By: Jordan Frantz

Winter Color Guard is a competition sport full of costumed performers. These performers put on routines that involve tricks and tosses with rifles, flags, and sabres as well as dance choreography.  

Bellbrook High School’s Winter Color Guard team, however, does more than just perform. “We tell a story to the audience,” junior member and tarp captain Jaelynn Nooks said. 

The team has been able to showcase this story and performance at a variety of tournaments where they have done nothing but impress the judges and audience. 

“We have competed in two local competitions and one regional,” head coach Sheldon Apo said. “Locally we placed 1st and placed 7th at our regional.” 

“The members have been putting in an enormous amount of time and work to be amongst some of the best groups in the nation,” Apo said. 

Senior captain and eight-year member of the guard community Riley Smith provides the team leadership and a source of positive guidance. 

“I enjoy doing this because all of my friends are a part of this program,” Smith said. “We all spend so much time together that we get really close. I love dancing, so I enjoy getting to perform too.”

Based on the team’s results from their local and regional competitions, they are predicted to place incredibly well nationally. 

“We are currently seeded to get 11th in the world at the end of the season,” Smith said. 

After earning 7th place at their last competition and earning Fan Favorite for their class, they will compete in another national competition before the month ends. 

“We are making lots of changes to our show to make it better,” Nooks said. 

“We will be going to another national competition in three weeks and hopefully are improving our show enough to move up in placing,” Smith said. 

The team will continue to improve its performance. Although, it’s not always about scoring. 

“I define success in a different way than most,” Apo said. “But our success lies not in scoring but in the growth of the members and how they progress through the season.  We pride ourselves in maintaining an atmosphere where growth is rewarded because that should be more important to any score.”

“I just want everyone to know that these members are great people to have and teach,” Apo said. “They make the job easier to teach. My goal is to just maintain a standard of excellence and produce shows that people will cherish. I think we are on the right track!”