On Saturday Feb. 4, Masuk welcomed Winterguard teams from all around Connecticut and out of state for the 20th Masuk Classic Winterguard Competition annually held in the Masuk gymnasium. The competition consisted of 18 performances that ranged from middle school to college level Winterguard teams.
Masuk hosted the competition on Saturday with many family members and friends joining together to watch the performances. There was a wide variety of baked goods, pizza, hot dogs, and refreshments for the guests to enjoy. Hosting a big event is certainly a gratifying endeavor, but no easy task.
“It’s very stressful hosting a competition. It’s much more difficult than people think it is, but in the end, it’s a very rewarding experience,” said Fiona O’Leary, one of Masuk’s color guard seniors.
The night started with the Bethel Junior Winterguard team performing in the Scholastic Junior division. They displayed an excellent performance with a garden theme. Following them was the middle school Masuk JV team in the Scholastic Middle School division.
Eventually, the Scholastic AA division was up, which included the Masuk Varsity color guard team. To display a brilliant performance during the show, it took the team months of preparation for February.
“They start in the summer with some training and welcoming new members and once November hits, we really start planning everything for the show,” said the Masuk Winterguard director, Karyn Knapik.
For the four minutes the Masuk Varsity team performed, “For the Applause” composed of Lady Gaga songs. The gym was transformed into glitter and pink from their costumes, along with the colored and designed flags.
“This performance [showed] the joys and the trouble that paparazzi brings to celebrities,”said Director Knapik.
After several more performances from schools around Connecticut, Sacred Heart performed in the Independent Open division. All golden brick walls, and yellow-orange flags….
“I really enjoyed watching Sacred Heart perform because our coach Jenna is on that team, and seeing someone who you look up to and someone who coaches you everyday perform is a very amazing experience,” O’Leary stated.
Lastly, a performance that was highly anticipated by many was Fusion Winterguard in the Independent World division. This team came all the way from New Jersey to perform “The Beat” at Masuk. This performance consisted of dynamic dance moves, with simple yet powerful white flags.
Ultimately, seniors from each team came up and received awards. The Masuk Varsity team received fourth place with a score of 66.02 in the Scholastic AA division.
Saturday night was the kickoff to the color guard competition season. This competition was only the beginning of more Masuk color guard performances to come.
Masuk Free Press 