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Flag Tips/Basics
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When you are starting off you want to know where right sholder is or attention
It
is simple you put your left hand at the end of the pole next to your belly button and you put your right hand on your pole
where the tape is...where your flag and pole meet. This is called right sholder!
Stand By-
Or Parade Rest- Parade Rest is a posion where you dont have
to struggle this is a position where you put your flag down out of the way so that people can see your face when someone is
speaking. Ok say you are at Right Sholder...you are going to let go with your left hand and swing down in a counter clockwisa
motion until the end of your flag is behind your back ...now your going to put your left hand in a fist behind your back and
your feet are sholder width apart.
Presents- Start at right shoulder. Holding the butt
of the flag at your belly button extend your right arm (which should be at the top) straight out. That is a front present.
Now for a left you extend your right arm to the left. For a right present you extend your arm to the right. For a back present
you are going to extend your "LEFT" arm straight out.
Lances- Start at right shoulder...For
a front lance you are going to turn your body to the left...feet still straight in front and put the flag flat at eye level.
The flag should be pointing straight. For a right lance just put it at eye level Flat. The flag should be pointing to the
right. For a back lance turn your body to the right and put it flat at eye level. The flag should be pointing behind you.
Now a left lance is kinda tricky. You are at right shoulder let go of the bottom ith your left hand start to swing the flag
counter clockwise put it at eyelevel. If you do it correct your right arm should be on top of the flag and the flag should
be pointing to the left now you grab the pole with your left hand at the tape.
Slams-
Start at right shoulder. For a front slam turn your body to the left slam the flag down . The butt of the flag should be at
your left shoulder. Holding the butt with your left hand. The rest are the same as the lances only you slam it down so that
the butt is at your left shoulder. Right slam is simlilar but you cross your arm the same and everything.
Drop
Spin- It sounds hard but it isnt...Start at Right Sholder... now let go with your left hand and go counter clockwise
until the flag is upside down...now your thumb should be upside down...grab with your left hand and make sure your left thumb
is down also when you grab. Let go with your right hand and continue the circle. Your flag should be in the air now right
where it started.
Speed Spin- Start at right sholder...this is kinda like a drop spin....
so let go with left hand and go counter clockwise so the flag is down grab with left hand and instead of stopping at the top
go flat so that the flag is pointing to the left and your left thumb will be pointing to the left now grab with your right
hand with your thumb pointing to the right and continue
Butterfly- Start at right shoulder.
bring the flag down so that both hands are at the tape left hand under the right. Bring it down to your belly button. Pivit
on your left foot swing the flag behind you then in front.
Double butterfly- Start at
right shoulder. It is the same as butterfly only when you swing in front go by both toes with the flag then bring it up counter
clockwise then down again by both toes. and do the same thing on the other side.
Row boat- Start at right shoulder. Bring
the flag down to the left then up in front of you. both hands at the tape at your belly button. then swing to the right. It
is what it sounds like. Rowing a boat
Wind Mill-Start at right shoulder. Let go with
your left hand You swing behind you counterclockwise(its called scratching your back) Then back at right shoulder.
360
windmill- Start at right shoulder. Invert your right hand so that your thumb is down. GO clockwiseby your toes then behind
you to your right side. This one is not that compilcated but to say in words it kinda is!
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When you're at Right Shoulder,
make sure the bottom stopper is in your belly button, and your left hand is curled around it. Keep your fingers together,
not splayed apart. Your right hand should be at the tab/tape/velcro, and your fingers should be together, not splayed apart.
Really pop your angles; you'll
know your flag "pops" because the silk will make a "snap" when you've done this correctly.
Keep your arm muscles taught,
as if anyone tried to pull the flag out of your hands, they couldn't. This will also help you "pop" those angles.
If you find your silk is wrapping
all the way around your pole when you are doing drop spins, you may be spinning with your fists closed around the pole. Try
keeping your thumbs along the pole, like a hitchhiker's (or the Fonz!). This will keep your pole from twisting in your grip
as you spin.
