Crimson Guard Best in Florida

All their hard work, sacrifice and practice came down to one moment.

“It was surreal,” said Susan Maley, mother of Bloomingdale High School Crimson Guard assistant co-captain Lauren Maley. “When they made the announcement, I almost passed out.”

Crimson Guard member Vy Le began to cry when she heard the news that her winter color guard squad won the 2011 championship for the Florida Federation of Color Guard April 2 at Palm Coast on the heels of another first-place win in the FCC Circuit Premier II Scholastic Class AA Western Division held at Lakewood High School in Bradenton in March.

“This is my first year on the winter guard and I was so excited because it’s my senior year,” said Le. “I just started crying.”

Le wasn’t alone in shedding a few tears when the announcement was made at Palm Coast April 2.

“We all were bawling our eyes out,” said co-captain Amber Aversa. “The closest we’ve ever gotten was fourth place three years ago. We were all shocked to hear we’d won first place.”

The 26-member color guard is a synchronized dance squad that performs at Bloomingdale High School sporting events and area parades.

For their winning routine April 2, the squad’s sixth competition of the season, it performed a production about women’s rights and breaking barriers called “The Glass Ceiling,” choreographed by coach Billy Sullivan.

“It’s really a play with music, dancing, saber rifles and flags,” said Aversa. The production features ballet-like dance steps and a synchronized routine using giant flags and rifles that are effortlessly tossed into the air and then caught.

Their chief rival at this year’s competition was Sickles High School, which placed second.

“We love Sickles High School,” said Aversa. “We were holding each other’s hands when the announcement was made. If it couldn’t be us, we would have wanted Sickles to win.”

For Ashlyn Maye, a senior and team-co-captain, the victory resonated throughout her household. Her mother, Maureen Cadle, was a member of the Crimson Guard, then known as the Crimson Dolls, back in 1989.

“My mom was crying,” said Maye. “She couldn’t believe it.”

Acquiring the championship was no easy feat, however.

“We put in lots and lots of practice,” said Maye.

The team had been practicing three days a week from 4:45 to 8 p.m. as well as attending camps since November, the beginning of the winter guard season.

“Sometimes we’d even come in early in the morning,” said Crimson Guard member Erin Anderson. “It was a lot of hard work and dedication, especially when you consider our routine is only five minutes long.”

It’s been a triumphant year for the Crimson Guard, which also accompanied the Bloomingdale Bulls Band and Chorus to London in December to perform in the city’s internationally televised New Year’s parade.

The guard traditionally performs in the Brandon Fourth of July Parade, the Gasparilla Parade and the Strawberry Festival Parade as well.

The members discussed what it took to develop an award-winning color guard.

“The hardest part is working together, getting the chemistry and building trust,” said Kelsey Scallan.

“It’s a lot of endurance, too,” said Maye.

At the FCC championship, the guard was judged on its drills, movement and the use of equipment in its routine.

“We had a dropless run,” said Aversa, meaning that no one dropped any of the rifles they sent spinning into the air. “The judges said they could feel our chemistry.”

The Bloomingdale teens competed against 14 other teams in the competition, performing toward the end.

“We were the underdogs,” said Daphne Camacho. “I don’t think anyone expected us to win.”

But when the scores were tallied, Bloomingdale was first, Sickles second and Northside Christian School came in third.

There was a second division competing as well. In that competition, Gaither High School took first, Durant High School came in second and Auburndale High School was third.

While ending the year with a big win, the team said they won’t be resting on their laurels.

Most of the members will remain with the team next year although the team will lose five seniors to graduation.

“There’s still a lot of room for improvement,” said Maye.

Tryouts for next year’s team will take place May 2, 4, 5, 9, 11 and 12 from 5 to 8 p.m. with final auditions slated for May 12. Because of the number of students wanting to be members of the guard, for the first time Bloomingdale will have both a junior varsity and a varsity Crimson Guard with about 25 members per team.

Members of the first-place-winning Crimson Guard are Erin Anderson, Kayleigh Ansteatt, Amber Aversa, Ashia Benjamin, Erica Bouza, Katie Brown, Daphne Camacho, Kristina Corba, Meghan Dodds, Camilla Escalera, Kiana Eugene, Katie Hall, Katie Kelly, Vy Le, Adrienne Holland, Lauren Maley, Devin Martinez, Laura Masse, Shatonie May, Ashlyn Maye, Emilie McCall, Lauren McCullum, Courtnie McRade, Khadija Poliah, Courtney Safko, Kelsey Scallan and Dana Trentalange.