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Height and weight requirements for colorguard


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I have heard at several shows over the years, that certain corps have had over the years a height and weight requirement for the young women in the colorguard.

I know that in Iowa there has been one high school that has had it in effect for many years. They had an average of over 120 young women trying out for the 30-44 colorguard spots available, with height and weight requirements, as well as dance experience requirements. And they won best colorguard at 95% of the shows they performed in over at least a decade span. And while I thought their colorguard was amazing for a high school, I think that those requirements are just outrageous.

How many corps over the years have had these kind of requirements, anyone know?

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There was always that rumor about one of our biggest rivals, back in high school. Of course, that guard was better than everyone else, one of the very best in the nation at the time, and it showed. Perhaps that's why the rumors started in the first place.

Edited by Maedhros
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I have heard at several shows over the years, that certain corps have had over the years a height and weight requirement for the young women in the colorguard.

I know that in Iowa there has been one high school that has had it in effect for many years. They had an average of over 120 young women trying out for the 30-44 colorguard spots available, with height and weight requirements, as well as dance experience requirements. And they won best colorguard at 95% of the shows they performed in over at least a decade span. And while I thought their colorguard was amazing for a high school, I think that those requirements are just outrageous.

How many corps over the years have had these kind of requirements, anyone know?

Which band in Iowa? PM me if you'd rather not disclose publicly (or get OT). I'm from there.

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I have heard at several shows over the years, that certain corps have had over the years a height and weight requirement for the young women in the colorguard.

I know that in Iowa there has been one high school that has had it in effect for many years. They had an average of over 120 young women trying out for the 30-44 colorguard spots available, with height and weight requirements, as well as dance experience requirements. And they won best colorguard at 95% of the shows they performed in over at least a decade span. And while I thought their colorguard was amazing for a high school, I think that those requirements are just outrageous.

How many corps over the years have had these kind of requirements, anyone know?

Not abnormal at all. In order to do what you need to do in today's guards, I can understand a weight requirement. (this coming for a guy who saw 300 lbs in his rearview long ago..)

If you really want to be in the group..you will be up to the requirements.

Anyhoo..It is their CG and they can say who or what they want in it.

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I don't know about corps, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Many HS and college guards, majorettes, drill teams etc. have them all over the country.

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The criteria for making a colorguard ought to be substantive and based upon the ability to do the work done in the guard, be it spinning, dancing, etc.

I think that often this comes with a certain body type: nevertheless, body type should not be one of the criteria.

Some might make the argument that you must "look the part," like in theatre. I buy some aspects of that argument, but would submit that if someone who is the non-traditional dancer type performs better in an audition, s/he should be in.

Look at a DCI colorguard. There are many different body types...

Edited by mfrontz
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What were the specific requirements? Under 108 or a size 6?

I can tell you that one or two years one of our instructors told us that the most in shape people (included in that was body and equipement work technique) would be in the front so to speak. I would never, ever mention who instisted on that, but the idea was not too disliked at the time.

Was it mean and nasty, not really and not in the way it was said either, but the person was serious. However now that I'm older and maybe a little wiser, it might not be fair.....

all is fair in love and war.....and we were at war during those years.....

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I recall some band directors/drill team instructors having a chart. Height/weight charts are available from various medical offices. In most of them there was a range, limited, but a range.

If you are X tall, you must weight between C and D.

By the way I don't advocate this.

I remember in recent years, two different corps, each had a young man that most surely would not have made it by the charts, yet they were both probably two of the best in their guards.

Edited by shawn craig
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I am just surprised that someone would think that your body size would determine how well you can toss a flag, catch a sabre, spin a rifle, etc. Or that being larger can restrict your facial expressions/body movement from matching those in the rest of the corps/band.

I remember one high school marching band had 2 girls on cymbals. They were larger girls probably well over the 200 lb mark. In the middle of the show, one of the two girls did a backbend with the cymbals in her hands, while the 2nd girl did a split leap over the 1st girl while she was in the backbend position. And then the 1st girl came back up from a backbend-with the cymbals still in her hands. So you definitely cannot use the argument that heavier people are not flexible enough to perform certain routines.

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