Mt. Carmel's Color Guard team in Winter guard International Competition
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MC Color Guard in Ohio

Color Guard is a uniformed group of people who present their flag, country or school. MC’s color guard team went to Dayton, OH from April 10 to 15 to compete in Winter Guard International (WGI).   The Color Guard team competed in a division higher than their previous years, showing their constant improvement.

“We used to be in the Scholastic A division,” MC senior Mark Punzal said. “This year we moved up a division, which is Scholastic Open. It was definitely a lot harder in this division.”

Practicing before Winter Guard International
Photo Courtesy of Brett Alan

With the new division as well as new members, the team placed 33 out of 65 teams from around the nation. This experience was a great opportunity for the team to improve and experience a more challenging division.

“It was a lot more challenging but it was also a good challenge for us since we’ve been doing so well in Division A,” Punzal said. “We wanted to challenge ourselves in the Open Division. This was a really fun experience for everyone that I wouldn’t trade for the world.”

While the seniors are glad to end this season in the new division, MC freshman Kathy Tran shares another point of view about the experience.

“Now that I know what these competitions are like in such a hard division, I can help the newcomers,” Tran said.

Mt. Carmel’s Color Guard team in Winter guard International Competition
Photo Courtesy of Brett Alan

With this school year coming to an end, the rest of the MC Color Guard team knows they will have to adjust to the loss of the seniors.

“We are all going to miss the seniors because they really helped us, but I believe that whatever is left of our team will make it,” Tran said.

The trip to Ohio was not only their first time competing in the Open Division, but it also helped to reassure the seniors of how well the team will become graduation.  

“I definitely think that it’s the rookies that carry the team and it’s all up to them that we made it all the way to the semi-finals,” senior Jerusha Israel said.

The team is hoping to continue their trend of improvement from their experience in the new division at WGI.

Written by Sofia Lumagui

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