One of the greatest things about MVs is that everyone is so passionate about their craft. Because members truly love what they do, for most Marching Virginians the end of Hokie Football season doesn’t mean the end of performing. For musicians, this may mean participating in Pep Band or Virginia Tech ensembles, but for members of the Color Guard, this means spinning in Valiant, Virginia Tech’s Indoor Guard (to see a previous blog post that goes more in-depth as to what Valiant does, click here).
Valiant Indoor Guard performing their 2018-2019 show, “Newsies on a Mission” at AIA Championships; Source: NickPostPhoto
Valiant’s extremely successful 2019-2019 season came to a close at AIA Championships with well-deserved bronze medals. But, the team did not stop there. Valiant decided to do something it has never done before and host a Spin Clinic for those interested in learning color guard skills!
The clinic was open to all ages and all skill levels, and truly had something for everybody. Those in attendance had the option to participate in flag, rifle, and dance classes tailored to various levels of experience. Overall, the clinic had a fantastic turnout and was a huge success!
“We were originally nervous that being in Southwest Virginia, there wouldn’t be many people willing to drive that far to attend a Spin Clinic. Then once the day arrived, we were thrilled. People were willing to travel over an hour to attend our event!”
-Olivia Monseur, Student Director of Valiant
Those in attendance ranged from middle schoolers that had never spun flag before, to college seniors that were excited to have one last chance to spin before graduation.
The Intermediate Rifle class performing their routine; Source: Valiant Indoor Guard
“Overall, the clinic was fabulous, and I was impressed by how well-organized and friendly the guard was!”
-Anonymous, High-School Aged Spin Clinic Attendee
Many Marching Virginians were in attendance to show their support for Valiant, and they all had a blast!
“It was an awesome way to support my friends in the winter guard, while learning new skills. Prior to this, I had no idea how to toss a rifle, but after I was able to perform a whole routine! I also loved how there were different areas you could choose from as well as different levels of difficulty. That way you were able to pick what best suited you!”
-William Redmon, Senior MV Trombonist
While this clinic primarily existed as a way to serve those interested in color guard by teaching them new skills, it also served as a very important fundraiser for Valiant. Since the organization’s creation, it has been entirely student-run, meaning that the students are responsible for ensuring there are enough funds to cover costs. The Spin Clinic was Valiant’s most successful fundraiser to date, so on behalf of Valiant: A big thank you to everyone that came out!
Winterguard is an expensive sport, even when you know how to get creative. For example, last year we made our uniforms out of clothing from Goodwill. However, the costs still add up. Equipment, competition fees, van rentals, all cost a lot of money, so doing a lot of fundraising is the only way we can continue to do what we love.
The Clinic ended up being one of our most successful fundraisers! I love that we were able to make a fundraiser so interactive, because so much more came out of it than just simply raising money.
-Olivia Monseur
The Intermediate Dance class performing their routine; Source: Valiant Indoor Guard
Because the Spin Clinic was such a success and so much fun for everyone involved, Valiant will continue to host one Spin Clinic per semester. Members of Valiant were thrilled to create such a fantastic event, and look forward to spinning with you in the future.
I'm so glad that we were able to provide an opportunity for young spinners, as well as our fellow Hokies who have never spun before, to learn something new about the sport that we all love so much!
-Olivia Monseur
If you would like to learn more about Valiant or get in contact with the team, you can do so through their website, ValiantIGvt.com.
If you would like to make a donation to Valiant, you may do so via the team’s GoFundMe.
Valiant Spin Clinic - Spring 2019; Source: Valiant Indoor Guard