What is Color Guard?
Color Guard is a competitive activity that incorporates dance, elaborate costuming and equipment, usually sabres, rifles, and flags, to provide a visual representation of music. With these tools, a well thought out soundtrack, and an often elaborate show design, color guard is growing at amazing rates in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan. In the fall, the team performs in halftime shows at football games competes in parades with the marching band. In the winter and spring they perform an indoor show and compete in the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC) with over 450 schools from across the region.
Field Season
The Field season begins with summer training and the performances occur during the months of August through late November. All Color Guard members accompany the Marching Band on the field at competitions and during home football games at halftime. In competition, the Guard adds to the overall score of the Band and is also judged separately. Beckman High School participates in the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) parade circuit, the most popular in Southern California. The Color Guard is broken into multiple groups for the parade season. These groups include tall back flags, shields, and front flags, whose members accompany the Marching Band in all the parades.
Winter Guard
Winter Guard begins in late-November and continues through mid-April. The Color Guard members no longer perform with the Band, but rather perform indoors to pre-recorded music. The Guard participates in a local competitive circuit, the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC) which hosts competitions at various locations in Southern California, as well as the WGASC Championships held in April.
During the school year the Color Guard meets a few evenings a week to rehearse as well as some weekends. The performance schedule will be posted on both the AHS Music Club website. Parents are encouraged to join in and participate by attending meetings, volunteering at events, and supporting their student by watching the performances.