The Redwood Color Guard captains and members open up about the pressures, teamwork, and joy that come with performing, showing that it’s more than just routines, it’s about family and pride.
By: Isabella Sutherland
The Redwood Color Guard team shares the behind-the-scenes and life of a color guard performer.
The Captain of the Color Guard team, Leah DeBrie, ’26, says, “the stresses that I feel, a lot of times feel like I need to be perfect, but I know that’s not the case.”
Even as Captain, DeBrie says that she stresses before games, yet everyone has fun and does their best during performances and practices.
DeBrie says, “Even if you don’t feel like you’re the best, just make sure you do everything, just have fun.”
Emily Herrera, ’26, Co-Captain, says, “personally, I put myself in the mentality that I’m already in, that I’m already performing, no matter if it’s practice, during classes, anything. I always put myself in the perspective that I’m performing right now so that when I go out there, I put my best onto the field.”
Herrera says everyone wants to feel like their team is a family, so they can always have a place to go.
“Even if you don’t feel like you’re the best. Just make sure to do everything and have fun,” said Herrera.
Candace Coombs, ’29, a member of the color guard team, says, “I haven’t been with the team for super long, but just that feeling or taking pictures together, you can feel that community.”
As a new member of the team, Coombs still feels welcome by the rest of the team.
She thinks the warm-ups are hard, but she’s willing to do it for the love of Color Guard.
Ender Terreforte, ’28, another member of the team, says, “I usually perform for the audience. But if the audience is cheering pretty loud, I try to have more energy and more excitement with my facial expressions, my movement, and my body.”
Terreforte says she also stresses, but loves the ending and the way everything turns out after multiple hard practices.
Isabella Sutherland
Isabella Sutherland is a Student Life editor and writer, she enjoys journalism because she is able to show others stories and lives. She joined journalism because of her love of writing from a very young age and hopes to continue writing for many more years.
Tags: color guard, performances, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, redwood sports, rhs, visalia ca
