LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — You can always spot the University of Kentucky Color Guard members by their waving flags and spinning rifles! These students are a vital part of the Wildcat Marching Band, which plays a significant role in setting the tone for Kentucky football game days. Rain or shine against any opponent, the Color Guard is there to uplift the Wildcats!
“What do we do? We spin and dance. It’s definitely not an easy task. The entire sport is about techniques and how you do things. It takes a lot of effort and determination.”
Shannon Clark has coached Kentucky's Color Guard for 10 years and has watched this program blossom into its current competitive group.
“Kentucky has a really rich color guard throughout the entire state, and it’s been getting stronger for the last several years,” said Clark. ‘It’s fun to build a color guard program where students coming from a lot of great programs from around central Kentucky have the opportunity to continue that in college.”
Freshman biology major Neveah Hammond has been doing color guard since her junior year of high school. Being from Owenton, KY, she wanted to be a part of an organization that was true to her.
“ I’d only been to Lexington twice before I moved up here. So, I just kind of wanted something that made me feel like me. So I wouldn’t lose that part of me.” - Neveah Hammond
“Since I grew up in Kentucky, it’s like UK everything, UK everywhere. So I think I was really proud to go to Kentucky,” said Hammond. “so I thought it’d be cool to continue doing something I love for a place that I love.”
TaTyana West is a sociology pre-law junior from Indianapolis, IN. She’s done color guard for seven years and credits her love for music and self-expression for continuing to love the Guard.
“You can’t really enjoy it without getting the full view of everything,” West says with a smile. “You have the practices, you have eating after, being with your friends, cat walk. [Cat walk] is also my favorite part of course, with our pom-poms. Really just getting to perform for, you know, fans!”
.@UKAthletics’ Wildcat Marching Band sets the tone for @UKFootball game days at Kroger Field! I joined the UK’s Color Guard to learn the preparation for Caturday. #BBN, my full story airs at 7:30 on @BBNTonight ➡️@LEX18News pic.twitter.com/QEWqyt3qEm
— Sierra Newton (@SoFlossieWrites) November 22, 2024
The color guard exudes school spirit, camaraderie, discipline, and fun.
After three practices and a full Caturday, there’s a newfound appreciation for the Wildcat Marching Band, especially the Color Guard. These students do this out of love and passion for the sport, significantly enhancing every member of Big Blue Nation's game day experience!
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLOR GUARD: finearts.uky.edu/ukbands/athletic#WMB_Major
Your last chance to see the Color Guard in action this season is Saturday, Nov 30 at Kroger Field. The UK Football team takes on the University of Louisville at 12 p.m.
BBN Gameday is a weekly show, airing Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. on LEX 18, statewide on UK Sports Network affiliate stations, and all the time here on BBNGameday.com.
You can also join us on weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on BBN Tonight.
