As someone who has never done color guard and is looking to tryout do you have any advice? Tips? Things to practice before I get there. Anything really would be helpful. I have no idea what to expect. Plus I'm not really your average color guard girl. I'm a transgender guy. And I'm wondering how they team will react to that.. Any tips? Advice?
As an instructor, the biggest thing I’m looking for in tryouts is the right attitude. If the people on the guard have a good attitude and are ready to put in the necessary work to be their best, I can teach them skills and technique. Stand as close to the front as you can, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and do your best - all with a smile on your face. Show them you want to be there and you’re willing to earn that spot on the field.
As for things to practice before you get there, I wouldn’t try to teach yourself anything new - you’ll be likely to form bad habits that you’ll have to break later and most guards will teach you what you need to know for tryouts at the actual tryouts. I would suggest starting to stretch every day. Most (not all, but most) guards incorporate a certain level of dance into their choreography, so it’s best to start preparing for that. You might not get very far by tryouts, but there’s no time like the present to start getting ready for the season. The same goes for general fitness - strength and stamina are important in guard. Even just doing a bit of cardio, some pushups, and some situps every day will get you ready to run a whole show and build a lot of the muscles that are required for proper technique.
Lastly, in regards to not being a typical guard girl - that’s okay. Guard is probably one of the most accepting sports out there - all kinds of people spin. I can’t make promises, because every team is different, and it’ll partially depend on the culture of your school/town/etc, but most problems in guards come from people lacking work ethic or trying to be in charge when they aren’t - that sort of thing. If you have major concerns, contact the coach/instructor and see what they have to say. Guard instructors tend to have a good understanding of the dynamics of their group and they’ll be able to give you a good idea of how much of an issue you might have.
Wow. Sorry that was so long, but I hope it helps. If you’ve got any other questions, feel free to ask. Good luck with your tryouts! Let me know how it goes! :-)
