If you've ever been in a color guard program for a full school year you are well versed in the phrase,"The grind never stops." You practice all summer, possibly doing drum corps to start right back into high school or collegiate band to immediately dive head first into winter guard. Winter Guard is the one time of year that I personally always looked forward to the most.

(Peep Tarpon Springs H.S. killing it per usual.)

Along with performing many people take on the task of coaching a team, performing, working another job, and being a full-time student. Props to all of you. It takes a ton of work to be able to handle all of that.

Winter guard showed me that my parents are two of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters. My grandparents will go to the ends of the earth to see what makes me the happiest. Whether it be the two of them coming to watch me spin or my grandmother coming to almost every single competition when I was coaching this past year. My brothers did come to my performances whether that be by their own will or the force of my parents but they were still proud of me regardless.

If there is anything that Winter Guard has taught me, especially while at Missouri State is that I am a lot stronger than I realize. It taught me that I had more energy in me even though I felt like my body wanted to give out. It taught me that when life throws you the most difficult of trials that you still must keep pushing through and fighting for your next day of performing.

That was especially prevalent when I lost one of my closest friends my freshman year of college and had to immediately compete in a regional after her funeral. Shockingly enough, I had the best two runs of that show that day because I kept her in my heart as I performed. It taught me that I have to deal with life in the healthiest of formats I can find even if that means throwing a saber and wooden rifle in the air.

Even when you are at your most frustrated, that does not mean you can disrespect the staff who are teaching you. They are trying their hardest to make you better.

The staff at your program have probably experienced many of the struggles you currently face whether it be school work or personal life. However, in order to be fully engaged in this activity, you have to put aside those frustrations for about four hours at a time.

Performing taught me how to deal with stage fright and some of my largest anxieties head-on. There's nothing quite like having to toss a rifle ensemble quad in dead silence with fear of dropping your gun.

No pressure to catch, right?

Especially in Independent A class Finals at WGI World Championships.The coolest thing I learned about myself is that I will fight for myself as a performer. I never needed to be praised constantly in front of anyone. I knew internally that I was a pretty solid performer for my skill level and that I needed to continuously improve. When I did receive praise from my coach, I took it with pride knowing that my hard work was paying off.

I learned that even when approaching a new piece of equipment, you have to be a little bit fearless. My third year of college, I decided to be a saber again after not spinning one for four years. Genius, right? Most would answer wrong but I took on the challenge and about a month later I was spinning saber like I had known how to do it for years. It took practicing at least thirty minutes a day, but it was worth it in the end.

I know many of you that will read this will probably wonder why I'm saying what I'm saying. Just because I wasn't ever able to do perfect sixes and turn around tosses on rifle doesn't mean I was any less gifted as a performer. It meant that I started in a different place than most and had to fight my hardest to become a consistent and strong one. I became determined and I became a fighter.

That is what winter guard did for me. My collegiate coach had a ton of faith in me even when I started the program at a very low level. That faith helped me believe in myself just a little bit more. It pushed me to work with students and help them learn this sport.

This sport has always had my heart from the moment I picked up a flag. People often ask questions like "Isn't winter guard the stuff with the band?" or my oh so favorite,"Oh you're one of those flag-twirling girls?" Those questions merely scrape the surface of explanations I could give you about this sport. Winter guard to me isn't just a sport, it's an art form I fell in love with.

So all in all, thank you Winter Guard for playing a large role in who I am today.