I have an interesting relationship with team physical activities. I played soccer as a small child and later merged into basketball. Considering neither one of these sports made it to middle school, I guess that makes it reasonably obvious my skill level at both of those sports. Right until I went to my first high school football game as a sophomore and saw the marching band half-time show and was amazed by the color guard. However, my uphill battle to get into the sport of the arts was beginning. Color guard is challenging, even after years of training I am continually learning and improving. I remember crying after a few initial practices before auditions because I felt like I would never be good enough.

I did make it!

Performing is a feeling unlike any other. My next big challenge was winter guard, which is elite indoor color guard, and trying to begin to spin weapon since it is the next skill level up from flag. My instructor at the time definitely did NOT want me to perform either, but my hard-headedness and dedication allowed me to force myself onto both. He now refers to me as one of the most successful kids in the marching arts that he ever instructed. I now spin for a competitive indoor color guard, only two levels below world class.