New color guard person

[rayfallon]

Ive been in my whole life also but I couldn't agree with you more

Gee - I expected to get heat for this opinion. My daughter would probably kill me. She knows how proud I am of her...

[deftguy]

My Daughter's first show with the Boston Crusaders took place the week after her 11th birthday. In 2000, at the end of "Time to Say Good Bye" she was in the center of the huge arc, arms outstretched to the audience, in 2002 she aged out, going on to teach the guard after marching 11 full years. She did World Class color guard at the age of 9. I came home from work after a blizzard (East Coast guys - remember April 1st 1994?) to find her out on the front yard in snow up to her waist throwing triples and quads on rifle and saber - practice she couldn't do in the house.

Don't get me wrong - I'm as proud as can be of my daughter - she has been BDB's guard caption head for two years, also having taught the Raiders, Crusaders, a number of winter guards including BDB, and University of Cincinatti's Marching Band, but there have been so many times when I've wished I had pushed her to step back a little and be a kid. She never went home from the hospital at birth - she was brought right to a Hurricane camp in Norwich CT.

I think you can start too young. Play with dolls, do kid stuff. The guard or horn or drum will be waiting. Just my opinion.

Personally, I think it is up to the kid. I started spinning rifle and flag at 9 years old, and auditioned for the Cavaliers at 13 years old. While other kids where playing in Central Park, I was on my rooftop patio garden throwing triples and quads, and doing basics. That is what I wanted to do, no matter how much my parent encouraged me to go and play with the other kids. I had no interest in what they were doing, I wanted to spin. If my parents forced me to step back from my practicing, I know I would have rebelled like crazy. I am glad they didn't, and in the end so where they.

[garfield's_kid]

I started in guard when I was 11 going on 12. It took me years to convince my little brother to join and what does he do? He joins an all male drum corps and played baritone. Your sister will make up her own mind. A long time ago (the 1970's) I taught people that were new. I was a guard and marching tech for rookies, people that never ever marched or spun a flag before, some of them were as young as 8 and they were great. Hope this helps kiddo :-)

Thanks, it does help. We have a private instructor from a local high school come and teach her. they really have fun. It's great to see Natalie getting interested in DCI.

[lindap]

Thanks, it does help. We have a private instructor from a local high school come and teach her. they really have fun. It's great to see Natalie getting interested in DCI.

Thanks for the news Anthony. Tell Natalie I'm glad she's trying something new and having fun. I got a snare/spin story or two for you. After months of bugging me, Debbie convinced me to join drum corps in 1968. We were on the flag line. In those days girls on guard, boys on horns and drums. I was looking at my old scrapbooks the other day. We had 39 guard members September 1969, that's when we started our rifle line. I practised and practised until my hands hurt and on February 7, 1970 I entered individuals on solo rifle. I looked at my scoresheet the other day, got 57 out of 100, yikes! The comments were 'poor catches, elbows wide, lost control of the rifle twice, improper rifle salute'. Did I give up? No, never! lol I started spinning sabre a few weeks later and loved it. In September 1970, we had 43 guard members. Joannie was a really good rifler. I remember we used to spin in the spring in her big backyard while her younger brother Dave was a-rat-a-tat-tatting with drum sticks on a practise pad. He joined our corps in 73 or 74, marched snare with Oakland Crusaders 75-77 and Spirit of Atlanta in 78. He's in this 1975 photo. The snare on the right is Sue.

In september 1976 I took a 2,000 mile one-way train ride west to look for a job. I was 21. I found a day job and when I looked for part time drum corps work teaching guard, there was Sue teaching the Alberta All Girls drum line. Here's a photo of 1977 Alberta All Girls in the Netherlands. Tanya's on the left. She marched snare from 1970-1977. Next is Nancy who marched percussion (mostly snare) from 1973 - 1979 and Shirley, percussion 1975 - 1977. They all started when they were about 11 years old. Our drum corps stopped playing the music September 1979. The sounds of silence were sad...

...so we did winter guard. In September 1979 Tanya was on the Board of Directors and raised funds. Nancy marched guard 80 and 81 and was guard instructor 1980-1987. Shirley marched guard 1980 and was on our support staff 81 and 83. She joined Canadian Royalaires winter guard 82 or 83 and was a finalist at WGI in 84. From drumming to dancing until we're 21. As long as there was music, we were happy. My advice is do your homework, get a good night's sleep, try something new, never give up, enjoy music and treasure the friends that you meet along the way bada-bing

[grass_canvas]

I would encourage her to watch guards live and on video(youtube). We learn a lot from watching...at least I do!

Make friends in the activity.

Practice practice practice!

Hope this helps.