The Real Colors at Pennridge

Trying to find something to fill your time besides academics? Some Pennridge High School students take advantage of the color guard team placed right at their feet.
Color guard is a sport where athletes are required to be their true and authentic selves. A place where being extravagant and over the top is appealing to the judging panel as well as the spectators. From the weapons and flags flying through the air to the amazing dancers following the rhythm on the ground, there is nothing less than eye-catching about this sport. The director of the Pennridge Color Guard, Rebe, feels that this sport is important and allows students to interpret and adapt social skills that some other sports may not have listed in the fine print. It’s really important to a lot of their athletes for this same reason, and a big fear enlisted on the coaches is the fact that the season is constantly at risk of being canceled because of the pain in everyone’s lives: COVID-19.

The Pennridge Color Guard in the Pennridge High School Lobby. (Victoria Ruth)

Originally coming from a small group of two teams starting this sport just for fun, color guard has greatly increased the game plan. Throughout the years two teams became four, four teams became eight, and so on. Now that color guard has a steadier stance and has the chance to really blossom, they had to separate the world championship into two weekends so that all 500+ teams were able to show their skills and compete to be the champions. Each competition will allow for one team in each division to walk away from being national champions. Paige Ketterer states that the most rewarding part of being a co-captain is the fact that she “gets to see the girls’ progress, and gets to see the team come together.” In color guard, coming together and being one is a really important part of the plan. There is a lot involved, on the floor as well as in the air. Without precise and careful movements, even the slightest mistakes can cause a huge catastrophe for the whole team.

The season is full of fun and exciting competitions. After practicing so hard for their wins, the color guard teams get to enjoy competitions. Being able to just go, have fun, perform and see other guards is an enjoyable time for a lot of the athletes. Meeting other athletes is a huge thing for most teams; making the relationships, and being able to see friends compete is super enjoyable for the wins. The Pennridge Color Guard has had a great season so far as most of the athletes have said.