Fall Colorguard
The award-winning Homestead High School Colorguard is an auxiliary unit of the Mighty Mustang Marching Band. In the fall, the Colorguard performs with the band at football half-time performances, participates in the Homecoming parade and competes with the marching band in parade and field show reviews throughout Northern California. We are 30+ members strong and are one of the best colorguards in Santa Clara County!
All members are trained in dance and flag, and as they become more experienced, rifle and/or sabre. The Colorguard begins training following workshops and auditions in mid-May, usually rehearsing once a week through late spring and summertime, to learn basic dance and flag technique and the traditional pre-game/pep-song routines. It is here that they begin to know one another and begin to work as a team. This year, guard members will attend a mini-guard camp at Homestead the weekend before band camp. All band/guard members attend the annual band camp and drill practices in August before school starts, where they begin to learn their drill (or “spots” in band formations) for the competitive field show.
Colorguard frosh and sophomore members are enrolled in PE Band for the first semester of school and receive PE Credit for guard activities. Junior and senior members also receive class credit. During the school year, the Colorguard practices with the band during the morning band class period, in addition to Wednesday evenings and Saturdays. The team also holds required weekly practices after school.
Homestead Winterguard
When the Fall marching band season ends in mid-November, members may begin training for the Winter Guard season. Winter Guard is an extra-curricular activity. Currently no PE credit is available for this activity and all practices are held outside school hours. Auditions are held for the Winter Guard and is considered an "elite" indoor guard team following fall colorguard season.
Winter Guard practices start around the last week of November and last throughout the season with two weeknight rehearsals a week (6-9pm) and Saturdays. Winter Guard competitions are held indoors, in high school gyms, on Saturdays and occasional Sundays from January through April. Every member can tell you the amazing experiences they have every season that will last a life-time. The benefits of doing winter guard are far-reaching and members learn important life skills such as time-management.
The winter guard team has garnered several awards and accolades over the past few years. In 2004, they were the California Colorguard Circuit (CCGC) "A" Class Champions. They were moved up to the "AA" Class in 2005, placing in the top 3 at every Winterguard International (WGI) Regional they attended and finishing 2nd at CCGC Championships. In 2006, the guard had an incredible season, placing first at almost every local competition they attended as well as finishing 2nd at the WGI Fresno Regional and 5th at the WGI West Power Regional. At the end of the season, they were named the 2006 CCGC "AA" Class Champions. The winter guard traveled to Dayton, OH to compete at the 2006 WGI World Championships for the first time since 2000. They had an incredible showing and made semi-finals out of 120 teams in the Scholastic National "A" Class.
