season. Sydney is going to school virtually this year and is not able to perform with her team. She said she is trying to remain positive and is continuing to support her team from the sideline. She hopes that she can rejoin them in fall of 2021 for her senior, and final, year on the GHS color guard.