Miamisburg Color Guard
History
Miamisburg has a rich history in the color guard activity. The guard was started in the early 80s when the band director asked Cathy Barnes to help. After only a few years in existence, the guard attended their first Winter Guard International Championships, quickly making a name for themselves.
Winter Guard International (WGI) is the international circuit that has been governing winter guard competitions and championships since 1977. WGI started with A and Open Classes, no separation between High School and Independent, or adult groups. Although there was no separation, WGI still recognized the high school group that placed the highest compared to other high school groups. In 1984, high school groups and independent groups were separated; however, Miamisburg still competed in the Independent A Class. Miamisburg joined the Scholastic, or high school class, in 1985.
In 1991, what were previously known as the Independent and Scholastic Open Classes were renamed to World Class, and WGI created a new Open Class to create the three-class system we know today. Miamisburg won first place in 1991, becoming the first to do so under the new Scholastic World Class name. Miamisburg went on to be one of the top 3 high schools in the world 12 times (between 1985 and the present day). This includes winning the Scholastic World Class in 1991, 1992, & tying with James Logan HS in 1998.
To keep the guard strong, Cathy Barnes started both the Junior High, previously called the Jr. Vikes, and Elementary programs, the Sweethearts, at Miamisburg. The younger programs have been flexible over the years, adapting their form to meet the needs. There has been a Junior Guard, multiple Elementary Guards (including Sweethearts and Little Darlings), and the Junior Guard has transitioned into the A Guard.
Current Groups
Fall Guard
The Fall Guard is composed of 8th through 12th-grade students who join the Miamisburg High School Marching Band. The Fall Guard is our only guard that is financially supported by the Miamisburg Band Boosters, not the Visual Ensemble Boosters. The Fall Guard is active from May through November. The Fall Guard and the Miamisburg Marching Band participate in the Mid-States Band Association, Ohio Music Education Association, and Bands of America events and competitions. They also march in the Homecoming Parade.
Fall A Guard
The Fall A Guard is composed of 6th through 8th grade students. The Fall A Guard is active from June through October. The Fall A Guard performs with the Miamisburg Marching Band at a football game, as well as at the marching band competition that Miamisburg hosts. They also march in the Homecoming Parade.
Fall Elementary Guard
The Fall Elementary Guard is composed of 1st through 5th-grade students. The Elementary Guard is active from June through October. The Elementary Guard performs with the Miamisburg Marching Band at a football game, as well as at the marching band competition that Miamisburg hosts. They also march in the Homecoming Parade.
World Guard
The World Guard is composed of 8th through 12th-grade students. The World Guard is active from November through April. The World Guard participates in Mid-East Performance Association and Winterguard International events and competitions. To be eligible for World Guard Auditions, all current and past members between 8th and 12th grade of the Miamisburg Color Guard Program must participate in the preceding Fall Guard season.
A Guard
The A Guard is composed of 6th through 12th-grade students. The A Guard is active from November through April. The A Guard participates in Mid-East Performance Association (MEPA) events and competitions.
Elementary Guard
The Elementary Guard is composed of 1st through 5th-grade students. The Elementary Guard is active from November through April. The Elementary Guard participates in Mid-East Performance Association (MEPA) events and competitions.
Previous Groups
The Miamisburg Color Guard program has had a handful of different groups in the past. Starting in 1983, we had a junior guard, called the Junior Vikes, for our middle school students and a ‘B Guard’ for high school members who were not in the World Guard. In the 1990s, Miamisburg had an all-male guard called Wayfarers for their first year. The name transitioned to Boyz of Burg.
Finally, we have occasionally had a second elementary guard, called the Little Darlings. The maximum number of performers allowed in MEPA’s Elementary Class used to be 30. When we had over 30 elementary color guard members, the Little Darlings were our second elementary group. The Little Darlings was intended for the newest and youngest members of the color guard to receive an introduction to the color guard activity.
Accomplishments
The Most Successful Scholastic Color Guard Program in Ohio History.
