Owasso Winterguard Prepares for its Second Season
By Kelli Casteel
Here in Owasso, our band is held to a higher standard. The same goes for Winterguard. Every season, the Owasso colorguard gets more and more challenges, and last year, Coach Adrienne Gaddy (with Shelby Roye and Derek Highfield) decided to bring back winterguard. Winterguard is essentially the same idea as colorguard, except there is no band. This time, it is just about 15-20 guard members on a tarp on a gym floor soaking up all the spotlight. Winterguard is a season of opportunity and growth for many students as they learn more, they are brought into a more competitive world, and it also allows for them to be noticed more due to being in smaller numbers.
The guard competes in a seven minute show with flag, dance, and sometimes rifle and even sabre. Owasso competed in winterguard several years ago, but, unfortunately, the program ended. Gaddy and others sought to reopen the program as for the betterment of the team as well as the desire to get Owasso’s name back out there. Highfield and Roye say that they had the dream team and were finally in the right time and place to pull this type of program together. The coaches are also a big part of the dream team itself. With Roye having a solo in every winterguard show, Highfield being an Owasso alumni as well as Madison Scouts alumni, and Gaddy having DCI and highschool experience in every aspect, the teams were a recipe for success. When it comes to team A, Highfield said that he loved the bookends and transitions of the show while Roye playfully remarks that she was happy we finally learned how to fold the tarp floor.
Band ‘A’ Guard
Band ‘A’ and ‘B’ Guard
Last year was the first year for Owasso to have a winterguard in over a decade. The two teams, A and B, made history with this. The teams competed in three competitions, B even taking home second place in the state! The teams and the coaches were more than overjoyed to be able to have the experience and opportunity to try their hand at winterguard again. Now, it has come time for their second season. Teams A and B have been practicing and working relentlessly since November in order to have another amazing season.
This year, the teams and coaches are excited for many new things. Highfield and Roye are most excited for costumes, which will make us unforgettable and allow us to stand out at competitions.
The coaches say that the most important thing that they want people to know is to know us. We are Owasso Winterguard. We practice long and hard just like anyone else. But just like everyone else, we also need fundraisers and money to be able to accomplish all the ideas and visions we have to put Owasso’s name on the map in the world of winterguard.
Band ‘B’ Guard
Gaddy and others plan to expand the love of winterguard by, hopefully, starting with eighth grade and even younger, like Junior High teams, which most other schools in the Tulsa County area already do. This would allow them to get a feel for guard and learn everything they need to be able to feed into our highschool teams, which would include colorguard in the fall.
From left to right, Derek Highfield, Adrienne Gaddy, and Shelby Roye.
Owasso teams A and B will be competing at four competitions this year (they are listed below). Go ahead and mark your calendars and plan to attend for an exciting and wonderful time in Owasso’s guard career!
February 8th, Ft. Gibson
February 29th, Catoosa
March 14th- Jenks
March 28th- Union