Flag will probably be the first thing you pick up when you start color guard. It is a nice beginning point, not as hard as rifle or sabre. There are two parts of a flag: the material part (generally silk) and the metal pole part. The first position to learn on flag is called, by most, Right Shoulder. When standing in Right Shoulder you're right hand will be where the material meets the pole. There should be a piece of tape connecting them. Your left hand should be at the bottom of the pole, on the stopper. Your left hand should also be placed on your stomach: your belly button area. Your right hand will be right in front of your nose. The pole should be straight up and down, not tilting at all. Stand with your feet together and your head held high.

After learning this position, you will move into drop spins. Standing
at Right Shoulder you will release you're left hand off the flag, but hold on with your right. You'll drop the flag down into your left hand and both of your wrists will be facing the audience or away from you. At this point you are grabbing where the flag meets the pole. From that position you will release your right hand off the flag and continue the spin upwards while the flag is in your left hand. Then both of your hands will grab onto the flag again and your wrists will be facing you. Each time you grab the flag it is always in the same place, where the flag meets the pole.

There are several small details to check yourself for when you are first learning drop spins. Firstly, make sure the flag is going straight up and down. If the flag is spinning on an angle then it is likely to hit you on the head or shins. Second, make sure you are spinning the flag as low as possible, depending on the size/height of the flag. The taller the flag is the higher you will have to spin it. The way to keep yourself in line about how high you spin it is to make sure that the bottom of the flag is always by your ankles. Also, if you find your flag rolling up, make sure to focus in on the movements your wrists are making. Your wrists are turning too much which is causing the flag to role up. Lastly, make sure you keep your head up high, looking straight forward or up. It's always good to start that early so later you will be more accustomed to looking up at the judges.

Written by Katelyn Mosley