Message from Grace

This is a message from Grace!

Hello Ladies,

How exciting is it that band camp is just one month away?! This is going to be a lengthy email but please read it all! And PLEASE, take the advice that I'm giving you to heart. I'm telling you, if you do all of these preparations, you will be prepared for band camp. And most importantly... relay this information to your parents! Communication is key to the success for a guard program. But communication can go lots of different ways! We need all of you to relay all information to your parents. If you do this, it will greatly benefit our guard program.

1) What you will need to bring:

* a LARGE water bottle. And when I say large, I mean LARGE. Hydration is a must for camp. You will be filling and refilling your water bottles with water! Did you notice how I said water??? Not Kool-Aid, Lemonade, or Gatorade. Water is the best way to stay hydrated because it is not filled with sodium or sugar. It is also very important that you have your Own water bottle. This is a good way to prevent any sort of germs or illnesses being passed by sharing water bottles. You should be hydrating before you arrive to camp, during camp, and when you get home after camp.

* Wear athletic gear to camp! Tennis shoes, socks, sports bras, shorts with elastic waist bands, and t-shirts are required. Other things that might be helpful is a hat, bandanna, extra change of cloths (in case of rain or lots of sweat), deodorant, and a towel.

* Sunscreen, at least 30 spf. Wearing sunscreen is mandatory during camp. The sun effects everyone! Everyone can get burned.

* Dot books and drill books will be provided by your section leaders. You will need to buy sheet protectors for all of the materials given to you. You can find them at any office supply stores. Start by purchasing 100 sheets. You might need to purchase more depending on the length of our show.

2) How to prepare your mind:

* Get enough sleep! Camp is both physically and mentally draining. It will help, if you are refreshed by a good night's sleep. This means 8 hours a night. A full nights rest will help you focus and retain all of your work.

* Start mentally preparing yourself for camp to be difficult. Color guard is very fun. But it is just as difficult. We push you to do things you would never expect yourself to do.

3) How to prepare your body:

* Stretch! We begin our days with a good long stretch. You need to be working of improving your flexibility before you arrive to camp.

* Keep working with each other and individually on your basics and tosses! Working with returning members (or vets as we often call them) is the best way to ensure you are retaining everything correctly. Your section leader is the perfect person to turn! It is essential that you have perfected these basics and tosses. We will be learning choreography. We cannot reteach what has already been taught!!! When we start teaching choreography, it goes fast! So we cannot go back and waste precious time by reteaching basics.

* Make sure from here on out you are doing about 30 minutes of cardio 4 times a week! This can be anything from walking, jogging, or even swimming. Make sure you are no out during the hottest times of the day. The best times are in the morning, 9am-10am, and the evening after 7pm. Color guard is an activity that requires a healthy heart! Our show can be any where from 8- 10 minutes long. This whole time you will be dancing, running, and doing choreography. Starting this about a month before coming to camp is just enough time to build up cardiovascular health!

Do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions! The other person you can reach out to is your section leader! Brandon and I are so excited about this season. Uniforms have been ordered, we are beginning to write the show, and flags designs are underway! Keep checking your email for dates for technique camp in July. I should know dates in the next couple of days. I'm excited to see you all again!

Best Regards,

Grace