Creston Winter Guard to compete at world championship

In 1996, 10 girls approached Creston color guard coach Lisa Peters with interest in forming a winter guard.

Unlike color guard, winter guard is performed indoors in a blend of costumes, movement, and dance choreography with show flags, mock-rifles, sabers and other equipment for an entertaining, high-energy show. Instead of being performed with a marching band, winter guard utilizes recorded music.

Three years in, Peters had 50 kids auditioning to be on the team. Now 27 years in, she’s preparing to take their team of 16 to the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championship in Dayton, Ohio in April.

It was their performance at WGI Regionals Saturday in Kansas City that qualified the team.

Not only is this Peters’ first team to qualify, it’s Iowa’s first high school winter guard team to make it to worlds.

“There’s so much pride of how hard they have worked and what they stepped up to,” Peters said. “They have taken it on their own to get better and do better. It’s so exciting; this is a new adventure for us.”

Unlike high school athletics, the performers are not separated by school size. In the 28 team field, Creston was the smallest school by a long shot. The next smallest school, Bellevue East from Nebraska, has nearly 1,500 students in its high school.

Despite their underdog size, Creston’s routine was good enough to send the team to the finals.

“We were going up against these huge school districts and little old Creston made finals,” Peters said. “We’re now competing at the national level in our class.”

Two of the teams Creston competed against in the finals finished in the top 10 in last year’s world championship.

“It was phenomenal to watch,” Peters said. “The crowd response was amazing — the kids were so shocked. They had the gym just roaring with applause.”

Senior Bridget Hopkins used to watch WGI shows to learn from the routines and moves. Now, she’s competed in one.

Growing up with two older sisters in drum line and winter guard, Hopkins always knew she wanted to be on the team. In her fourth year, she can see what makes this year’s team so special.

“My freshman year you knew who your powerhouse is to build the routine around. They are the best person,” she explained. “As we are here now, every single one of us brings something talented and incredible to the team.”

The World Championship features eight subdivisions with 12 teams each. The Panthers are in the Scholastic A division.

They will attend another WGI Regionals next month in Omaha, Nebraska, for a shot to increase their ranking prior to worlds. The team is asking for the community’s help to send the kids to the events.

“We have thousands we need to raise to go to worlds,” Peters said. “It costs a lot.”

A fundraiser will be held at the school this weekend. The team will be showing movies free of charge with optional concessions and raffles to raise money for the team.

Showing at 2 p.m. Saturday will be “Frozen” and at 5.pm., a double feature of “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: End Game.” At 2 p.m. Sunday, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” will be showing.

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity,” Hopkins said. “Even if we don’t make it as far as we want, we get to make history. We’re making history. We will all be part of the first Iowa high school guard to ever do this.”