Once a freshman new to guard, Emma Smerbeck has now been a drum major and had a special part in last year’s Elton John show, playing a solo on a piano coated in rhinestones.
“There was an audition put out by the director for someone to play the part, and I was immediately interested,” Smerbeck, a senior, said. “I thought it was so fun to get to play and also perform while the band players take away their instruments because the show was about being a criminal.”
Smerbeck has been a dedicated member of the guard all four years of high school, participating in both marching band and winter color guard. Sophomore Chloe Barnhart has known her since eighth grade and said Smerbeck has consistently motivated her.
“She was a sophomore, and even though I was not outgoing, she made sure she always said ‘Hi’ to me every practice,” Barnhart said. “I remember in one segment of our show, we were doing the same work side by side and I always wanted to match her enthusiastic energy when performing.”
Since becoming a captain for indoor guard and a drum major, Smerback tries to put more energy and focus into practices and performances.
“I try to stay optimistic and get excited about the choreography I get,” she said. “It gets me excited to rehearse big sections of the show because I’m trying my best to remember everything that’s gone into it.”
As a senior in honors and AP classes, Smerbeck always tries to prioritize homework in the afternoons before evening practices.
“During practice, I try to focus only on guard, so that even though I don’t have the chance to practice often outside of our scheduled times, I can still be confident in my work,” she said.
Smerbeck helped Barnhart to grow and learn outside of her comfort zone, as she does for the rest of the guard.
“Emma is always willing and trying new skills,” Barnhart said. “She does not discourage anyone from trying anything new. She is open and offers her help to anyone who needs it.”
This year’s show is called “Break Free” featuring music created by Florence & The Machine. The show stands out with its color coded flags, adding to the performative elements.
“We match our makeup with the flags,” Smerbeck said. “It’s fun.”
Smerbeck works with the other captains to write and learn all of the choreography, which allows them to help the rest of the guard more efficiently.
“I try to motivate by always making practices fun, and by making efforts to talk to everyone in the group,” she said.
Senior Marley Murajada joined winter guard her junior year, wanting to try something new after being in percussion her freshman and sophomore years. Murajada is a close friend of Smerbeck’s and agrees that her dedication, precision, and confidence when performing is what makes her stand out on the guard.
“She stands out due to her strong work ethic, creativity in routines, and natural leadership skills,” Murajada said. “And Emma is just an amazing person to be around.”
Multimedia Editor Alayna Scanlon contributed to this story.
