JE Varsity Winter Guard Clinch SA-3 Class Title, Advances to First-Ever World Championships

In a historic victory, the Jordan-Elbridge Winter Guard clinched the SA-3 class title at the 2024 Mid-York Color Guard Circuit (MYCGC) Championships held at Shenendehowa High School on April 6th. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the JE Winter Guard program, as they not only secured a prestigious win but also secured a spot at the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships, held in Ohio, where they competed on the global stage.

The team's journey to the SA-3 gold medal was marked by dedication, perseverance, and artistry. Under the direction of their coaches and instructors, the JE Winter Guard members spent countless hours perfecting their routines and honing their skills to deliver a captivating performance. They posted a score of 80.370, edging Vestal by just .070 of a point.

The MYCGC Championships showcased the talent and creativity of numerous color guard teams across various divisions. The JE Winter Guard stood out with their innovative choreography, synchronized movements, and expressive storytelling, captivating the audience, and impressing the judges. This catapulted them to also earn the “Fan Favorite” award that was voted on by the audience.

The title of the show this year was called “The Edge”, where they started with an instrumental version of Lady Gaga’s hit song, “The Edge of Glory”. Head Coach Kimberly Butler said that the show required the girls to perform with lots of sass to own their show and give the judges a reason to give them a high-performance score.

“The girls turned it on and performed with as much sass as you can imagine teenage girls giving,” said Butler. “The judges made comments on tape throughout the performance about how well they performed and came together as a unit.”

After coming in second place at last year’s MYCGC Championships, gold was on the girls’ mind. They also had the massive challenge of moving up a class, from SA-2 to SA-3, but that did not deter the members, especially the senior captains on the squad who have waited years to be crowned champions.

“I was just so proud of everyone,” said senior captain Kari Miles. “My jaw literally almost hit the floor and we tried to keep it all together, I literally had chills!”

“It was one of the best moments of my life, I’ve been waiting to get gold since I was little, little because my older sister did guard, so I looked up to her, “said senior captain Briana LaFleur. “Now knowing that I got gold, it is just crazy!”

Following their victory at the Mid-York Championships, the JE Winter Guard set their sights on the WGI World Championships—an esteemed event that attracts top-tier color guard teams from around the world. This marked the first time in the history of the Jordan-Elbridge Winter Guard program that a team has qualified for the WGI World Championships, signifying a remarkable achievement and a testament to the team's growth and excellence. They failed to make it out of the qualifying round, but Butler said they still have so much to be proud of.

“It really is a group effort, and they are only as strong as their weakest link. We have kids who are 12 years old, and if it wasn’t for the comradery between them all, they wouldn’t have been able to go as far as they did. I’m just so proud of them all.”