The Chesterton Winter Guard season came to an exciting end on March 15. They traveled to Mt. Vernon High School to compete in their show “Let it Pour,” a show about singing and having fun in the rain. They earned first place in their round and fifth place overall.
This season, the Winter Guard had moved circuits to the Indiana High School Color Guard Association (IHSCGA), so the placement that they earned is a big deal. All the members were very excited about this win, considering they were brand new and made the Chesterton name known. When asked how it had felt to win this competition, many members had similar feelings of joy and excitement. Sophomore Caprie Wilson told me that it felt “very good” and senior Vanessa Godinez said, “It feels amazing, I love it so much.”
However, winning is not just something that happens in the moment but something you take with you into the future.
“I really hope this victory and this season is just the beginning of something bigger,” director Jeffory Dehenes said.
He went on to explain that the team is surrounded by this success and that they have recognized their achievements. This helps in future seasons when the team knows what they are capable of while having a goal to sustain this success into future seasons. Dehenes also added that this attracts younger students into the winter guard to grow the team.
A new circuit was not the only new thing that the guard had experienced this season, they also had a new director. This season, they were under the direction of Jeffory Dehenes, who had also been their director during the marching band season, and assistant director Katie Radliff, who is a former member of the CHS color guard. A good director can be hard to find, but the members of the guard love having them as their directors for many reasons, especially the support that they give.
“He believed in me even though I didn’t believe in myself a lot. He just was always there for me no matter what,” Godinez said when asked about Dehenes.
However, a good director was not the only important thing needed to have a strong season. Winter Guard is a team sport, meaning that teamwork plays a big role in the overall performance and success.
“We all have to look good for us to be good. In the words of Jeffory Dehenes ‘We are only as good as our weakest link,’” Wilson explained, using the words from her director.
The show is performed by every member, and it is not a solution to try to hide a member who may not be as strong as everyone else. Instead, the team has to work together to strengthen everyone so no one is left struggling. This brings teamwork into play, which makes the team stronger.
With every win, there is a lot of pressure that goes into earning that win. That pressure changes with every group, from whether it is at the end of the season, the competitions, or throughout the season.
According to Dehenes, “I feel like the pressure of the season really lived in the middle weeks.”
He went on to explain that once the team reached the last competition, it was smooth sailing. The team had completed everything that needed to be completed, and that
“…it was up to them to put out one more show-stopping performance.”
And they did.
Although a large focus is on performing and scoring well, the show itself is only a part of the whole season. With every show, there are practices, day camps, bus rides, and behind-the-scenes moments that make up the team and the performances given.
When asked, Wilson said that her favorite part of the season is, “the bus rides, and the memories from it.”
Each competition was held outside of Indianapolis, which resulted in over two-hour bus rides. Being on a bus for so long results in team bonding moments to create inside jokes or just have fun. It strengthens the team and creates lasting memories for everyone riding the bus, including the directors.
For Godinez, her favorite part was “hanging out with obviously everyone and all the good times.”
The season created many fun moments that will last a lifetime, and it was not the show and the performances.
The CHS Winter Guard will continue to compete next year and in the years beyond.
As Dehenes said, “Next year is kind of an unknown.”
There are goals and hopes for the guard that they will work to achieve, but the future is unknown. They will keep performing at the same level of excellence as they have this year and will keep striving for gold. Until then, they will enjoy what they have earned this season and keep on improving.
