Odessa High School’s small but mighty Color Guard stands a good chance of making state competition this weekend.
They are heading to Flower Mound High School this weekend, competing in the North Texas Color Guard Association preliminaries on Saturday evening and if they are in the top 12, they will compete in the state competition on Sunday at Coppell High School.
Director Hector Guerrero said there are 32 teams in the preliminaries.
He has nine performers and 12 floor crew who help with the props.
“We have a lot of props for the show. (We have) a 400- pound floor that we use for a part of the show also,” Guerrero said.
The booster club has a trailer that can transport the floor.
“… I’m truly blessed to have some great supportive parents that are are willing to help us out on this adventure that we’ve been on,” he added.
Guerrero said they were promoted three times this year.
This is his 18th year teaching. Based at OHS, Guerrero also works with students at Permian and Midland high schools as a hired clinician.
“This group of kids are just amazing. I am very blessed to have great kids who are willing to work hard, (keep) their grades up and they just love color guard in general. Color Guard is not a huge thing in our area and it’s a blessing to have great kids who are willing to enjoy something, who are not in the streets causing trouble and being in an organization that” works hard and is successful, Guerrero said.
“I love them to death. It’s been a complete blessing …,” he added.
Guerrero said it’s championship week and all the emotions are hitting him. The kids have worked extremely hard to get where where they need to be.
“I’m very blessed to have them in my life right now and I can’t wait to see what they do this weekend. …,” Guerrero said.
Guerrero got into Color Guard by accident when Bill Harden was band director at OHS.
“I started off like helping once in a while then went. Back then, one of our guard directors have left and he was like can you just watch him for a little bit? I was like sure … Then all of a sudden, we went to our first contest and then my direction and they won. Then we went to the second contest the following week, and they won again. That’s when Mr. Harden goes you’re in charge. So it fell in my hands and it’s been a blessing. It’s been a ride. …,” Guerrero said.
Color Guard is a year-round activity.
They march with the marching band during the fall season. They transition to the winter season starting in November and the winter season goes from goes from November to about April.
The secret to his success is great kids, he said.
“Permian just won bronze medal two weeks ago at their championships and that was a nice event also. It’s a blessing to work with both schools here in the local area. It’s not about being a rival it’s about us loving to the activity so much. The same thing with Midland High. We just have great kids in West Texas; we really do. No one sees that hardly. It’s always about the negative, but there are always great kids that are successful in their classwork and their activities, so it’s just a blessing all the way around,” Guerrero said.
Aaliyah Mendoza, a 17-year-old senior, Fabian Villanueva Kawaha, a 17-year-old sophomore, and JuanAdan Prieto, an 18-year-old senior, shared their thoughts on making it this far.
“It’s a different experience for sure because (in) past years we have gotten places, but this year it’s different and this team is so close together that we’re able to achieve that,” Mendoza said.
Kawaha said he is beyond proud of the team for getting to this point and for pushing each other to where they are now.
“I’m super proud of the team,” Prieto said. “We’ve worked pretty hard … If we can make it to there then it’s well earned because we put our hard time and effort (in).”
They added that it is worth all the hard work.
Kawaha said being in Color Guard has taught him more than he thought it would like how to push himself to be better in life and better in everything.
Prieto said it has taught him to be a better person.
“It definitely brought me out of my shell because I was really shy and you have to be a performer,” he added.
Mendoza said performing is like nothing else.
“Hearing the crowd cheer when you do a big ole toss. Just looking at everybody that came and watched you do your thing. That’s the best experience,” she added. “You can smile up and you just see everybody looking and cheering and clapping.”
Kawaha said you can see all the people screaming and telling you that you can do this.
“It’s just a rush, just seeing them there and being there for you,” he added.
Prieto said they feel like they’re not performing alone. Their coach is behind them with “the biggest smile” and they can see all their supporters.
The Color Guard has a final performance at 7 p.m. April 19 with OHS and PHS at the Permian Fieldhouse. It is free.
Auditions are coming up for both groups. Information is available on social media — Facebook and Instagram.
It is for kids in grades nine through 12.
OHS auditions are on April 16 and PHS on May 6.
