This past month, the Oviedo winter guard competed in the Winter Guard International Regional competition at Plant City, Oviedo. The competition consisted of a preliminary and final performance by the team. At prelims, OHS scored an 83.4, seating Oviedo at first place. 

Advancing onto the finals performance, they scored an 84.3 and placed first for a second time. As a result of these remarkable performances, Oviedo Varsity Color Guard is now 1st in their class in the country.

Since the start of the Oviedo winter guard’s season in the first week of December, the team has been getting at least 10 hours of rehearsals every week. At these rehearsals, the team gets to work on their performance as well as build up their technique in order to prepare for competitions. 

Despite the team’s success, Oviedo winter guard has gone through multiple struggles in their 2021 season due to repercussions from the Covid-19 pandemic.

 “After the pandemic years, our team got a lot smaller- this year our varsity team has 9 people, which is half of what it was in 2020,” said Erin Slogar, a senior on winter guard. “Usually, winter guard shows have a better general effect when there are more people on the floor to fill up the space, so we were definitely worried at the beginning of the season.”

Regardless of their shortage of people, Oviedo’s winter guard undoubtedly pulled through to represent OHS at the WGI Regional competition. 

“I think that having a smaller team has worked to our benefit, because we’re closer to each other than in past years and having a cohesive group of people directly translates to our success,” said Slogar. “We always have people coming up to us at competitions and saying that they couldn’t believe we only have nine because we look like a bigger team on the floor.” 

Furthermore, the 1st place at the regional competition caused the Oviedo winter guard to advance to the Winter Guard International World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. In terms of preparation, the team is continuing to ready themselves with the same hard work they have been putting in all season. 

“We also know that this win is only reflective of that performance, so we’re still working hard towards Ohio for the WGI World Championships,” said Slogar.