WELCOME TO THE LAKE ZURICH HIGH SCHOOL COLOR GUARD

The Lake Zurich High School (LZHS) Color Guard is part of the Lake Zurich High School Marching Band organization. The color guard, sometimes referred to simply as "guard," enhances the musical efforts of the band through visual performance on the field at the football games and in parades. Every three years, the LZHS Marching Band makes a special trip to perform in various parades and shows both nationally and internationally. Most recently, they performed in LaCabalgata de Reyes Parade in Madrid, Spain, 2014, and they also participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago, 2013.

Performing with the Color Guard requires hard work and dedication. Practicing and performing with the guard teaches the valuable life skills of focused effort, determined and persistent work toward a common goal, and high-level team work. But mostof all, it's fun!

Here are some basics for newcomers to the LZHS Guard team:

  • Fifth hour practices move quickly. Guard girls need to hustle down to the guard closet, put on gym shoes, grab a flag and head out to the field. Many girls are marching during their lunch hour so they bring food out to the field. Food that can be stuffed into pockets is easiest; think bagel and cream cheese. There isn’t time to buy lunch from the cafeteria. Some girls work out eating in their 4th or 6th hour classes. Allowing or forbidding food is at the discretion of each teacher.
  • The Guard closet is located across from the band room. Guard girls leave their backpacks there during 5th hour practices. They can keep gym shoes there. Flags are stored there. It is the home of the band uniforms as well. The band calls it the band closet, we call it the guard closet!
  • Marching band rehearsals are usually 2 hours long, from 7:00-9:00. Band rehearsals take place on the football field. A start time of 7:00 means girls should be on the football field with a flag at 7:00. Mr. Thompson, the band director, has been known to make latecomers run a lap!
  • “Call Time” refers to the time when students should be at the school before a performance.Call time is usually about an hour and a half before game time. This gives everyone a chance to get into uniform (for guard that includes pulling hair back) then warm up with either a flag or an instrument. All of this leads to the band lining up for a grand entrance into the game. It’s common practice to arrive 15 to 30 minutes earlier than call time. (If you’re not early, you’re late!)
  • Regarding football stadium seating, “Blue Seats” are pre-purchased seats in the center of the bleachers. They’re handy for fans that know they might be a little late, but want to be certain that they’ll have a reserved place to sit. Blue seat tickets can be purchased through the football booster organization, The Quarterback Club. Blue Seats are organized by team, guard/band parents sit together, as do football parents, cheer parents, etc. Standard stadium seating goes quickly so it’s best to arrive an hour to an hour and a half before the game begins to get a seat. The Varsity game usually starts at 7:30pm. If you situate yourself higher in the stands, you’ll be better able to see the band formations. High school students usually sit on the far south side of the bleachers in the student cheering section, so you’ll want to avoid sitting in that area. It costs $4 for adults and $3 for students with school ID to get into the game. Our performers get in free.
  • When the weather gets colder, you’re going to want to fortify your child with layers of thin clothing under her uniform such as Under Armour. Guard also has lightweight winter jackets to wear off (and sometimes on) the field.
  • After the half time showflags are returned to the Guard closet, students can then come back to watch the game in a special set of stands reserved for the guard and the band located on the track in front of the student section of the bleachers. They can also visit with friends in the student section. They can change into theme-of-the-week wear. During football season, the pep band is a subset of the band that plays songs during the 4th quarter of the football game. The pep band students march in full uniform through half time, go inside and change into theme-of-the-week wear, and then play pop songs in the band bleacher section.
  • Band-O-Rama, held each year in October, is a showcase of what the marching band has played all season. The band plays the music from the halftime shows, chants and pep band tunes while guard performs the accompanying routines. Some years it is also a fundraiser for Band, and a portion of the band fundraising efforts help pay for guard uniforms and flags. Guard traditionally has their caramel apple fundraiser at this event. It is held in the PAC.
  • PAC stands for Performing Arts Center, which is the metal, spaceship-like addition on the northeast side of the school. It’s actually one of the most sophisticated high school auditoriums in the state.
  • BBLZ stands for Band Boosters of Lake Zurich, which is a group of parents who support the band; it’s sort of a musically-inclined PTO that helps raise money for the band. Information is available on the LZHS Band website.
  • Fundraising. Guard has their own fundraisers and may also participate in band fundraisers to raise money to defray guard expenses.
  • Playoff games. During the regular high school football season, the band performs at all home games. If LZHS makes the playoffs, the marching band season runs longer, but most 5th hour practices cease. Fifth hour is a meeting time for one of LZ’s three bands and they have to get off the field to begin practicing for their winter concert on December 11. Usually the band will go outside 5th hour on the Friday before a home playoff game, just to refresh their memories.
  • WHITE OUT is when all LZHS Bears fans (including parents) wear all white during football playoffs to support the team.

LZHS WINTER GUARD

Once the football season is over a more select group of girls competes as a Winter Guard on the TeamDance Illinois circuit. These competitions take place in high school gyms, to recorded music. Tryouts for Winter Guard are in October,only members of the Color Guard team may tryout. The Winter Guard is an elite varsity competition team that uses various items such as flags, rifles, sabers, (and whatever other items they can spin and toss) in their shows. Our team competes in two different categories Open Flag and Winter Guard Show.

The Lake Zurich Color Guard receives instruction each year from well-known instructors who are highly regarded in the Color Guard arena during their summer Guard Camp at the end of June. Star Performance Company runs this camp at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Summer Guard Camp -The Lake Zurich Color Guard receives instruction each year from well-known Instructors of the Star Performance Camp. These instructors are highly regarded in the Color Guard arena. Guard Camp is held annually at the end of June, at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Students stay in the dorms.

SummerBand Camp- Band camp is an annual event held in the beginning of August. It is also at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The students will practice marching drills during the day in order to prep for the upcoming football marching season, and will sleep in the dorms during the night. Parents drive up to Carthage College on Friday, the last night, to watch an entertaining display of the Guard and Band’s marching skills, and then drive their child home.