By Chris Dietrich
Senior Madeline Lawless has done everything from achieving nationals last year for guard to singing at All-State Choir. She participates in guard, choir and plays the flute. Her skills in all of these fields have brought her smiles every day. Starting with guard, she also decided to try out winter guard the following semester.
“I joined Winter Guard because I tried color guard first, absolutely loved it, and wanted to continue! Guard, in general, I joined on a whim, and it just ended up being what I’ve done. I am co-captain, and we help each other ensure our guard becomes the best it can be,” Lawless said.
This year, Westmoore’s varsity Winter Guard team used the song Skyscraper by Demi Lovato as their song during their performance, from dancing, doing flips, and telling the song’s story. Each team member has a unique part, conveying the story in their own way. For each catch they do, the crowd cheers for them as they continue their choreography.
“The story is about raising each other despite others trying to tear us down. My favorite part of performing is the audience. I love tossing and feeling that everyone is holding their breath before they erupt in cheers when we catch. It’s an electric feeling. I just listen to the lyrics and the feeling in the singer’s voice when performing. It’s a pretty emotional song; you can hear it in how she sings, so I try to embody that emotion visually,” Lawless said. In Guard, there is a high level of expectation. Catching your tosses, being on time, and controlling your flag are just some of the few expectations you have to meet consistently.
However, this is one of many teams that often support you in your mistakes. They tell you what to do better and how to improve. “Advice I’d give to someone interested in guard is not to fear failure. Toss the toss you’re scared of, try the jump that feels silly, and perform like no one’s watching. Even if it fails the first time, the next time will be better, and the time after that. Before you know it, you’ll look back on when you started and be miles ahead,” Lawless said.
