Foot Positions: How to set your feet (see illustration)

• 1st position: Heels together, toes facing out 
• 2nd position: Heels shoulder length apart, toes facing out 
  

Flag Positions: How to set up your flag at certain checkpoints during work

• Right shoulder: flag straight up and down, flag in the middle of your body, right hand at tab, left hand at stopper and in front of belly button.
• Left shoulder: flag straight up and down, left hand at tab, flag in the middle of your body, right hand at stopper and in front of belly button.
• Right slam: flag crosses body at 45 degree angle, right hand at tab near hip, left hand at bottom stopper. cheater near shoulder
• Left slam: flag crosses body at 45 degree angle, left hand at tab near hip, right hand at bottom stopper. cheater near shoulder

Flagwork: Choreography done with your flag

Choreography: Staging, flag work, and dancing put all together.

• Checkpoints: certain positions that the flag or body has to be at a certain count, the way that a color guard stays together during work, says that the flag should be in X position at the Yth count
• Drop Spin: A basic exercise where the flag moves up and down in a circular motion
• Carve/Cone: A basic exercise where the flag makes a sort of figure 8 in the air
• Flourish: A basic exercise where the flag first spins in front of you, then behind you
• Pull Hit: A semi-basic exercise where the flag starts out facing down, then you quickly spin it around a full revolution and catch it in the same position
• Thumb Flip: A simple rotation of the flag at the tab around the thumb
• J-Toss: Grab with a money hand and pull up and out, letting the flag spin around in the air
• Single: Starts at right shoulder, spins in the air once, then catch at right shoulder
• One and a Half: A toss, same as a single except spins in the air one and a half times and is caught upward.
• Double: A toss, same as a single except spins in the air twice
• Horizontal Toss: A toss where you throw the flag up so that it spins above your head in a horizontal circle
• 45 toss: Similar to a horizontal toss, but it spins in a 45 degree plane instead of a horizontal one
• Sail: When the silk of the flag gets caught on the tip, usually caused by sudden direction changes
• Money Hand: A way to grab the flag, hand straight out, palm upwards, pole between thumb and pointer finger
• Free Hand: The hand not used during that particular work

Bolt: The weight that goes into the top stopper of the flag in order to spin more easily.
Lobster Claw: When a flag or rifle is manipulated using the top part of the hand usually with the first two fingers and thumb. 
Rifle: A piece of wooden equipment that looks like a rifle. (see illustration)
Sabre: A piece of metal equipment that looks like a sword.
Air Blade: A fairly new prop introduced that combines rifle and sabre

(out of 3)

Attitude/Motivation/Teamwork

Appearance/Clothing

Execution/Technique

Movement/Dance

Recovery/Correction

Memory/Anticipation and Performance

Criticism

Overall/Previous Experiences

This is not a “required” list. Coach and the District try to provide as much as possible for students at no charge.

This is a resource for students who would like to spin rifles/sabres, need a replacement of something, or would prefer personal equipment to practice with. If you have questions, please reach out to Coach.

"One of the most interesting parts of watching a marching band is the color guard. While the patterns of musicians rhythmically marching across the field may hypnotize, some of us may find our gaze broken by the frenetic spinning of brightly colored flags. The color guard has the unique responsibility to interpret the music  through visual effects. These effects can range from flags, wooden rifles, sabers, or other props. Using a variety of colors, members of the color guard  can set the mood of any marching band song. Due to the relationship between color guard and military drills, you have to practice to become a member of a color guard team. How many people do you know that can throw a flag ten feet in the air and catch it? There is a lot of work that goes into color guard  routines. So, while there are many artistic elements to this sport, there is  also a great deal of competition. Due to its increasing popularity, some have  even suggested that it should become an Olympic sport." (ehow.com)

Science:
It is exact, specific and it demands precise execution. A designer's drill is a chart;  a graph which indicates x and y coordinates for constantly changing geometric  shapes and forms in both time and space. Our equipment and props are always  pushing the laws of physics with force and speed, action and reaction. All of this with an incredible control of time.
​
Mathematical:
It is rhythmically and  metrically based on the subdivision of time into fractions which must be done  instantaneously. We have angles and degrees, both acute and obtuse, sequences,  ranges, and hypotenuse.

Language:
It is a visual picture alive with  message and meaning. We use interpretive phases, sentences, and words many times  with music which creates a most complete and universal language, to be recorded  for others to see, feel, and understand. It is a language which is recited and shared many times both near and far.

History:
Winter Guard can be influenced by  the environment and times of it's creation, or it can reflect the past as well  as the future. It can send us to a far away country or bring us closer to home. We are rich in our heritage and have forefathers as well.

Physical:
It requires fantastic coordination 
of fingers, hands, arms, feet and legs; in addition to extraordinary control of  the back, stomach and torso; all of which are called to respond instantly to the  sound the ear hears and the sight the eye sees. Winter Guard calls upon  endurance, ability, strength, and balance.

Sport:
A game we play with others in which 
we share and we shine. We are competing with ourselves to perform better with  every practice and every show. It allows us to reflect and learn on what’s  inside - on confidence and fear, self-esteem and self-image; as we get better on the outside with performances, people, expressing our feelings, and sharing our dreams. It is a chance to realize our attitude is what makes us or breaks us,  not anyone or anything else. It is a mind set with an increased awareness  challenging us to realize the potential in our selves.

Performing Arts:
It is a show which can be  entertaining and enlightening! It requires directing, acting, producing,  managing, and touring, as well being full of colors, fashion, flair, excitement,  pizzazz, sophistication, and subtlety. We are to realize the triad of performance: audience, performer, designer.

Educational:
It allows a human being to  learn how to take all of these things; some dry and technically boring, some 
difficult and challenging; and use them to create emotion! One of the most  important things our world needs.