Hello Spinthusiasts!
I am back and ready to hit on another subject that I feel we can all agree on. "Color Guard Family". I feel like it goes without saying that when you are a member of any team, there is a very obvious "family" sense. Color Guard seems to be a very special type of family unit, from my own experience. This year has been my first time to view from the instructors perspective, but I most definitely see the same thing that I felt as a performer many years ago.
There are so many factors that play into this special connection we feel in the Color Guard world. The first time my guard was able to really connect was at Band Camp over the summer. Think about it. Some of these students have never been away from their own families this long in their entire life. Some of these students wait all year to have this entire week where they feel like they are a part of a family, because they simply don't have one the rest of the year.
This opens up so many different emotions for each side of the spectrum. Some are finally getting to be their own person away from their families. This gives THESE students a bigger opportunity to "find themselves", so to speak. They aren't under the microscope of their parents(now it is just the scary directors and instructors😂). Maybe they aren't having to help with their siblings. Maybe they don't have to work longs hours to help make ends meet, even if only for a week.
Now for the other end of the spectrum. These students either come from an unstable home, they are missing a parent(or both), they have no siblings, they are bouncing from home to home, or they just are struggling with numerous things that none of us could even comprehend. These students come to Band Camp and feel a sense of unity. They FINALLY feel like they are a part of something BIG, because they ARE! They are surrounded by other kids their age that they can relate to. They are surrounded by a group of adults that already love them and are ready to do whatever it takes for them to get everything they possibly can out of an absolutely amazing program. These kids are making connections that some of them have waited their whole lives for.
Band Camp was my own teams biggest opportunity to connect and become a family, but they have held that connection all year and it only got stronger when they began competing. There is something so strong about the connection they feel when they realize how much they all have to work together to make a team like this work, and to even score well. This added a completely different dynamic to their family connection. Not to mention the HOURS upon HOURS of hair and make-up we spent doing together through the season, but we won't go there this time😂. All jokes aside, it was one of the most exciting things I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of and I look forward to many more years.
Now for you, Spinthusiasts! When did you notice your team REALLY connect? Was it before Band Camp(Or if you are indoor and you do your own Guard Camp)? Was it the first performance? First competition? Maybe something TOTALLY unique? Let us know what YOUR experience was!
"When a team feels like a family, they will go all out to love a serve one another." -Perry Noble
Until next time, Spinthusiasts!
The Skye Writer
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Thursday, November 7, 2019
"An Instructor's Heart"
Hello Spinthusiasts!
This has been my first year as a Color Guard Instructor. I have fallen completely in love with this side of the Guard world. It is 100% different to be the instructor, as opposed to being the performer(though, I will say, I miss that part all the time).
This brings me to the point of this blog post: "An Instructor's Heart". I have been given the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people, on many different levels of the Color Guard world. Whether it be the instructors, band directors, judges, you name it. Diving down into Color Guard instructors specifically, I have noticed something that they have ALL had in common: They are givers.
When I say "They are givers", it means so much more than those simple words. I feel like, as humans, we are givers by nature. There is something completely unique about Color Guard instructors(from my perspective but this is most definitely not ONLY Color Guard instructors). Of course, they dedicate hours upon hours, weeks upon weeks, to their group of performers. As does any instructor, director, coach, etc. When I have had the opportunity to chat with other Color Guard instructors, I specifically notice 1 major common denominator. They definitely dedicate the USUAL time, energy, and knowledge it takes to be the instructor. But, there are few more things that I notice...
They dedicate EXTRA time. The time some of the performers NEED to be successful in the program. No, they aren't getting paid for that extra time. Some of them aren't getting paid at all, but none of them would share that with you. To them, it doesn't matter. They are here because they have the HEART. And not just for Color Guard, but the lives of these performers.
