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Southlake Varsity Winterguard placed first at the North Texas Colorguard Association (NTCA) Waxahachie competition last weekend, where they performed in a division with 13 area teams. The cadets, made up of students from CMS and DMS, also placed third in their division that day.
Varsity Winterguard also qualified for the WGI World Championship semi-finals thanks to a video submission. Out of the more than 300 teams that entered, Carroll placed within the top 64 to make it to the next round. While their submitted performance was of the same routine, Carroll director of color guard James Thomas says that they tweak it along the way to ensure they can continue to advance.
“It’s kind of like athletic teams where you change up plays each week to maximize your strength,” James says.
Color guard experienced a late start to its winter season due to an extended football run, but James says he’s excited to see what his team can accomplish throughout the rest of the year. The team will compete at another NTCA competition this upcoming Saturday, and it will participate in the MA Dance & Auxiliaries Nationals at the Allen Event Center on April 17. But the WGI World Championship is still the light at the end of the team’s season.
“Our personal goal is to finish in the top 15 in the World Championship Finals,” James says. “We are excited to see how we stack up against teams across the country.”
But no matter how the season wraps, James says he is proud of what his athletes have accomplished.
“For us, our kids have really stepped up and pushed forward and are doing an amazing job every single day they step in the gym,” James says.