The South Valley Winter Arts Association, known as SVWAA, held its annual Winter Guard and Percussion Championships on March 29th and March 30th.
High school winter guard and percussion teams from around the valley gathered at the Golden Eagle Arena in Lemoore for a chance to win the title of SVWAA Champions in their respective divisions.
Selma High’s Winter Guard team competed in the Scholastic A division, while percussion competed in both Concert A and Scholastic A divisions.
Although SHS Percussion placed fifth in the Percussion Scholastic A division, the team was the top scorer in the concert division. SHS Percussion took first place in the concert division with a score of 83.700.
In addition, SHS Winter Guard stood on the podium in third place in the Scholastic A division, after Frontier High School and Lemoore High School.
Abraham Lincoln Middle School’s Winter Guard and Percussion also had the opportunity to compete in the Junior divisions. ALMS Winter Guard took first place, while ALMS Percussion took second place.
The success of these teams comes from the hours of hard work and dedication they put into their performances.
“We practice a ton, every Tuesday and Thursday from six to nine and Saturday’s sometimes.” said SHS Winter Guard performer Jai Orosco, “We were practicing at home and at rehearsal, and even during class.”
Apart from practicing their routine, the teams also participated in team activities to strengthen their relationship on and off the floor.
“We practiced a lot and focused on perfecting our transitions and formations. Team bonding exercises helped us feel more connected too,” said senior Gitana Sandoval.
However, the team’s dedicated practice did not come without unforeseeable challenges. “One of the girls hurt her foot and had to sit out the entire season, which caused us to have to close holes on the floor and adjust to the drill,” explained Orosco.
With the help of their instructors and their devotion to performance, the teams were able to overcome these challenges successfully.
“I feel pretty good about it! We really nailed our routine and the energy was amazing,” said Sandoval.
Through their hard work and accomplishments, the teams enjoyed their successful performance season to the fullest.
“I’m really glad that I did my first and last year of winter color guard with these team members.” added Sandoval, “A lot of my memories from my senior year were with these girls, and I’m so thankful for that.”
Furthermore, SHS Percussion is set to continue their season at the 2025 WGI World Championships. On April 10th in Dayton, Ohio, they’ll begin the championships by competing in the Percussion Scholastic Concert A division’s preliminary round.
