Every home football game, the Chesterton community gets blown away by an amazing performance, while being able to hear it on weeknights. That is the music and performance of the Trojan Guard.
But what exactly does the Trojan Guard, or “TG” for short, mean to people? That depends on who you ask.
“The Trojan Guard means to me is somewhere that I can express myself and I can be myself and it’s like one big whole family,” said freshman and first-year member Caryss Vandiver.
Upperclassmen have similar beliefs that the “TG” is a place where they are welcomed and have fun.
“The Trojan Guard is a family. It’s somewhere I can go and feel welcomed and I know that no matter what it’ll be an enjoyable time where I can be with people who have the same interests as me,” explained Senior Makayla Erickson, the Drum Major.
Many members share the same views of the “TG” being a place where they are welcomed and able to be themselves, while also feeling like a family. However, the directors view it differently than the students do.
“The Trojan Guard organization is all about the members in it as we grow, as we work together, as we develop whatever it is we’re doing to the highest level we can. It’s about elevating young people, and old people, to a higher level,” explained band director Jonathan Flodder.
For every member of the “TG”, it means so much more than just a marching band. It means family, where everyone can grow and encourage each other to be themselves and have fun.
Throughout the season, there are so many exciting and memorable moments. From the rehearsals and football games to the competitions and late-night bus rides.
“My favorite part of the Trojan Guard season is the practices when it starts to get cold out, especially when it’s windy because even though they’re extremely not fun to march in, the bonding is just so fun watching the bass drums blow away and us all shoving our hands under the harnesses to warm up. It’s just a very unique bonding experience,” explained senior Elsa Estridge.
Part of the fun of “TG” is also the people in it.
“My favorite thing is the people in the TG, I feel like everyone is just so awesome and they do what TG so well and they work well together, especially this season I feel like a lot of people have worked really hard and I feel like it’s just a really fun season, I like seeing everybody come together and work well,” said junior and Drum Major Mady Street.
All of these long, hard practices yield great results. Students in “TG” marvel at the growth from beginning to the end of the season.
“My favorite part of the Trojan Guard season is seeing the growth at finals, because, at the beginning of the season, you get a bunch of people who some who have not marched, some who have been marching for four years five years, and by the end, everybody marches in cohesion, and it looks like one big picture and I love seeing the big picture that we work all season to see at the end,” Erikson claims.
However, the rehearsals and big results aren’t the only things that make that “TG” season memorable. For many of these moments, it’s the people. Whether it’s bonding or the final results, all of that is possible because of the people. If students are thinking about joining TG, it’s welcomed and encouraged.
“Do it,” said Flodder, “I’ve never talked to a person in my life that has said I regret doing this activity. I have talked to dozens, at this point hundreds, in my career that have said I regret not doing this.”
Although directors aren’t the only ones giving short, straightforward answers when asking if one should join.
“They should. It’s, you’re going to make a lot of friends and learn a lot of things. I’ve personally learned so much from being in the Trojan Guard other than just how to march and play drums. I’ve definitely grown a lot as a person because of being in the Trojan Guard,” said Estridge.
This means that you learn many lessons that are not music-related, and so many life lessons. Even first-year members encourage people to join.
“I would tell them that it’s very fun and you meet a lot of new people and it’s like as I said one big family,” responded Vandiver.
The “TG” is a very close group of people that most people connect with right away. All of that makes it worth the time, and a main reason that current members encourage others to join.
“TG” takes a lot of money to put on too. There are the individual fees, and then there’s all the money spent on the props and the whole show. But the fees don’t match the cost per member.
“We keep member fees as low as we possibly can so that no one feels like they can’t do it. So we accomplish that with a ton of fundraisers throughout the year,” explained Flodder.
He shared that the actual cost per person is about half the amount of what it should be. Meaning that the band has to earn the rest. This is why fundraisers, like the Nelson’s Chicken fundraiser, are so important to the “TG”. These help to raise money for the other half of fees, and any other expenses throughout the season. This allows the cost to stay as low as possible, so money isn’t a barrier for anybody wanting to join. This is why it is important to support the “TG” whenever possible: it provides opportunities for so many people.
The Trojan Guard is a family where people can grow in many ways. It pushes people to be better versions of themselves, allows them to have fun, and teaches them responsibility. To members, alumni, and even families, the “TG” is something they will never regret choosing to be a part of. So next time you see them performing at halftime, be sure to cheer them on!