Historical Placements and Achievements
Miamisburg World Guard
Winter Guard International Sport of the Arts (WGI) - World Championships
• Independent A Class Finalists: 1984
• Scholastic Open Class Silver Medalist: 1985, 1988, 1989
• Scholastic Open Class Finalists: 1985-1989
• Scholastic World Class Gold Medalist: 1991, 1992, 1998
• Scholastic World Class Silver Medalist: 1993, 1995
• Scholastic World Class Bronze Medalist: 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005
• Scholastic World Class Finalists: 1991-2010, 2014-2025
• Highest Score: 96.15 - 1995 Appalachian Spring
Winter Guard International Sport of the Arts (WGI) - Regionals
• Mid-Atlantic Regional Scholastic Open Class Champion: 1985, 1986
• Northeast Regional Scholastic Open Class Champion: 1985, 1986, 1987
• Mideast Regional Scholastic Open Class Champion: 1985, 1988, 1989
• Atlantic Coast Regional Scholastic Open Class Champion: 1988
• Mideast Regional Scholastic World Class Champion: 1991, 1992, 1993, 2001
• Midwest Regional Scholastic World Class Champion: 1992, 2005
• First Coast Regional Scholastic World Class Champion: 2000, 2002, 2003
• Indianapolis Regional Scholastic World Class Champion: 2001, 2002, 2003
• New England Regional Scholastic World Class Champion: 2001
• Nashville, Tennessee Regional Scholastic World Class Champion: 2004
Mid-East Performance Association (MEPA)
• Scholastic A Class Champions: 1980-1984
• Scholastic Open Class Champions: 1985-1989
• Scholastic World Class Champions: 1991-1993, 1995-2005, 2007-2019, 2022, 2023, 2025
• Scholastic World Class Silver Medalist: 2006, 2024
Miamisburg Viking Marching Band and Fall Guard
Mid-States Band Association (MSBA)
• Color Guard Caption 1st Place: 2005, 2013-2014, 2016-2019, 2021
Bands of America (BOA)
• Best Rifle Line: 1987
• Grand Nationals Semi-Finalists: 2015, 2019, 2023
• Grand Nationals Class Bronze Medalist: 2015, 2019
• Regional Finalist: 1992-1993, 1995, 1998, 2012, 2014-2019, 2021-2024
• Regional Class Champion: 1995, 2014, 2017
Miamisburg A Guard
Mid-East Performance Association (MEPA)
• Scholastic AA Class Silver Medalist: 2015, 2016
• Scholastic Regional A Class Champions: 2018
• Scholastic AA Class Bronze Medalist: 2022
• Scholastic Regional A Class Bronze Medalist: 2024
Miamisburg Elementary Guard
Mid-East Performance Association (MEPA)
• Elementary Flag Line Class Champions: 2015 and 2016
• Elementary Class Champions: 2017-2019, 2022-2025
• In 2010, Annie got a perfect score of 100 from one General Effect judge.
A Tradition of Excellence
2017 Pre-Show Speech
Founder Cathy Barnes-Miller
Memories originally posted on Facebook
August, 2020
Our Founder, Cathy Barnes-Miller, has made a list of some of her memories of the Miamisburg Guard Organization -
MEMORIES FROM THE PAST OUTSIDE THE GYM
• First winter guard performance at the Dayton Convention center and standing inspection and performing with live music.
• Taking students to Chicago, New York, Florida, California, and Arizona on buses and planes and seeing the excitement on their faces. Many of them had never been out of Miamisburg before.
• Arriving at WGI in another state to find out that our practices were outside because that is they do in warmer states
• Sleeping on gym floors with many other guards in the same gym.
• Traveling in vans even thru snow storms traveling 10 miles an hour on our way to regionals and the school called and told us to turn around and come home.
• Props breaking down as we entered the WGI floor… Spanish Year
• Preparing motivational talks and introducing the ELEPHANT and its good luck powers ( only if its trunk is turned up)
• Listening to the crowd at our first show of the year at Northmont. The Marilyn year we started with silence and everyone thought our music tape broke and then all cheering and standing “ o” when we finished because it was so perfect.
• Dancing in the Hallway to the music Freakazoid to calm down their nerves
• While waiting to perform, we faced the wall so our competitors that were walking by wouldn’t make them nervous and it worked they were very relaxed and ready to show off their talents.
• Waiting for those “FARTS” because once that happened they knew they would have a great show
• Traveling to a regionals in Philadelphia and members in the rifle line broke out with chicken pox.
• Prop boys dancing behind the props creating a lot of laughter and the girls on the floor not knowing what was wrong.
• Guard moms sleeping on the floor in front of doorways to keep the girls from sneaking out to meet the boys.
• Taking 7th graders into the world guard for the first time and their parents being very concerned they would grow up too fast. It all worked out for the best.
• Mike and Mark sending me to pick up girls who didn’t show up for our 9:00 Saturday morning practices. I knocked on those doors until they came out
• Going to pick up girls in my car during snowstorms because YES the guard still practiced
• Seeing Burg have their first ALL BOYS COLOR GUARD and watching them have so much fun flexing their muscles while they were performing and all the girls wanting their autographs that they took picture to sell and signed them.
• Starting the Tradition of our poem “STATE OF THE MIND”
Do any of these bring back memories to you?????
January 2019 Miamisburg Athletic Hall of Fame Induction
Cathy Barnes – Color Guard Coach
Cathy Barnes started her teaching career at Mound Elementary in 1974. In 1980 she paved the way for the Winter Color Guard programs at Miamisburg City Schools. Coach Barnes has been instrumental in the developement of hundreds of student-athletes throughout her career. While under her direction the Winter Guard program flourished locally as well as internationally. They were three time WGI World Class Champions (1991, 92 and 98) and five time WGI World Class Runner Ups (1985, 88, 89, 93 and 95). They have always maintained a standard of excellence throughout the years with their World Class status. They have been World Class State Champions numerous years and the only high school that remains in World Class representing the state of Ohio.
Coach Barnes was the creator of the Miamisburg Junior Guard and Elementary Guard. They too have been very successful with many MEPA State Championships between the two groups. In 2012 Coach Barnes started the Miami Valley Adaptive Color Guard which services special needs students of all ages throughout the Miami Valley.
Cathy resides in Miamisburg with her husband Dr. James Miller.
