Guard Life Hacks

Tips and tricks for surviving guard, for the first year and more.

[spintronixguard]

#futurestar #colorguard #45toss @leighace1313 (at Spintronix Color Guard)

[ancora-love--colorguardgifs]

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Color Guard Tip #10

Always persevere. 

One bad performance should only motivate you to fix your mistakes and improve, not give up. Your mistakes don’t define who you are as a performer, how you address them does. There’s no point in dwelling on what if’s, focus on improving yourself constantly and you’ll be a truly successful member of color guard.

[infinitewatersworld]

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Did someone say band camp snacks? If you don’t like drinking water straight up.

[colorguardmainia]

99% of people in guard once believed that they were: not flexible, not strong, not a good dancer, not coordinated, too big of a klutz, or too scared.

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Very true. I always wanted to try dance but never felt like I was good enough, or thin/tall enough. I have a genetic problem with flexibility in certain areas.

But guard is the perfect mix for me! 

[ancora-love--colorguardgifs]

[colorguard-advice-blog]

“Mom Bag” Checklist

If you’re a guard captain (or just the mom friend in the guard), someone’s gotta have a mom bag. Sometimes it’ll be your instructor, sometimes its up to you. So here’s my master checklist for my personal mom bag. Feel free to use it as a guide for your own.

- Bobby pins

- Safety pins

- TAPE (I bring black and white, for flags and weapons)

- Band-Aids

- Ibuprofen or Tylenol (only over the counter!!)

- Fingernail Polish Remover (our instructor doesn’t allow any polish)

- Cotton balls or cotton pads (for the polish remover or other things)

- Feminine Supplies 

- A hand mirror/compact

- Makeup wipes

- Show makeup supplies

- Disposable toothbrushes

- Extra gloves (if you have them)

- Cellphone charger

- Everyone’s phone numbers (these can go in your phone of course, just make sure you can contact everyone you need to)

- Change or small amounts of cash (for food mostly)

[tabbyyykatt]

and granola bars (incase they don’t bring their own food)

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Super great addition! I forgot to add it because I always have granola bars and peanut butter crackers on me, I have low blood sugar. But especially for kids with wonky blood sugar, stuff with protein is excellent.

[colorguard-advice-blog]

“Mom Bag” Checklist

If you’re a guard captain (or just the mom friend in the guard), someone’s gotta have a mom bag. Sometimes it’ll be your instructor, sometimes its up to you. So here’s my master checklist for my personal mom bag. Feel free to use it as a guide for your own.

- Bobby pins

- Safety pins

- TAPE (I bring black and white, for flags and weapons)

- Band-Aids

- Ibuprofen or Tylenol (only over the counter!!)

- Fingernail Polish Remover (our instructor doesn’t allow any polish)

- Cotton balls or cotton pads (for the polish remover or other things)

- Feminine Supplies 

- A hand mirror/compact

- Makeup wipes

- Show makeup supplies

- Disposable toothbrushes

- Extra gloves (if you have them)

- Cellphone charger

- Everyone’s phone numbers (these can go in your phone of course, just make sure you can contact everyone you need to)

- Change or small amounts of cash (for food mostly)

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Color Guard Leadership Tips

1. Understand the people you’re leading. Get to know everyone, learn names straight away. Try to remember who struggles with what, and what motivates everyone, so you can help them reach their full potential.

2. Balance being harsh and coddling. Sometimes, you will have to establish order. It’s why you’re there. But yelling all the time is unreasonable, and creates the seeds of dislike among your teammates. Make sure your first approach is always friendly.

3. Be thorough in your thinking process. You were chosen for your responsibility, make sure you use it. You’ll often have to be the one who remembers to pack up things, gets everyone to a certain place on time, or relays information. Try to stay on top of your game. 

4. Don’t show any favoritism. As a captain, you simply cannot make anyone feel more important or less important than anyone else. You can of course have friends, but make sure that everyone in the team does the same amount of work, and gets roughly the same amount of praise. 

5. DRAMA IS A PLAGUE. As a captain, you are supposed to be mature. People can vent to you all they want, you can’t stop that. But you cannot vent to the team about arguments between you and your instructor, or you and other captains. You absolutely have to stay out of drama or you risk your team losing respect for you, as well as looking unprofessional. 

6. Don’t let your pride leak into what you teach others. If you aren’t sure on something, don’t teach it to everyone else. That turns one mistake into 30 in the blink of an eye. Talk to the instructor, look over your work again, and only teach if you’re positive that you know what’s going on. 

7. Admit your mistakes. Nobody is perfect, not even captains. Be willing to discuss things with other members of the guard, instead of leaving things at “Well, I’m captain”. People respect someone who doesn’t act superior to them, but is willing to work with them towards a common goal.

8. Be organized. This one sounds simple, but a lot of people are lacking in organization! Make sure to set an example with the way you organize your flags, costume, shoes, etc. If you have a sign in sheet, or dot books, make sure you know where they are and have a system to getting things done.

9. Be exemplary in as many ways as possible. Captain isn’t a title, it’s a job. You will have to do more than other members of the guard. You may have less fun at times. You should be focused when you need to be, and on time. Set a good example. It’s why you were chosen.

