The crowd is silent. The band begins playing the opening notes. Every rehearsal goes into making this performance as close to perfection as can be. The Color Guard performs every football game during halftime, but that’s only the beginning.

Senior Shannon Ross has been in color guard for four years and knows the drill by now. Almost everything is to be expected. Except for when FloMarching, a sports media company focused on capturing the most exciting moments of outdoor performing ensembles, approached her to ask her a couple of questions.

“I kind of didn’t know what to say,” Ross said. “He’s asking me and I had no idea this was coming, I was just on my way to the bus so I could go eat my dinner. So he’s asking me questions and I’m just pulling from everything that I’ve ever been taught in the last three years.”

FloMarching is a branch of the company FloSports, an ESPN outlet for the Pageantry Arts. Based in Austin, Texas, the company travels around the country filming and broadcasting live performances and competitions.

“It is such a great honor and achievement,” coach Joseph Powell said. “This is our third feature, I believe, for the website. It is great to see the appreciation for the talent and work our students, staff, and parents have put into the program.”

This is just the start. Powell has plans to expand the program and increase recognition.

“We have been advancing on a plan that started when I moved to Austin, Texas to teach and grow the program,” Powell said. “The project included enhancing and reaching world-class status on a National Level. We completed that timeline and are working to strengthen our contribution and influence on our activity. Bowie wants to push the envelope in design and our artistic viewpoint competitively.”

Last year, the Guard made it to the World Championships. Becoming world-renowned does not come easily. The team has faced its share of challenges, and it’s impacted everyone.

“I think our community has a hard time understanding the level of competition we face,” Powell said. “The prestigious accomplishments we have made and just how nationally recognized we are. It is often times overlooked. We have a hard time getting gym time with the lack of facilities. Maintaining the standard of excellence that is set from previously attained achievements and working to push our success. We rehearse very late at night because of scheduling. It is a tremendous commitment from the students, and they sacrifice for the activity they love.”

Walking onto a team that’s been recognized around the world for it’s talent is not an easy thing, according to sophomore Madeline Feen. This is her second year on Guard and with that, comes challenges of its own.

“This winter season I made the world class team, which is sort of the same idea as varsity,” Feen said. “I was surrounded by people who were literally ranked among the best performers in the world, so coming in after only a semester of fall Guard obviously is a challenge, but one I wanted to take on. I had overcome having an emotional response to technical problems because I’d get too bogged down in the frustration of getting a part right, and not just ‘get some grit’ as our directors like to say.”

This commitment to the Guard requires many hours of practice. The result of these practices is a team bond.

“It’s really changed my perspective on how to be the best at everything I do and made me way more accountable and driven as far as schoolwork and everything else,” Feen said. “Being in the environment we work in, with such talented and motivated people is so inspiring to be around every day. It’s being a part of something bigger than yourself. You really get in the mindset of ‘I need to get better for not only my own satisfaction, but so my team can excel at what we do.”

The constant stream of competitions throughout the year requires hours of coaching and practicing. According to Powell, it’s taught him a lot.

“Coaching is not an easy task, especially in the High School setting,” Powell said. “It takes sacrifice, commitment, and passion. My life was shaped by the experiences I received through marching band and color guard. It was a place of safety and an area that gave me an artistic voice. I wanted that for others.”

There are some key pieces that will stick with the students and teachers of this program for the rest of their lives.

“If you want worthwhile results, then you have to put in the hard work and careful planning,” Powell said. “Have a vision for the future and align your goals with that vision. I have learned to brand myself and stay true to who I am, help others when necessary, learn from good books, bestow my skills upon others, and be gracious in the talents that I have been given.”