Starting in November of 2015, flags have been spinning, rifles have been tossed and sabers have been caught only to lead up to one special moment for the FHN winter guard team. On March 6, the team will be leaving for Dayton Ohio for their world competition.

“I feel like the world competition will go very well,” sophomore guard member Theresa Winkle said. “We’re more prepared than ever and you can tell that everyone really wants to win this year.”

The team members are really making sure to work hard for not only themselves, but for each other. The gratitude that they all experience when they work for something that they love doing, and being awarded for their hard work are both important factors of what makes the FHN guard what they are today. 

“[I’m hoping that the team] gives their all because for some of them, it’s their last competition ever, but I still hope we have fun,” freshman guard member Jacqueline Jansen said.

The team tries to not let the nerves get to them when they finally hit the floor with the show that they’ve been running over and over for so long. Nervousness can impact their performance in a negative way, but they don’t let it get to them that easily.

“World competitions are a lot more stressful, but they’re also more exciting at the same time,” senior guard member Mackenzie Schlogl said. “It’s really sad, too, because it’s pretty much the end. Especially since it’s my senior year.”

After having 6 months of training on their show “Together Alone” to the song “Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M, the members seem confident that they will do well for their performance at Dayton. They always strive for a higher score than than their highest they’ve gotten, which was 9th best in the world for their show “Unrequited” to the song ”I will always love you” by Whitney Houston.  

“[The best part of world competitions is] just competing against everyone,” Schlogl said. “It’s pretty much the pay-off of your entire season, so it’s really cool.”