About Me
A little about me
My name is Amanda G. I’m currently living in Collingswood, NJ with my husband Vince, working full time at philly.com as a web producer, and going into my 9th season instructing color guard. I started this blog because I desired somewhere to write out my experiences as an instructor and give and receive color guard advice.
How I got started
After 4 years of cheerleading in elementary and middle school, a friend of mine asked “Why don’t we try color guard?” I had no idea what it was, but figured I’d at least try it. So I went to one workshop, then another, then another… and well, I was hooked. I spent 4 years in outdoor, and 1 year indoor.
How I became an instructor
After graduating from high school in 2000, I went off to a college that had no music program. I was bummed, but was ready to try some new things. For a couple years, I dabbled in teching at my former high school- Lenape High School. Then one day in 2003, the band director asked me if I’d be interested in taking over instructing the guard program.
Of course, I said yes! And that’s where I’ve been ever since…
The program I work with
I work with a fantastic program. I know, everyone says that. Like any other program, we’ve had out ups and downs, our outstanding and troublesome students, “winning seasons” and “losing seasons”, etc.
What I truly love about my program (beside the students) is the staff. We range in age from 21 – 33 (I’m somewhere in between that). The director and assistant director are the only people on staff who did not go through this program themselves. Yes, we’ve all gone off and done other things in our lives after high school, but we all have a true connection and sense of pride in the program.
I’m fortunate enough to have a band director who trusts in my ability to uniform the guard, choose appropriate equipment, and write challenging work. We could talk about the year’s show for hours, constantly going back and forth with ideas on colors, drill, features, etc. Sometimes it’s like we’re an old married couple. But I guess that’s what happens when you’ve been working with someone for nearly 8 years!
The story behind the blog name
During practices I have the guard do segments multiple times. Somewhere along the line, a member picked up that I always said “One more time!” and after they did it, I’d say “Now, do it again!”. It’s become a running joke with all the members that has resulted in a tote bag that says “Don’t believe me when I say ‘One more time!’”
Disclaimer
I don’t claim to know everything about color guard. What I write in this blog is what I’ve found to work in my own experience. I understand there are several ways to look at one issue, and I hope that if you don’t agree with me, you leave a comment. Let’s have a discussion!
