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Update (April 4, 2025): The Little Elm High School Winter Guard has been crowned Gold Medalists at the WGI World Championships—earning the highest score ever recorded in the Scholastic Open class.
Little Elm ISD has one of the best Winter Guards in the nation, and this weekend the Little Elm High School Winter Guard wants to prove it. Guard Director Kristen Zotti believes in their potential but keeps the team grounded. “As long as they are working hard and doing that for the next four weeks, I think they can be at the top of their class by the end of April.”
The team has already achieved remarkable success by earning first place in all of their North Texas ColorGuard Association (NTCA) competitions and secured a win at the Winter Guard International (WGI) Regional Competition for North Texas in February. Their next challenge is the State WGI Finals on March 22 and 23. If they advance, they’ll compete at the World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, on April 3, going up against the nation’s best.
This year’s show, titled “Unadorned,” uses Patty Griffin’s song Ruby’s Arms as its soundtrack and features a design of antique empty picture frames, benches, and old-fashioned keys. These elements symbolize memories that never came to be and the idea of unlocking the past. The powerful visual and thematic elements encourage both performers and audiences to reflect on how memories shape their lives, both now and in the future.
The LEHS Winter Guard has a long tradition of success. In 2010 and 2014, they were crowned national champions and consistently ranked among the top three or top five in the nation until 2020. But when COVID-19 hit, the program faced significant challenges and had to rebuild from the ground up.
“Color Guard isn’t exactly an activity you do as a kid—it’s not like little league baseball, cheer, or basketball where kids can continue practicing,” Zotti explained.
Now, after four years of rebuilding, the program is back to its competitive form, proving its resurgence by placing 24th in the nation in 2024.
“We are back at our peak again, and the kids really enjoy the show that we have for them this year,” Zotti shared.
When asked about their goal for this year’s show, Zotti was clear: “Just make finals—the finals are the top 15 in the country.”
With their eyes set on the ultimate goal, the LEHS Winter Guard is poised to continue its legacy of excellence and inspire pride within the community.
ABOUT WINTER GUARD
Winter Guard is an indoor competitive performance sport that combines dance, theater, and equipment choreography using flags, rifles, and sabers—much like in the marching band show. It demands athleticism, coordination, and artistry while blending elements of dance, gymnastics, and equipment spinning, all performed in front of thousands of spectators.
In the fall, spectators usually see the Little Elm High School Color Guard bringing the marching band’s music to life, but once the marching season wraps up, they step into the most competitive part of their year—Winter Guard.
“We use Color Guard as a training portion of the program so that when we get to the Winter Guard season, we can be a lot more competitive,” said Kristen Zotti, Little Elm High School Guard Director.