Suburban color guard teams compete at Naperville Central
Before the pigskin flies in Miami on Sunday night, there will be flags, rifles and sabers flying though the air at Naperville Central High School.
Twenty-three color guard teams from around the suburbs and as far as Peoria will be performing in Naperville Central's Winter Guard Classic.
The competition begins at 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, at the school's main gym, 440 W. Aurora Ave. Awards will be handed out about 3 p.m.
"This is an opportunity to see groups of kids that combine both dance and athletic ability in very entertaining routines," said Christy Teich, whose daughter Kayla is a member of the host team.
The event will be over in plenty of time to still catch the Super Bowl, she added.
Tickets for the competition are $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Concessions will be available.
Among the teams competing Sunday are St. Charles North, Minooka, Niles West and the Steperette Cadets.
Teams will be scored by a panel of five judges, each responsible for a different aspect of the performance such as general effect, movement and equipment.
Central's team is composed of 18 girls, freshmen through seniors. The team typically has two seasons, performing with the marching band in the fall and going to competitions in the winter.
On Sunday, the Central team will perform a show dubbed "The Moon is Always Female," which tells the story of a woman who is forsaken by the man she loves but gains strength through other women she meets. The group will take the floor at 1:30 p.m.
Catching flags and other objects as they fly through the air while also keeping up with a dance routine takes some practice. A lot of practice actually. Central's team meets three nights a week for three hours at a time in addition to having five-hour practices on Saturdays.
Coach Amber Cotrano hopes young girls will come out to see the show Sunday and consider joining the team once they get to Central.
"Girls like the creative process and I think a lot of it has to do with the challenge," Cotrano said. "It's challenging to launch a piece of equipment in the air and catch it."
She said this year's team is even stronger than last year's so she expects a good showing this weekend. This season the squad will be competing in both a Midwestern and an international circuit.
"It's only the third year being part of the international circuit, which has really boosted the group to a whole different level," Cotrano said.
For a full schedule of Sunday's competition, visit nchsbands.info.
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>If you go</b></p>
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>What:</b> Naperville Central Winter Guard Classic</p>
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>When:</b> 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7</p>
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Where: </b>Naperville Central High School, 440 W. Aurora Ave.</p>
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Tickets:</b> $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors</p>
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Info:</b> <a href="http://nchsbands.info" target="new">nchsbands.info</a></p>