Lehi Sports
Lehi High School Color Guard shines at regional competitions
Jennifer Thomas | Lehi Free Press
After months of grueling rehearsals, early morning practices, and dramatic performances, the Lehi High School Color Guard began a historic season. Earlier in March, they placed first in their division at the WGI regional competition, a national event.
Despite having a small team this year, Lehi’s color guard has been successful. They have earned four first-place awards so far this season, marking a significant rise to the top for the program.
“The athletes have worked really hard to get to this point, the team is small and every member is extremely important to the success of our program,” said color guard director Trisha Parker.
“We have had great success this year and have come in first in four out of five competitions. At the WGI regional competition, the team scored 81.17 during finals. This put us as the second highest-scoring team in the competition, with only one independent open team scoring higher.
We improved our score by almost four points from the previous competition,” added Parker.
Performing their ambitious routine titled “The Raven,” based on the poem by Edgar Allen Poe, the team has continued to wow judges and audiences alike, consistently earning high scores and performing skilled movement choreography.
The team’s success is not limited to regional competitions; they also placed first in their division at the state championship competition held at Wasatch High School. The Lehi junior varsity team also earned the highest score in its division.
“The athletes have worked really hard to get to this point. The team is small, and every member is extremely important to the success of our program,” said Parker.
This year, Lehi’s color guard team has redefined resilience, navigating five different directors in just two years. While managing a demanding time commitment alongside their academics, the team has emerged stronger and more unified than ever.
“I’m so proud of this team, I know it hasn’t been easy with all the director changes, as I am the fifth director in the past two years. I appreciate their trust in me and their willingness to push themselves to become better,” said Parker.
“We always prioritize homework and grades. Before competitions, we check grades to make sure students maintain a good GPA and aren’t failing any classes,” said Parker. “Most of our rehearsals take place before school. We meet at 6 a.m. on B days and have a B5 class. Once a week, we rehearse for about four hours after school in the evening.”
“I think being involved in an activity really makes them learn how to prioritize and schedule their time wisely so they can get everything done they need to,” added Parker.
Color guard is far more than just waving flags; it is a high-octane performance art that demands elite athleticism and requires performers to spin complex equipment while simultaneously executing rigorous dance choreography.
“We train hard and work on technique and have a lot of fun doing it. We’re a good mix of sport and the performing arts. A lot of people don’t understand what we do.
We dance, spin flags, rifles, sabers, and help tell the story of the marching band show during the fall. In winter, we have our own show: just the guard, performing in a gym to a recorded soundtrack.
We have props, costumes and equipment that match the show’s theme. It’s a whole production,” said Parker.
The Lehi High School Color Guard is part of the marching band and competes as a separate winter guard entity. They are dedicated to fostering excellence in visual performance and providing students with leadership opportunities.
“With our team being so senior-heavy this year, there has been a big discrepancy in experience between the older and younger members. I feel like they have done a good job with the older members being mentors and really pushing the younger members to do their best. And the younger members have risen to the occasion and really pushed themselves to become better,” said Parker.
The color guard team is led by Parker with techs Ryan Lindsay, Kaitlin Conner, and Laine Ellis.
Student leaders include head captain Alyx Hadfield and co-captains Allie Archibald and Paige Olsen.
At Lehi, the JV winter guard team consists of students in grades 7-9. While they compete against 19 other units in a large division, they have also achieved top scores.
“I love these kids, and I just want to make sure they have a good year,” said Parker.
High School Color Guard auditions are open to Lehi High School students in grades 9-12. Auditions will take place April 13-14, from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m., in the high school gym. No experience is needed to try out.
