The color guard is the sport of the arts,” says Hoover High School senior Anna Sikora. Sikora has been in the color guard since her freshman year and had some struggles before taking off. The Hoover color guard went on to win states for winter guard this year.
“At the beginning of freshman year I was majorly struggling with guard,” she said. “I worked hard to become better and from there I flourished. I was on the main weapon lines from sophomore year on. I also struggled with confidence but being in front of huge crowds and performing helped me to overcome that.”
Sikora decided to join the color guard after being given a choice and an opportunity to do something she had always wanted to do.
“I had a choice between playing a new instrument or performing with the guard,” she said. “I chose guard because it would be a new experience for me and I had always wanted to do dance as a kid.”
Sikora was able to go to many competitions with band and winter guard and even won states with winter guard.
“My favorite memory for color guard is winning states for winter guard my senior year,” she said.
She has been very involved in color guard. She was Sabre section leader her junior year and as a senior she was captain. She has also been a leader to many of the younger students in the program.
“I believe that I have been a leader to the younger students,” Sikora said. “I am always positive and willing to work hard and I hope they learned that from me. I also would spend time with the younger students outside of guard to help them improve.”
She also feels that she has been not only a mentor in guard but outside of that as well.
“I feel that I was a mentor to many of the members in guard,” Sikora said. “I felt that I was able to help them perfect guard as well as through life.”
While she may have helped the younger students in color guard looking back, she feels that the person that helped guide her the most was her coach, Danielle Leininger.
“She helped me grow so much throughout high school. I appreciate her so much,” Sikora said.
She feels that she was able to take on anything in guard, as her coach always challenged her and gave her many opportunities.
“I was given an opportunity to learn all of the equipment (flag, Sabre, & rifle),” she said. “Danielle challenged us everyday and I feel that I didn’t miss out on anything.”
While Sikora is not planning on continuing color guard in college, “if the opportunity presents itself, I would do it in a heartbeat!”
Sikora was able to make many lifelong friendships through color guard that she may have never made if it was not for color guard. She was able to learn many things from the program but none more important than confidence, she will miss the family that color guard has given her during her four years at Hoover High School.
“My overall experience was amazing,” she said. “I will miss the community/ family that it gave me, as well as the enjoyment of performing.”
