ORWELL — Holding onto a slippery metal flagpole against a brisk wind is just not easy.
It’s one of the tricky obstacles that Grand Valley High School’s colorful flag-line members learn to handle during football season.
Flag-line choreographer Hope Krieg, a member since her freshman year, works up the routines the eight-member squad uses for the fall games. Hope and Pallavi Iyer, also a senior, serve as co-captains of the all-girl color guard.
Other members include Kaitlyn Baird, Laura Rouse, Clarice Nook, Kristen Turk, Melissa Praz and Emily Nye. Each member must audition before several judges, including band director Tim Carlson. Their adviser is Stephanie Roger, an alumna of the school and substitute teacher.
Grand Valley formed its flag line, or color guard, over two decades ago. It's all part of the marching band program at the school.
“Before becoming our choreographer, I had to audition. I did a special flag routine I put together. Tammy Birch, our former adviser, was one of the judges. I was sort of nervous,” Hope said.
Leadership abilities and talent are considered when being chosen to be the squad’s captain, Pallavi said. She and Hope work as a team to teach the other squad members the routines.
In order to be considered for the flag line, the members also must be band members. Hope plays the flute, and Pallavi is in the clarinet section. After football season, they are in the concert band.
Each member must buy her own boots and a warm-up outfits for cold-weather football nights. Their blue and white sequin-trimmed outfits are the traditional garb worn each Friday night.
The flag-line members begin their practice days in late July, five days a week for two and half hours. It continues through band camp, which is just winding down.
“Marching and twirling our flags, synchronized to the band music, is the trick. On some of our numbers, we’ve come close to hitting a football player accidentally. This happens as we march close to the sidelines, where they often stand,” joked Hope.
Preview performances before school starts at the end of August, include the Meet the Team Night at the school’s stadium, Grand Valley Festival weekend and at the school’s invitational Band Night, Wednesday. The band and its flag-line team are also looking forward to a performance Sept. 13 at the Edgewood High School Band Night in Ashtabula.
Both seniors plan to attend college after graduation in 2009. Pallavi is deciding among several colleges, including Case Western Reserve University and John Carroll University. She plans on majoring in biology or biochemistry.
“I want to be a doctor someday,“ she said.
For Hope, her postgraduation plans include attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University, majoring in law or music
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