Stepping up our game!

Last Saturday was the High School's first winter guard competition. The group did not have a very good run and we knew we needed to chat with them about it at practice on Tuesday. The kids were very nervous and scared during warm up and I did not anticipate them being like that! I talked to them about what warm up is for and why there is no need to "freak out!"

To sum up what the staff said - We are stepping up our game!

The biggest thing we need to change is how we rehears! We will be holding all the kids accountable to do every single rep full out! So often they mark through choreography and then when we do run throughs at the end they do things so differently then what they practiced that it really effects them. This was the same thing that happened during their performance.

We jumped right in on Tuesday after our conversation with this more intense and more accountable rehearsal. I wasn't sure how they would react to it.....if they would get mad or frustrated.....but I was very impressed when we kept pushing and pushing and the kids just did it! No one was frustrated when they left rehearsal and everyone really seemed to understand why we were adjusting the way we were doing things.

Very exciting to be able to do something like that and not have a bunch of friction and reluctance from the kids. Means we can keep making them better and they wont make out right away!

Still a long road.....we will keep taking one rehearsal at a time.

Season is Going

2 weeks from tomorrow will be the High School's first competition. I think we are in a good place for their first performance and I think they will do well. Almost the entire show is done....not completely filled in, but ideas are mostly complete and the concept should be clear. We get to complete with one of our biggest competitors right off the bat with this first competition. It should be fun how the 2 stack up against each other.

Next week is our big Spin-A-Thon fundraiser. The girls will stay up all through the night spinning flag, rifle, and/or saber for donations. This will be the first time I have done this type of fundraiser so I hope it goes well. It should be pretty fun!

The Middle School is doing well...they have a little more time before their first show. They have about 2/3 of their show done and the keep improving every practice, which is what we need that group to do. I think they will end up having a great season.

UCM is ahead of schedule with their show so we are really excited for them to perform. Some of them have never done winter guard before so I look forward to seeing them experience their first competition.

I am crazy busy working with the 3 groups as well as now planning a wedding....but its great! Its what I always thought I would be doing. I am lucky to get to work with such a great group of kids and have such a wonderful staff to help me out when I need it.