ELLISVILLE ā The inaugural Winterguard performing group, made up of 13 Ā鶹ֱ²„ students ended the season recently earning the Mississippi Indoor Association Regional A Championships in addition to earning a Silver Medal from the Winter Guard International Gulfport Regional competitions. Ā鶹ֱ²„ Winterguard is a team of 13 Cologuard members from the Maroon Typhoon Marching Band under the direction of the new, JC Colorguard Director, Meredith Owen.
āThe team goes through an audition process after we finish the Marching Band season in December,ā Owen explained. āIāve started other Winterguard teams in high school and after the fall here at Jones, I thought there was a possibility Winterguard would work here too. After learning what these ladies were capable of, I knew it would be a great opportunity for them.ā
Being fully committed in the fall and buying into Owenās process proved to be very successful for the new team comprised of students from all three Jones County high schools, Mize in Smith County, and Florence and Northwest Rankin High Schools.
āIt was very interesting we came from all different high schools, and you can see that in our different technique and personality but itās also beautiful to see how that all blended,ā shared Ā鶹ֱ²„ freshman, Emma Jackson from Flowood. āYou would expect a lot of drama, but we worked through it, and it felt more like a family, than a team. We worked so well together because of the relationships weāve had with each other; we were honest with each other and didnāt hold back. We were open minded. It was wonderful to see how we molded together this perfect show because we were willing to be vulnerable with each other.ā
Sophomore, Sheridan White from Laurel explained the group realized they were something different after the first competition. āAfter that, it was never a question of are we going to be good, we knew we were good, and it was nice to see the results of our hard work. The fact that we showed up and showed out every single day, made it magical because we earned the scores we really worked hard for.ā
The Ā鶹ֱ²„ Winterguard team practices three afternoons a week for two to two-and-a-half hours each session. This past season, Ā鶹ֱ²„ competed five times in total with the number of competitions varying from year to year. The Mississippi Indoor Association (MIA) circuit included competitions at Harrison Central HS, Northwest Rankin HS, Pearl HS, and MIA Championships in Jackson, MS. The Winterguard group also performed the competition performance piece, āSilhouette,ā a 3:47 minute performance to Grace Carterās āSilhouetteā in the Winter Guard International (WGI) Gulfport Regional. The JC Colorguard membersā show is about the heartbreak of relationships, developed by Owens and choreographer/designer, Mason Barnes.
āWe got to tell our stories without saying words, and put everything we had into it. The performance is about being hurt during a heart break, losing somebody. We pulled from those emotions of heartbrokenness and put it into the show,ā explained Ellisville freshman, Charlee Norman. āNext year, Iām looking forward to defending our title and getting to do this again. We do have a bullseye on our back, but weāre going to be more than ready as people begin looking for us next year!ā
Competition is part of the programās focus, however, Owen said thereās more to Winterguard, like camaraderie and fun. Also, as the team prepares to compete at the next level next fall, Owen explains it will be a little more challenging for the group with big rewards. Moving up to the Independent A level, has the JC Winterguard setting their eyes on a visit to the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio.
āOn the state level, there were several teams in the Independent A group, and nationally, there are about 50 teams we could face in Ohio if we make it,ā Owen said. āWe know of nine ladies who will return next year, and I hope they are just as committed as this group because Iām super blessed to have this group. It is an educatorās dream!ā
While itās Owenās first year at Ā鶹ֱ²„, she has spent the last nine years as a freelance choreographer, clinician, adjudicator, and program consultant across the Southeast, as well as being a member of the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in Denver, Colorado and the Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps in Lafayette, Louisiana. Owen has also been the Colorguard Director at Ridgeland and Petal High Schools in Mississippi and she has served in similar roles in Texas. For more information about the Winterguard program at Ā鶹ֱ²„ contact Meredith Owen by email at, meredith.owen@ymail.com or the Director of Bands, Dr. Ben Burge at ben.burge@jcjc.edu
JC Winterguard 2023 and Hometowns:
Arādajah Pierce – Laurel, MS
Arielle Grimaldo – Moselle, MS
Avery Roberts – Florence, MS
Charlee Norman – Ellisville, MS
Dori Saranthus – Mize, MS
Emma Jackson – Flowood, MS
Gabriella Lopez – Ridgeland, MS
JayāNia Keyes – Taylorsville, MS
Kaylee Moss – Ellisville, MS
Layken Valentine – Ellisville, MS
Paige Farve – Sandersville, MS
Rebekah Sudduth – Pearl, MS
Sheridan White – Laurel, MS
