Above: Sophomore Ronny Macias spins a flag while other guard members look on. Photo courtesy of Bateman Photography.
With a satisfying crack, every flag lands in the hands of the person who tossed it. The crowd erupts with applause. For the founding members of the SAU Winter Guard, this moment marks the end of their color guard career.
“This year’s show is special because it is about the growth of the program itself,” said sophomore guard member Allie Crisco. “Coach Scott and the graduating seniors saw the very first SAU winter guard season, so this show is a celebration of all of the work they put in as they hand it off to the next generation.”
Every member of the first SAU winter guard has graduated, except the class of 2025, who have seen the program through all four years of their college career. They’ve spun their flags and rifles on gym floors all across the Midwest.
Above: Sophomore Allie Crisco strikes a pose while performing a dance portion of “What We’ve Built.” Photo courtesy of Bateman Photography.
A Symbolic Show
The 2025 program, entitled What We’ve Built, tells the story of a group of pioneers building a wagon to head west. It ends with the underclassmen in the back of the wagon while the seniors wave goodbye. This symbolic theme means a lot to one senior guard member, Olha Huska.
“There is something so unique about starting a program, seeing it grow from the ground up, and now having to leave it all. We have built something truly unique,” Huska said.
She echoed Crisco’s earlier comment. “This year’s show is an acknowledgment of how this program started and how far we’ve come. It’s our fourth year as a program, meaning that the very first people here when it all started are graduating now. And now we have to trust that its foundation is strong enough to continue without us.”
Above: Winter guard seniors Abi Jensen, Olivia Nelson, Olha Huska, and Skyler Rice join hands. Photo courtesy of Bateman Photography.
Growing In More Ways Than One
The members of the guard noted that there is something special about this year’s group that has allowed them to shine.
“This season feels a bit more emotionally charged than last year as the show is a lot more personal,” said Crisco. “It also feels like we’re taking a big step up.”
Winter guard coach Stephen Scott agreed. “We’ve been able to do more than we ever have in years past in terms of making the show clean and digging deep into the emotion of what the show is all about.
“In years past, our first couple of competitions have always been more of a skeleton of what the final program ends up being,” Scott said. “Our biggest success (this year) was coming out with a complete program on day one of the competition season.”
Huska commented on the improved technical abilities of the group. “We are able to toss higher as a group this year, and our ability to learn and remember choreo is stronger. It took a lot of care, time, and cooperation to coordinate how the people behind the wagon would exchange (toss) to people running around the tarp. You have to be very precise when you’re throwing a flying object at a moving target.”
It is this cooperation that has allowed the team to move beyond being a group of individuals.
Above: Senior Olivia Nelson leaps through the air. Photo courtesy of Bateman Photography.
Supporting One Another
“Winter guard as well as all of the marching arts collectively, for me, is really a microcosm into what life is all about. A group of people is coming together to create something beautiful and bigger than themselves,” Scott said.
Huska felt similarly. “The winter guard community is so positive and supportive,” she said. “Every time you walk into a show site, you see teams wishing each other good luck, complimenting each other on their performance, and cheering them on. Everyone is rooting for you. Everyone wants you to catch strong, to toss higher, to gain new skills.”
Crisco emphasized that a supportive environment also allows for creativity to shine. “Usually I don’t have the courage to perform in front of people, but something about getting to wear a costume and toss a flag around and dance with my friends makes it so much more enjoyable and truly makes it feel like we’re creating art.”
Above: Sophomore Zoe McCraw grins at the audience, flag in hand. Photo courtesy of Bateman Photography.
How It Ended
After a busy season of competing, the SAU winter guard finished their season at the Midwest Color Guard Circuit championships with a score of 68.9.
“Numerically, it’s always hard to have certain goals since it really depends on who’s watching a show and how it resonates with them. My biggest goal is that the students are able to perform their best at every show and really take the audience on the journey with us as we build this wagon,” Coach Scott stated.
Huska, one of the seniors who started the program, emphasized her pride in what she was leaving behind. “Overall, I wanted to end the season with everyone putting their best foot forward and being proud of what they’ve done,” they said. “Regardless of the scores, even though I love seeing them climb, I hope everyone on the team is satisfied with What We’ve Built.”
