For many Apaches, one of the highlights of football games every season is seeing Arcadia High School’s (AHS) very own Colorguard perform. With their colorful flags, enchanting music, and graceful movements, AHS’ Colorguard is certainly something viewers are awed by. Iris Loong, a freshman in the program, has been part of painting the stories spectators have experienced when watching Colorguard. 

Colorguard has three main branches: the main one, Colorguard, Winterguard, and Worldguard.  Each member is assigned equipment like a flag, rifle, or sabers.  Loong participates in all three of these branches, and is the only freshman who is one of the three opening flags. 

While their performances create the impression that the members were simply born talented, the team practices extensively to achieve this effect. 

“We have Monday, Wednesday, Friday practice from 5-9 [p.m.], and we have 8 a.m. practices every day before school,” stated Loong. “ On Saturdays, we either have competitions or nine to five’s [practices], and on three day weekends, we have nine to five’s on the Monday.”

Loong was also part of First Avenue Middle School’s own Colorguard, and continued her journey as a freshman. 

“I started Colorguard in seventh grade because I was interested to see what it was like. I joined at the high school because our coaches recommended us to try out, and [the Colorguard members] got in, and it just went on from there.” Loong’s dedication to the team serves as a clear example of the effort Colorguard puts in to create beautiful performances.

The practice pays off big-time, as their pieces create stellar results competition wise. In addition to their performances, like the one at the Macy’s Parade this past Thanksgiving, Colorguard attends competitions including the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships.

“My favorite memory is before the competitions, because that’s when we all get to bond, have fun, and get prepared for the enduring competition we have to do,” Loong shared. She humorously continued, “I’m most proud of how far I’ve come since middle school, because I watch all the middle school videos, and I kind of cringe at myself, but now I get to see how good I’ve gotten and how clean it’s getting.”

Currently, Colorguard is in its Winterguard season, which is set to last until April. Thank you, Iris, for being one of the reasons Colorguard does so well!

Photo by Arya Desai