On this page I'll include some of my tips and tricks I've learned while doing Colorguard. Where appropriate, I'll include steps or pictures to help clarify my explanations.

Please feel free to contribute your own tips - I'll post the best ones so everyone can see them.

- - - FLAG TIP - - -

When spinning (Drop Spins etc.) your flag, if it continues to twirl up, simply keep your thumbs up to prevent that problem. It also helps to practice in front of another guard member so they can tell you if you are doing this right and if not, what you are doing wrong. I know it sure helped me when I first started out!

From Alana
- - - FLAG TIP - - -

When you toss the flag, say for a single: Slap your hands on your side on the beat. This teaches everyone to be at the same place at the same time, on beat, and it looks much cleaner. Keep in mind that judges would much rather see uniform hands, so flying hands and waiting with your arms up for the flag to come back down is not a good, crisp look. Good luck!

From Sarah
- - - FLAG TIP - - -

When spinning your flag, always look up as high as you can because it seems to be a bit easier and also people will be impressed with your tecnique.

From Shea

- - - FLAG TIP - - -

I have a tip for preparing a flag. If you have a pole not in a desired color, put contact paper over it. We chose to turn gold poles into white. We simply took strips of white contact paper and wrapped them around the pole. This made a very inexpensive set of poles.

From Megan
- - - FLAG TIP - - -

If your flag keeps on wrapping around the pole while you spin, keep your hands close to the silk on the tab so your thumb and forefinger pinch the silk in the seam, therefore keeping it from wrapping.

From Megan
- - - FLAG TIP - - -

When you are doing a drop spin and the flag wraps up keep one hand on the flag at all times. Also you may be spinning sideways get up against a wall a do drop spins until the flag doesn't wrap up this works I'm a co-captain and our guard does this and it REALLY WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Julie

- - - FLAG TIP - - -

When weighting a flag pole, wrap electrical tape around the end of the carriage bolt before you put it on the pole. This will stop any rattling in the pole in case the bolt loosens up over time.

From Stephanie
- - - FLAG TIP - - -

If your stopper is put on top of your flag, the best way to avoid sails is to tape your stopper with plastic electrical tape. The rubber stopper makes the flag stick to it, but the tape allows it to slide off much easier. Another way to avoid sails is to sew the sleve shut at the top and put the stopper on the inside. This is what we did during out past show.

From Nicole
- - - FLAG TIP - - -

I have a tip for beginning Guard members. When using a flag if you have a hard time with your hand placements just take a bright colored tape and apply it on the pole right where your hands should be. This way you can see exactly where to place your hands.


From Heather

- - - FLAG TIP - - -

Several people have posted good comments on how to keep your flag from rolling up. However, no one has addressed the problem as to why it rolls up in the first place. Your palms of your hands on each grab must face directly to the endzones. Flags roll up on you when you grab with one palm to the front and then twist to the back when you rotate. When you do drop spins, peggy spins, double time, or any other type of spin, make sure you go slow when you learn or teach them to get rid of this annoying problem.

From Carrie