Throwing flags and other props into the air and catching them as part of a synchronized dance routine might seem impossible for the visually impaired, but two Taylor High School graduating senior members of Color Guard have defied the odds.
On April 27, Rebecca Hart and Maya Ruiz, both legally blind, earned top scores from the North Texas Colorguard Association’s Solo and Ensemble Contest, which qualified them for the circuit’s All Star Competition.
“Rebecca was a soloist, but she got the highest score of all the soloists from Taylor,” said Color Guard Director Marcia Svatek. “Because she just put a lot of her personality into it, and more than that, she did the skills that she did on point.”
Hart, 18, a varsity member of Color Guard, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, which is a degenerative condition that causes loss of peripheral vision and blindness.
While both girls qualified for their selfchoreographed routines, due to the fact that prom was the same night, only Ruiz, 18, a member of junior varsity, was able to attend the All Stars competition and perform her ensemble piece with sophomore Aiyanna Allums, 15.
“We did really good,” said Ruiz, who has severe nearsightedness, known as high myopia, and blepharophimosis, which affects the eyelids. “We placed in the first division, and we made a 94.”
Svatek echoed this assessment.
“Maya pretty much choreographed it, and it was fantastic and fun,” she said.
Hart, who has been friends with Ruiz since the sixth grade, said she fell in love with Color Guard soon after the high school team came to their middle school to perform, which prompted her to join right off the bat during her freshman year.
“I love the flags, and it has dance,” Hart said. “I can do a lot with the flag. I can use an umbrella, and some people use rifles and sabers.”
Hart said she never even considered the possibility that her vision issues would hinder her from joining Color Guard.
“I don’t think about my eyes when it comes to what I can and cannot do,” Hart said. “I just thought, ‘I want to do this, and I never really saw the cons to it.’” Ruiz, who started out as a manager for the team during her sophomore year, said she was hesitant to try the sport at first, but was encouraged by Hart’s example.
“I was mostly scared because I thought I couldn’t do it because of my vision,” Ruiz said. “But then I saw how she could do it.”
Ruiz said she also fell in love with the sport as well because of the family-like atmosphere of the team.
“I like the beauty of it,” Ruiz said. “I like how people add drama to it. I love the flags.”
Svatek said both of the girls have worked hard to perfect the timing of their moves and attain the muscle memory required to know when to catch the flags and other props to overcome their low-vision issues.
“I am amazed at both of them,” Svatek said. “Kids in general are afraid to do Color Guard because there are big things flying through the air. For these two girls who are blind to do it, it’s just amazing. I am very proud of them.”
Both Ruiz and Hart said participating in the sport has helped them in other areas of their lives.
“It has increased my confidence,” said Ruiz, who will be training to work with special needs students in Taylor Independent School District. “I used to be terrified to perform. I used to be scared to do things, but when you come to Color Guard, you have a family that looks at people for who you are. I’m not scared to perform anymore because I know that it’s me and my team doing it together.”
Head Band Director David Motl said it was wonderful to see the girls end their tenure in this way.
“They are great kids,” Motl said. “We are close to them, and they are in many ways like our own kids, so we couldn’t be more proud of them.”
“Exactly what I said,” Svatek added. “We are like a family.”
