By Grace BENNETT, Intern

The Crescenta Valley High School (CVHS) winter guard continues to showcase its excellence at the series of competitions and events it competes in every year. But the guard’s 2018-19 competitive season proved to be most exemplary of its efforts.

Winter guard is an indoor sport and typically utilizes flags, sabres, rifles and other props.

In April, CVHS winter guard placed extraordinarily well at the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC), where it earned first place in the HS-A division with a score of 92.64. As a reward for this endeavor, the team performed its piece “The Universe” at the Upper Division Finals on the UC Irvine campus the next day.

For many of the team members, the win had a positive impact on its sense of accomplishment. The winter guard captain of 2018-19, Claire Kupershmidt, explained her outlook on the achievement.

“We had such a strong and loving team … When [WGASC] came around, we were ready to pour our hearts out,” Claire said. “Winning first place was a whirlwind.”

Emma Kupershmidt, a 2018 CVHS graduate and the 2018-19 assistant coach of the guard, was able to continue her career in the field. At the Winter Guard International (WGI) finals in Ohio, Emma and her Icon Winter Guard team won first place in their Independent A division with 98.055 – a record score for their section.

With both of these CVHS winter guard victories under their belt, the high school team hopes to utilize their talent to move up in division and accomplish more in the upcoming season. Leaders of the team also recognize the value of new members entering the guard from both Rosemont Middle School and CVHS. So far, the team has not begun preparing for the winter shows, but its recent triumphs – coupled with the team’s capabilities and discipline – seem to assure strong performances in the future.

“We have no knowledge of what the next winter season show will be, but with a team already shaping up strongly, I’m very excited to see what [it] will be, especially since it will be my last,” Claire said.

As CVHS draws closer to the start of a new school year, winter guard aims to use its prior advancements to entice new members and continue its growth as a team. In this way, CVHS will continue its legacy as an institution for students to thrive, both academically and competitively.

  Grace BENNETT