Alexandra A., Centerville High School
Grab it by the Reins
The sharp sound of the silk cutting through the humid summer air is something you’ll never forget. It takes away all the fears you have in life and puts you in the present. It makes you grab life by the reins and become as carefree as ever. To live a good and happy life you just need to grab life by the reins and just try to live it to the fullest because you only get one shot at it. All of this came into perspective when I started the highschool colorguard team.
I came in as a freshman with only a couple months of experience due to a knee injury that took me out of the winter season. I had gotten cold feet because it was an unfamiliar place with a ton of new people. I thought I wasn’t going to survive the season.
At the beginning of the season I was very reluctant and I thought I just have to survive one season and then I’ll see how I feel. It was the first day of bandcamp and it was no joke. A breezy chilly morning led to a blazing hot afternoon. I was terrified yet I was somewhat excited. I wasn’t super close with most people on the team but I would later find out these would become some of my closest friends. Now as we are getting further into the season I realize that I am in the right place and quitting is not an option because it would be like quitting on a family.
This team has made me a better person and I have learned there really is no “I” in team. In the beginning my head was wrapped up in my own fears, my injury, and my own mistakes. But colorguard has forced me to look outside myself. You learn to synchronize your step, turns, flags with 34 other people all to make one huge project. It taught me patience, perseverance, accountability, and humility.
Our coaches have told us that for this to be a great show we need to be one together. They remind us that the judges aren''t just looking at a single performer but rather a group that can come together and put on a piece of art. Being “one” means that when someone drops a flag, we all drive to work harder, and when someone nails a difficult toss, we all share the victory.
Ultimately, pushing through this season has taught me what it actually means to grab life by the reins. True freedom isn’t running away from challenges or avoiding things that terrify you, it is about diving head first into the unknown despite your fears. When I’m on the field with my team, all the anxieties of the future go away. In those moments, tossing the flag into the air and trusting my hands to catch it, I feel free. By refusing to quit I took control of my life, ready for whatever comes next.
