The St. Charles United Winter Guard team wasn’t looking great as they were scoring second to last right before their final performance at Willard High School on March 28, 2026. After countless times of being told they could place if they used what they had by coaches, the team was finally put to the test. Up against three different universities and two high schools in a different city, it was time to see if they could truly be a team.

Winter guard was full of students from both St. Charles High and St. Charles West. The coaches didn’t even know if these kids would get along with each other, but by the end of the season it felt more like a family than anything.

“A home, a place I can always go when things get hard. Happiness,” said Noodle Lami when asked about what the team was to them.

The team started with good scores, but they were declining throughout the season. Many even thought they weren’t going to place. The team may have been close, but they couldn’t perform as one yet. Most tried to say positive, but before even arriving to get on the bus, there was low hope.

“I thought we would get top five. I was trying to keep my hopes down,” said sophomore Amelia Johnson.

The Friday before the performance, the team got into the gym for one last  practice as the confidence was at an all-time low. The very last run they performed at practice most were yelling counts as the coaches kept shouting for the team to count.

“That! That right there! That was it!” said Coach Jamie Beffa as she stood up from excitement after the last run of the show.

The confidence in the team quickly switched. They all knew what they needed to do to come home with a medal, but the real question was could they do that under pressure.

“It’s really good, I think as a team we have a good advantage over everyone else and we can take home a medal,” said Michele Kennedy after the run.

After getting packed onto the bus, they ended up at championships Saturday morning where things started to go wrong already. They unloaded the bus only to find out they couldn’t until one hour later. They had to repack the bus. Then a costume zipper broke, so lucky Lami had a sewing kit and coaches quickly sewed it up. Lastly, right before heading down to warm ups, they couldn’t find any of the silks which were a part of the performance.

“Everyone. Take a deep breath. Take all that bad energy and throw it off,” said Beffa to the team.

The team went to warm ups trying to shake off those events. At warm ups the team was stopped early by the coaches saying that that was perfect. The team stood in a circle to do their two traditions before every competition run, head, shoulders, knees and toes, as well as their group chant.

“I think it’s our funny little silly traditions,” said Kennedy about her favorite part.

After the run with many drops and mistakes, the team was left in tears from the sadness of it being the last time and the adrenaline. With one last time as a whole team, they headed off to awards. They stood in a line with floaties in hand as they called the awards off. By the time they announced fourth, the whole team was so excited they placed thinking they got third. Then third was called and it wasn’t them. They heard them being called as second and they all raised their floaties above their head and ran to their spot.

“I feel amazing, I love the team,” said SC West sophomore Emma Murphy.

They all took their last bow and headed back to the bus. After months of being a team from two opposing schools who learned to be a family and succeed as a team, they were able to win against two colleges and two other high schools and come home with second place.