St. Charles East senior is the only male on the award-winning color guard
Keith Boatner II is used to marching to the beat of a different drummer.
Boatner, 17, is the only male member of St. Charles East's color guard team a sport that is typically dominated by women at the high school level.
“I have seen other guys on color guard. I've only seen maybe two (at other competitions),” Boatner, of St. Charles, said.
“At first (being the only guy on the team) was a little bit different. But after the fourth year it's pretty much normal day-to-day stuff. It's pretty comfortable now.”
The team has won nine state championship titles in a row and is hoping to take its 10th title this March.
It may be a girl's world of sorts, but Boatner doesn't mind doing something different. He was initially inspired to try out for color guard his freshman year because his older sister, Sarah, was on the team.
“My sister was on (color guard) but I really just wanted to do something original and I didn't really care what people thought of me,” Boatner said.
Color guard involves intricate dance routines and marching that are typically performed during half time at football games. Each routine usually lasts anywhere from two and a half to three minutes. The team begins practicing in May and the season winds down in March.
The only real difference between Boatner and the rest of the team is costuming.
“For costuming I don't really wear the lot of the sparkle tops that the girls usually wear. I wear a polo or dress shirt,” Boatner said.
The color guard team has one of the longest seasons for a club team.
“We're year-round. Where most sports have a break we do not,” St. Charles East color guard coach Brittany Kladiva-LaManna said.
“We do not actually have a season. (Color guard) begins in May and we start competing during the summer… we continue competing in November. We really don't stop. I think that's one of the biggest motivators for the team.”
The team practices about twice a week for three hours at a time. For Boatner, the hard work is worth the rewards.
“(Color guard is) definitely time consuming but I wouldn't have wanted to change it,” Boatner said.
“It's just a lot of fun with practices and just seeing my friends after four years and how many hours of practice. You get really close with everyone on the team.”
In addition to being on the varsity color guard team, Boatner plays alto sax in the marching band, is a member of the choir and belongs to the theater club at St. Charles East. He hopes to attend Illinois State University in the fall and possibly study music therapy. He also has plans to be on the university's color guard team.
“Honestly, I don't see any reason why anybody can't do anything,” Kladiva-LaManna said.
“I've seen an immense amount of growth from (Keith). He's a very positive member of the team.”
She believes Boatner's positive attitude, along with the rest of the color guard team's determination, will bring St. Charles East a 10th straight state title.
“It's the same dedication we have every year… I feel pretty prepared to take them to (the state meet). (The team does) feel the pressure to continue that legacy,” Kladiva-LaManna said.