If the routine includes a
toss, watch where your left hand is going while your right is busy with the release. Unless the choreography calls for something
different, your left hand should be against your left side during a toss.
Your flag should never get
caught up on your pole during flagwork. To prevent this from happening, keep your flag moving; don't allow the silk to settle
on top of the pole.
Should your silk get wrapped
up on your pole, don't shake your pole violently! This draws the judges' eyes right to you! Instead, try very gently twisting
the pole in your hands; gravity will slide the silk right off of your pole!
Going out for Captain?
You'll
probably need one year of experience on that particular guard in order to qualify. Not only that, but your grades will have
to be above average. If your GPA is less than stellar, find other ways in which you'd make a great candidate. Are you an officer
of any other clubs or activities? Have you done any volunteer work or assisted any charitable causes?
- You may have
to choreograph a short routine on order to be an officer. If you're really good at tosses, throw one in there! To use up some
time, try 8 full counts of drop or double-fast spins. Windmills, butterflies and coffeestirrers are all easy, you say? Not
if you cut one in half and finish with another, right into a toss from a right slam! Thirty or forty seconds is quite a lot
of choreography and you'll have plenty of time to cover all the basic bases!
- On to that interview!
This is probably the scariest part of the process, where the judges or the Sponsor will ask you a question and you'll have
to answer it intelligently and to the best of your ability. A good tip: after the question is asked, take a few seconds to
think it over. This is okay, and sometimes wins points in your favor, since it shows you think things through and don't rush
into anything.
- Common interview
questions are, "Why would you make a good captain?" or "What do you have that the other 8 don't?" Before your interview, list
all the good qualities you can think of about yourself, like you are honest, and fair. Try to mention one of the good things
you did for the guard in previous years, like came up with the idea for last spring's fundraiser, or you were left in charge
one week while the officers were away at leadership camp. Anything that is positive and would set you apart from the other
candidates is good!
- There are also
tricky interview questions, ones that don't have immediate solutions but demand you to have excellent answers. "One of the
other guard members has been spreading totally false rumors about another guard member. It's causing some members to take
sides against one another. What do you do to squelch the gossip and restore guard unity?" Yikes! This is a two-partner: stopping
the rumor and then team building. First, does your guard have a constitution that may help you answer this? As captain, it
will be your job to know that document front to back. Try a sleepover or a pottery playhouse or a movie to get everyone smiling
at one another again.
- You may have
to write an essay as part of your captain application. You might get a topic, such as "What ideas do you have for next year?"
Or you might have to make on up for yourself. But get this one thing clear: spelling and grammar always count. Your should
type your essay on computer if possible, neatly handwritten if not. Use black or dark blue ink on white paper. Answer the
question as thoroughly as possible, stating your good qualities and your leadership experience.
- One thing the
Director/Sponsor is looking for in a captain is someone who has followed directions all season long unfailingly. Someone who
has complained a lot or had not been an example to follow will probably not get the bid for captain. There's no reason to
be a brown-noser, but being generally friendly and fun to be around is always a good idea.
- If for some
reason, you don't get the bid for captain, try and be a good sport. No matter how hurt or "gypped" you may be feeling, show
everyone what class you have by remaining cool and positive until you are alone, where you can yell, scream, cry to your heart's
content. Don't feel that it was something you did personally, or that the Sponsor "hates you." That is rarely the case. As
in everything in life, there was one applicant who had more experience than you did. That doesn't make you a terrible person,
nor does it mean you have no talent. Volunteer to be the guard historian or secretary.
Lookin
for music to do your captain routine to?...here are a few that i had in mind that have just the right tempos changes for a
routine
1.) Don't Speak/Just a Girl by No Doubt
2.) Breathe by Faith Hill
3.) Split Personality/Trouble by Pink
4.) Everywhere/All You Wanted by Michelle Branch
5.) Drops of Jupiter by Train
6.) Let's Get Is Started by Black Eyed Peas
7.) and basically any song from Linkin Park
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