Founded in 2003 here at Newsome High School, colorguard is a nationally recognized activity with teams all across America in universities, colleges, high schools and middle schools.

   The main purpose of colorguard is to interpret the music played by the marching band through dancing and the spinning of flags, rifles, sabers and in some places, katanas.

   Our team here at Newsome High School consists of Director Jamie Dyer, and three other staff: Jessica Tinsley, Grayson Schiff-Clark  and Conner Cavin. In addition to that, there are 40 student members.

   “It makes me feel a part of a team,” Grace Swann, a new member to colorguard this year, says.

   This year the colorguard performs at football games near the band section of the stadium. They use pom-poms and flags as well as their synchronized dancing to portray the music played by the Newsome Band.

   “When I’m spinning and do something correctly or land a toss, I get really excited and it makes me have an adrenaline rush,” Swann adds.

   Normally, the colorguard would perform at five competitions with the marching band, however, due to COVID-19, these competitions have been cancelled, but they are continuing to perform at Newsome Football home games.

   Colorguard also has a winter season team, known as Winterguard, where they learn a four to five minute routine and perform at seven competitions, January to April, but like the other colorguard competitions, they are cancelled, by reason of the current pandemic.

   Mitchell Reed, the Director of Bands, says, “One thing that colorguard teaches you is that you are capable of so much more than you realize!” He believes that members of colorguard will accomplish more things then they originally thought were possible.

   Throughout the fall and winter seasons, colorguard and winterguard win numerous competitions by working hard and supporting each other as a team. 

   Since opening in 2003, the program has grown from just a few members to one of the most successful and one of the biggest colorguards in the state of Florida.

   “This hard work will carry over into other aspects of life and help you achieve your goals,” Reed states.