Color guard is more than just a halftime show. Color guard is a strong team sport that carries through the school year and takes a lot of practice and hard work to get the results a team wants. However in order for the team to function properly and work well, the team needs leaders. Junior Jessica Stachew is the captain for the Bowie color guard through marching season and winter season, prepping her team for success in both seasons.

Stachew has been in color guard since freshman year. Her first marching show was the bee-themed “To B Or Not To Bee”.

“My mom was in color guard in high school, and when we were at Bowie freshman night, we saw a flyer that said to go to the dance gym to be in color guard, and I thought I might try it out, and I fell in love with it,” Stachew said.

Stachew had a fun experience with the guard program and the lessons she learned through the activity. She decided to stick with it through sophomore and junior year.

“After freshman year, the environment it created was very welcoming, and I felt like I had a second family outside of the house,” Stachew said.

Her sophomore year, Stachew made open guard, and was just one of four sophomores to make open class. That year, the open guard made fourth in WGI World Championships with the show “World of Fools” and became a world class guard for the 2016 season.

“At first I didn’t really know why I made it, I didn’t really see anything special about what I did that was capable of making open, and I really wanted to, but when I found out I made it, let alone make the weapon line, I was super shocked and not expecting it at all,” Stachew said.

Stachew tried out to a color guard lieutenant, the second highest leadership ranking in guard, for the 2015 marching season in May. When leadership results were revealed, she was surprised to find out that she made color guard captain instead of lieutenant, excelling above what she had hoped for.

“I was really shocked that I made captain. It’s scary to have to lead the team, but it’s also fun and I also enjoy it and they’re my family and I enjoy leading them,” Stachew said.

Stachew had three lieutenants at her side to help her lead and watch over the guard: junior Meredith Edelmon and seniors Shayla Perez and Kay Greene.

“When you’re in leadership, you’re kind of looked up to by the freshmen, and that kind of importance makes me want to be better than myself everyday,” Edelmon said.

The leadership team started the season in spring guard camp, where they taught incoming freshmen basic guard skills.

“At first the leadership had an issue with being a whole team, not just individuals, but now I feel we work more as a team,” Perez said.

The leadership team began teaching the guard in summer guard camp in July and August, and began to learn the this year’s marching show “Deep”.

“Jessica made a big influence on me, because at first I didn’t really know how guard was going to be, and because she’s captain she kind of pushed me forward,” freshman Cecilia Ortiz said.

In November, winter guard season started up again for the world team. Stachew and the other lieutenants will continue to be leading and teaching the team as they learn their new show for this season. At World Championships the team will be competing against the top-25 winter guards in the nation.

“The competition and the standards of qualities and excellence we have are much higher than they were last year, and the pressure is going to be on. It’s incredible to be part of that, but it’s very, very challenging to be part of,” Stachew said.

The world team has practices to learn the show almost everyday after school that last from three hours. On weekends, practices can range from three to 12 hours. Winter guard is not a UIL sport, so there is no limit on the amount of time they can practice in a week.

“We work so, so hard.” Stachew said. “Not a lot of people realize the kind of effort it takes and the physical challenges it takes. A lot of people just think that we’re twirling flags, and it’s nothing like that. It’s physically and mentally challenging all at once, and I’d say it’s probably the most challenging sport that you can become a part of, because not only does it challenge your stamina and your endurance, but it challenges the ability for you to concentrate on minute details for three hours at time,”

Despite the long hours of work, Stachew, alongside the rest of the world team, love what they do, and although some may be worried about World Championships, they are all looking forward to the season ahead of them and the performance they are going to perfect.

“I really hope we can just bond together more as a team. I hope this winter I can work with my teammates and the other leadership to be successful and be excellent,” Stachew said.