[sleeplesslydreamingaway]

Practice like you’ve never won. Perform like you’ve never lost.

Favorite Colorguard/Band Quote (via sleeplesslydreamingaway)

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Color Guard Tip #9

To preface, I’m 1 follower away from the big 600. This account has honestly come so much farther than I ever expected, I love you all.

People always tell you “the most important thing is to have fun!” and it gets tiring, I know. Because winning is pretty great. But really, what’s the point of guard if you aren’t enjoying yourself? If your guard members aren’t your best friends/family, are you really getting the full experience. Today, my winter guard had a pretty big loss. But honestly, I barely even thought about it. Today we performed using three days of learning, and I had a brand new weapon I’d never tried. Today I got the applause I’d been missing, I got to show off the sass I hadn’t in a long time. I got to laugh for hours with my best friends and dance at the end.

Color guard is more than winning. Today we lost, but I feel like a winner.

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Color Guard Tip #8

Drama is the plague. (Not really but seriously, treat it like the plague). 

Any place where a lot of girls gather (and some guys, 95% of the drama in my guard comes from one guy lmao) is going to get some drama. Especially if you have to deal with the same girls for an entire year, or multiple years. If you need reasons to stay out of drama, and how to avoid, keep on reading.

- Don’t say anything behind someone’s back that you wouldn’t say directly to their face, context is irrelevant. Things get passed around. Things get shared. You’d hate to lose friends or create enemies just because you wanted to add some gossip to a conversation.

- If you know someone is notorious for causing problems, maybe don’t hang out with them all the time?? If you do, don’t let yourself sink to their level. 

- Instructors do notice who picks on who. They notice who is sassy or catty. And when the time comes for leadership, it shows real maturity to be above all that gossipy nonsense.

- If your instructor is the type that punishes everyone for the actions of a few, do you really want to be the reason that everyone has to run? (or do any other punishment).

-  Being nice to others is always the way to go. It’s hard sometimes, especially if the crowd is doing the wrong thing, the mean thing, but it’s worth it in the end.

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Not a Tip, an Appreciation Post

oh my gosh 430 followers

This account has more followers than my personal tumblr or my instagram :D

You all are fantastic, thanks for coming along with me on a color guard journey!

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Color Guard Tip #7

As Winter Guard season approaches, a lot of people (myself included) are currently making the decision whether or not to try out. 

Winter Guard is NOT for everyone, and if it’s like it is at my school, it’s all extracurricular. If you’re worried your studies will be affected, or your stress level will be too high, you need to seriously think about how important each part of your life is and decide if you truly can balance it.

It’s a very personal decision, but one that everyone should consider carefully.

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Color Guard Tip #6

Set up practice time for yourself. People tend to psych themselves out over practicing, thinking it has to be a big deal, or they have to get dressed, and go work their butts off in the early morning for 4 hours. Unless you have a test/pass-off tomorrow and you’ve already been missing practice time, you don’t have to do this at all.

Practicing for 15 or 30 minutes at home keeps things in your head and in your hands. Go out in your driveway in your pajamas (that’s what I do). If you have parade routines to memorize (my current situation) walk up and down the street, your driveway, or your yard. Stay a couple minutes before or after school to get a couple runs in.

If you know the routine, go over it in your head any time you have. I do it when I finish tests, or when I’m standing in line for something. If you have the music, listen to it and move your arms. You don’t have to be on field or even with your equipment to practice.

The more time you spend immersed in the work, the better you will do. It is a fact. Anytime you just don’t feel like practicing, remember what it feels like to be the first one to completely get the routine. (because it feels hella good).

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Guard Tip #5

Get basic makeup skills. PRACTICE YOUR SHOW MAKEUP.

It’s understandable that not everybody can do elaborate makeup design, work with colors effortlessly, and transform into a glittery goddess at will. I can barely do eyeliner wings. But getting your show makeup right is highly important.

If you aren’t familiar with the basics of makeup, I would start practicing during band camp. Take 30 minutes one day to practice with eyeliner, work on getting smooth and even lines. When you learn what your show makeup is, get it down to a SCIENCE.

For the first time, if you aren’t confident in your abilities, have someone else do it, or at least help you. Learn what they do, and practice until your makeup is perfect! Good makeup gives so much confidence to your performance, and ties a guard together.

[colorguard-advice-blog]

Guard Tip #4

Be self sufficient. Try your very best not to constantly rely on someone else to stay afloat.

In guard, everyone is responsible for themselves. Everyone has a dedication to the team, a responsibility they have to carry. Nobody else can memorize your counts for you, practice your work for you. You have to take that time, that extra step to be the best you can be.

Color guard is all about becoming a family who will do anything to help one another, but also about becoming independent enough to help yourself. Be the one who doesn’t go with the crowd when the crowd is wrong. It feels so amazing to be confident in your abilities and your knowledge. Practice and memorize until you get that feeling, and you don’t need anybody else around you to watch. Get in your own little zone, where even if somebody else makes a mistake, you don’t lose concentration. Focus on being the best YOU can be, and that’s all you can do.