On the field of Dallastown Area High School, Maggie Polek runs around with colorful flags in hand, enjoying her senior year on the color guard team. 

Polek brings lots of joy and smiles to the field during her performance with her team by her side. She loves her spot on the team and the feeling of being on the field. 

“I really enjoy the adrenaline of it, and it’s something I really look forward to every Friday,” Polek said.

Dallastown’s color guard has been around for decades. Lauren Webb, a past team member and now coach, joined the color guard in her sophomore year of high school and grew with the team, becoming the lieutenant her junior year and later on becoming a captain her senior year of high school.

 “Since I started doing color guard in 2009, I haven’t stopped!” says Webb.

A year after Webb graduated from high school, the band director at the time, Mr.Dougert, was looking for a coach for the color guard team. Dougert reached out to Webb and asked her to take the position.

“ It was a pretty quick decision to take the position. I love color guard, and being able to share that passion of mine with other people, it was awesome,” said Webb. 

Webb not only recognizes the efforts of the whole group but also the efforts of individual members.

“This year, we started doing Member of the Week, where the students submit a Google form to nominate who they think should earn Member of the Week for the previous week. They also have to explain why they are nominating that member. The student with the most nominations is the winner for that week. I read all of the reasons they were nominated to share some of that positivity with them. I also post their picture on our Instagram page to congratulate them as well! This is something that has worked well so far this year, and I will likely continue next year,” said Webb. 

She took her love for color guard and decided to teach the middle school team during her junior and senior years, with one of her teammates from the high school team starting the first color guard team in the middle school.

Polek has been doing color guard since her freshman year and enjoys every second of it. 

“I chose color guard because it’s finally something I both enjoy doing and am good at,” Polek said. 

Like her coach, Polek wants to pursue color guard after high school. She intends to continue it in college and practice for fun. Her goal is to practice more and master her throws, and for her team to have fun and enjoy their last year. 

 “Colorguard will always be an important part of my life. I may even want to try out for the Drum Corps International (DCI) one day,” Polek said. 

Polek juggles difficult practices with being a part of the choir. She relies on her teammate to help her, so she can get to the choir before they start the national anthem for the football game. 

“I normally have someone take my flags, as I run over to join the choir for the song. I’m normally out of breath, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Polek said.  

Webb sometimes needs help from her team. She relies on her seniors to help teach the new incoming team members how to practice and learn the tips and tricks of their work.

“ I encourage all of them to be leaders and to help out with the group in positive ways,” Webb said. 

Webb and Polek both have firm commitments to the team and wish people realized how much work they put into practice and the shows on the field, and that it’s not as easy as it looks. Even so, both enjoy their role and will continue to enjoy their future in the color guard, twirling their flags.