On Jan. 21, 2012, the Longhorn Color Guard competed in their first competition in Cypress Woods. They performed their new show “Sunny with a Chance,” featuring songs from ACDC’s “Thunderstruck,” the popular winter song “Let it Snow,” and The Beatles’ “Here comes the Sun,” along with other weather-based songs.

The Color Guard has been practicing their show since before the winter break on Tuesdays from four to six in the afternoon and on Thursdays from six to eight in the evening. Even on the day of competition, the guard came to George Ranch to practice their show in the competition gym before they set off to Cypress Woods High School.

After arriving at Cypress Woods High School, the guard set off to practice again before going to take the competition. First they practiced in the gym along with other guards there for the competition. After their 30 minute general warm-up, the guard was ushered to the fifteen minute movement warm-up. The guard was pumped up once they got to their twenty minute equipment warm-up. It was finally time for the guard to perform their show.

“I was very happy with our performance because we didn’t fall apart,” Loriel Hamilton said. “I was pleased with the results, seeing as how we had to cut some parts out for this competition.”

After performing the show, the guard went off to change into their regular street clothes and got a well-deserved bite to eat. While everyone was eating, they discussed how they thought they did. Returning guard members from last year were very happy with the results of the show.

“Being captain, I was extremely happy with the results,” Jenna Swift said. “The whole show wasn’t on the floor, so I can’t wait to see what happens when we have all our show along with the surprises we have in store for our judges.”

The guard saw a major increase in members this year from last. Starting off last year with only seven members, the guard has augmented to a whopping thirteen members. One of the new members, Jah-Nii Muñoz, says that she wasn’t nervous about the competition.

“I wasn’t nervous about performing,” Muñoz said. “But, I was nervous about a stunt I had to do because I had fallen many times during practice.”

After everyone ate, the guard went back into the competition gym to watch the other guards perform. After everyone performed, two members of the guard, Diana Vega and Adam McGee, went to the guard retreat where the guard receives their results. The guard placed twelfth out of seventeen guards, a place that the guard instructor, Beth Young, is very proud of.

“I think for their first performance and as early as it is in the season, they did the best that they could do,” Young said. “Not to mention, the most important thing is that we placed better than Terry and Foster!”

The guard is set to perform their show again at the next TCGC Contest held in Clear Springs Feb. 18. The guard instructor is excited for their next competition.

“We have a lot more flag work and special effects to add to wow our judges,” Young said.