Color Guard Class of 2020; Source: Tyler White
Every year the Marching Virginians come together for one final event to celebrate the season: a Band Banquet that we affectionately call “Bandquet.” The MVs had a great Bandquet this year (that was covered in another blog post), but there was one problem… most of the color guard couldn’t attend! This year, Valiant, Virginia Tech’s indoor color guard, had their first competition of the season (also covered in another blog post) on the same night as Bandquet. This meant that many members of the Marching Virginians Flag Corps were in Northern Virginia during the event. While missing Bandquet was definitely disappointing, especially for senior members of the flag section like myself, have no fear! The guard came together to host their own end of the year celebration: Guardquet!
Social Hour
Guardquet kicked off in the same way Bandquet normally does: with MVs squealing in delight as they re-connect and take pictures with friends that they may not have seen in a while. For me, it doesn’t matter if it has been a few weeks or only a few hours - seeing my fellow MVs always fills me with joy.
We then moved on to emulating another important aspect of Bandquet: sharing a meal. The fancy catered meals of Bandquet were replaced by pizza, chips, cookies, and other snacks, but the guard seemed to love the food just the same.
Introductions
The 2019-2020 leadership team; Source: Ashley Deans
After dinner, an official introduction speech was given by co-captains Julia Pimentel and Hailey Schmidt. This speech was set to some dramatic music as well as popular tunes from the season. My favorite moments were when they got everyone jumping to “Enter Sandman” and when they waited for the lyrics “I’m a sucker for you!” from “Sucker” by the Jonas Brothers to point to everyone in the room and note that they are suckers for each of us.
Awards
After the introduction speech, senior rank captains Alison Ritz and Katherine “Kate” Rizzolo began a portion of the night dedicated to honoring seniors. They presented each senior with a 4 year Red Solo Cup (just like the band, we are still waiting on our 4 year mugs!). The rank captains were then joined by the co-captains for the presentation of Outstanding Rank Member awards.
The first award was given to Anna Gamboa by Hailey Schmidt. Hailey shared,
“Anna Gamboa constantly amazes the leadership team with her level of talent. She has helped with choreography, always kept a positive attitude, and I have never seen her without a smile on her face.”
-Hailey Schmidt
The second was given to Emily Lawson and presented by Alison Ritz. Alison shared,
“From learning an entire show she knew she wouldn’t perform, to practicing hard everyday despite a hand injury, Emily’s dedication to the team went above and beyond my expectations.”
-Alison Ritz
The third award was given to Alexandra Bridgeland and presented by Julia Pimentel. Julia shared,
“Alexandra's radiant personality, consistency in performance, high score during auditions (tying for the highest score), and willingness to help others both on and off the field is a testament of her innate passion for color guard, thereby making her deserving of the title: Outstanding Rank Member.”
-Julia Pimentel
The final award was given to me, Ashley Deans, and presented by Kate Rizzolo. Kate shared,
“Despite being guaranteed a spot on the team [as an officer of the Marching Virginians], meaning she didn't have to focus as hard on auditions, Ashley went above and beyond to show how much she deserved to be a part of the team by tying for the highest audition score. Her dedication and passion from the beginning of the season to the end showed so brightly, and despite not being one of the color guard captains, she clearly was a natural leader for the team throughout the season.”
-Kate Rizzolo
Two very excited Outstanding Rank Members; Source: Katie Gill
Open Mic Time
Then came my favorite part of the night! The floor was opened up to anyone to share favorite memories or moments from the season. From big football moments (we’re talking about 6 OT’s at the UNC game!), to guard traditions, to just enjoying each other’s company, there were a lot of fantastic moments of this season to reflect on.
“A lot of my fondest memories from college are just being in your presence. Being at practice was my favorite part of the day every day, because I love you all so much.”
-Maria Carrillo, Freshman Flag
Color Guard Class of 2023; Source: Ashley Deans
While sharing memories, I reflected on the fact that for many members of the guard, other members are not just their teammates, but their roommates, their bigs/ littles, and their best friends. Being a part of the Marching Virginians is an incredible honor and a really special experience, and I know that would be clear to anyone listening to the countless “favorites” shared by the guard during this time.
Blooper Reel
Of course we had to end the night in true Bandquet fashion by playing the MV Blooper Reel. The guard got to enjoy the silly pictures and videos, and end the night on a very happy note.
With a few closing remarks, the 2019-2020 color guard season officially came to a close. While the end of the season can be very bittersweet, Guardquet reminded us that it is important to appreciate all the friendships, memories, and experiences that come with being #MVs4Lyfe.
The 2019-2020 Marching Virginians Color Guard enjoying “Guardquet”; Source: Tyler White