They dedicate their OWN money. They don't do this for a pat on the back. Actually, it is another example of things they would never share with your everyday person. They WANT to make sure that these performers have everything they need, not only to be successful but to have FUN. Obviously, being on a competitive team is exciting for the competition factor, but that is such a small portion of what these performers get out of being on a team of this magnitude.(Which, this part could honestly be an entire blog post on its own.)
They dedicate their HEARTS, not just their knowledge. Instructors become a parent figure to most, if not all, of their team. While we all give our expert knowledge of the Color Guard world and what it takes to be successful, we are often the ones these students come to when life becomes too much. Maybe home life is hard. Maybe school has become too much for them and they just need a good cry. Maybe they need help with homework. Whatever it is, we are here for it. They become an extension of our family. The hardest part is our inability to FIX all of it. We WANT to, but life isn't always that simple. We also get to celebrate with them! Maybe they made a good grade on that test they were so stressed about last week. Maybe they reconnected with their cousin after years of animosity. Maybe they got their driver's license! No matter the stress or success, we are here for it. No questions asked.
Spinthusiasts, what are your thoughts? What are some things that you have noticed about instructors? Do you have an instructor that helped shape your life? Maybe you have something else to add? I know I left a lot out. We want to hear from YOU!
"We lose ourselves in the things we love. We find ourselves there, too." -Kristen Martz
Until next time, Spinthusiasts!
"The Skye Writer"
This has been my first year as a Color Guard Instructor. I have fallen completely in love with this side of the Guard world. It is 100% different to be the instructor, as opposed to being the performer(though, I will say, I miss that part all the time).
This brings me to the point of this blog post: "An Instructor's Heart". I have been given the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people, on many different levels of the Color Guard world. Whether it be the instructors, band directors, judges, you name it. Diving down into Color Guard instructors specifically, I have noticed something that they have ALL had in common: They are givers.
When I say "They are givers", it means so much more than those simple words. I feel like, as humans, we are givers by nature. There is something completely unique about Color Guard instructors(from my perspective but this is most definitely not ONLY Color Guard instructors). Of course, they dedicate hours upon hours, weeks upon weeks, to their group of performers. As does any instructor, director, coach, etc. When I have had the opportunity to chat with other Color Guard instructors, I specifically notice 1 major common denominator. They definitely dedicate the USUAL time, energy, and knowledge it takes to be the instructor. But, there are few more things that I notice...
They dedicate EXTRA time. The time some of the performers NEED to be successful in the program. No, they aren't getting paid for that extra time. Some of them aren't getting paid at all, but none of them would share that with you. To them, it doesn't matter. They are here because they have the HEART. And not just for Color Guard, but the lives of these performers.
They dedicate their OWN money. They don't do this for a pat on the back. Actually, it is another example of things they would never share with your everyday person. They WANT to make sure that these performers have everything they need, not only to be successful but to have FUN. Obviously, being on a competitive team is exciting for the competition factor, but that is such a small portion of what these performers get out of being on a team of this magnitude.(Which, this part could honestly be an entire blog post on its own.)
They dedicate their HEARTS, not just their knowledge. Instructors become a parent figure to most, if not all, of their team. While we all give our expert knowledge of the Color Guard world and what it takes to be successful, we are often the ones these students come to when life becomes too much. Maybe home life is hard. Maybe school has become too much for them and they just need a good cry. Maybe they need help with homework. Whatever it is, we are here for it. They become an extension of our family. The hardest part is our inability to FIX all of it. We WANT to, but life isn't always that simple. We also get to celebrate with them! Maybe they made a good grade on that test they were so stressed about last week. Maybe they reconnected with their cousin after years of animosity. Maybe they got their driver's license! No matter the stress or success, we are here for it. No questions asked.
Spinthusiasts, what are your thoughts? What are some things that you have noticed about instructors? Do you have an instructor that helped shape your life? Maybe you have something else to add? I know I left a lot out. We want to hear from YOU!
"We lose ourselves in the things we love. We find ourselves there, too." -Kristen Martz
Until next time, Spinthusiasts!
"The Skye Writer"
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