Horizon senior earns spot in DCI’s Bluecoats Observer

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

Valeria Marcial’s color guard journey began with a blue raspberry flavored Jolly Rancher.

Bridgewater Middle School’s color guard team formed in 2018 thanks to Kassidy Garcia, Horizon High School color guard director.

After being encouraged to join by her best friend Maria Sobellia, part of Windermere High School’s guard team, Marcial signed up for the middle school’s new program with the sole purpose of obtaining a Jolly Rancher.

“I originally wanted to be a cheerleader in the transition between middle and high school, but I really wanted that piece of candy, so I signed up,” Marcial said, laughing. “I went to the interest meeting and after that I never left.”

Five years later, Marcial is making her dreams come true.

In May, the high school senior will travel to Ohio to join The Bluecoats, a drum and bugle corps that competes in Drum Corps International World Class.

“She joined because of a Jolly Rancher, but she stayed because of a passion for this activity,” Garcia said. “She has the drive to succeed that is hard to come by, and I am so immensely proud of her for her accomplishment. Marching a world class drum corps is one of the highest achievements that a color guard member can earn. Beyond that, the decision to audition is something that many performers are too scared to try because of the level of excellence that is asked from them. Valeria has proven that she can persevere through challenges and will continue to push herself to achieve greatness in both color guard, but also after graduation when she encounters difficult things in life.”

Finding A Home

After fleeing from Venezuela with her family in pursuit of a better life in 2015, Marcial shared she was unsure if she would ever find her place in the community.

Marcial said the reason she has stuck with color guard now for five years is because the community makes her feel at home.

“I’ve met so many people and not just from this area but from across Orlando and even in other states,” she said. “Even when we are competing — they’re so supportive and encouraging. You don’t think so much about beating a team like in other activities. Instead, you’re focused on how well you’re performing and showing up for your friends even when they’re on another team.”

Even after arriving in the United States, Marcial again left her home with the Windermere High band to go to Horizon High.

“I’m so thankful for Windermere, and nothing would have prepared me if it wasn’t for Windermere,” she said. “Transition to Horizon, all these people have done is show me love, affection, support and admiration for everything I do. I never felt so appreciated. Even when we first switched schools and everything was new and different, I was happy I found a place here.”

Although she has learned many lessons with color guard, the two biggest qualities Marcial has developed help her both in and out of competition.

“Discipline, for sure,” she said. “You have to be there; you’re late if you’re there on time. Being on time is being there 15 minutes early. You have the responsibility that if you can’t do it during rehearsal, then you have to do it outside, because it’s going to show. Also, multitasking is a huge part of it.”

Throughout her time with color guard, Marcial said she has formed lifelong memories. Key moments include the Bridgewater team becoming champions the year of its inception; traveling to Indianapolis to perform inside the Lucas Oil Stadium for Grand Nationals as a freshman with the Windermere band; and competing for the indoor season in her first year with Horizon. The team competed in the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit in the AAA class, where it placed second in its first competition, as well as at championships.

“That’s why I love this team so much —they’re so hardworking,” Marcial said. “They never stop asking me questions or wanting to learn.”

Recently, the team split into two because the program grew so fast. The varsity team, which has 18 members, finished first place this year and was promoted from Class AA to Class A. The junior varsity team, which has 16 members, finished third and was promoted from Regional A to AAA.

Bluecoat Beginnings

Marcial will join 164 other young adults ages 16 to 22 from around the world from late-May to mid-August in Ohio as part of one of Drum Corp International’s top 12 competing teams: The Bluecoats.

The Bluecoats’ educational training program includes intensive spring training, during which performers develop their technique and learn a production with a team of worldclass educators and designers. Then, The Bluecoats embark on a tour, performing for audiences of thousands of people at events around the country.

Marcial first will attend a callback camp in April in Ohio before traveling back in May. The chosen individu- als will stay in dorms at a college for a month learning the basics before embarking on the two-month tour.

“It seems so far, but I know it’s going to come very quickly,” she said. “Maria also got accepted, and we are going to be able to go together. Just being there is going to be exciting. It’s not something I imagined myself getting into literally the first time I tried. That’s why I’m so thankful and so humble about it, because with my teammates, I’m always encouraging them if they want to do it after high school. I never thought that I could do it, so they can do it, too. Just being there, I don’t care what I’m doing, but being there, getting to say I’m a member is the most exciting part.”

The first independent drum corps Marcial watched from DCI was the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps after her coach suggested the team study the clean technique. As soon as she got home, Marcial continued to watch the DCI videos. She said the one that stood out to

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FOLLOW VALERIA MARCIAL’S

JOURNEY INSTAGRAM: flagintheclouds FUNDRAISER: bit.ly/3E7yeLT her the most was the 2017 show The Bluecoats performed called “Jagged Line.” She said she loved the team’s creativity and has been following them ever since.

“The reason why Bluecoats stands out to me so much and why I wanted to audition so badly is because I relate to it the most in terms of how theatrical and creative they are with the way their marching shows are,” she said. “But it was also the diversity of the color guard. I remember seeing all types of people, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Marcial began to follow some of The Bluecoat members on social media and even became friends with some of them.

One, Roxette Salas from Texas, was part of The Bluecoats at the time and encouraged her to audition. At the time, Marcial did not have money to travel and compete in person, so she opted to audition virtually. She learned the warm-ups and choreography and recorded her audition videos all in the school’s auditorium.

After submitting her audition in December, Marcial waited until midJanuary to learn she had made it.

“The reason it was such a big moment for me was because people told me usually not to expect a contract but to expect a callback,” she said. “Never did I expect they would offer me a contract from a virtual edition. I just broke down in tears. … My mom was bawling, and my dad was so happy for me.”

Currently, Marcial is focusing on raising the $5,800 in fees she needs for Bluecoats.

She said her journey would not have been possible without her coaches, technicians, team, family and her best friend Sobellia, who supported her and pushed her to audition.

“Not even just Bluecoats, they’ve always been so supportive of me,” she said. “It means a lot to me, because I’m usually a very insecure person, and they always tell me they want to be like me or aspire to be like me. It makes me feel amazing. I owe it all to my team and my coaches.”

Although some seniors did not want to audition because they are heading to college, Marcial plans on taking a gap year after Bluecoats to decompress and save money before going on to study criminal justice at Florida International University.

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