Texas Traditions: Drill Team

[twhsfan626]

I saw some other threads on bands, and cheerleaders, and thought it would be interesting to start one on drill team.

The Highsteppers have many traditions and I love hearing other drill teams traditions.

[twcpfan1]

My observations. The Highsteppers are a drill team in its purest form. I think a distinction has to be made between Drill Teams and Dance Teams. Even the Jazz routines that The Woodlands do are militarily precise in its nature. Very very aesthetically pleasing when it comes to halftime shows. I believe in that respect, they have no equal. The CP director decided early on that the Reveliers were going adapt a style that was a total departure from that of the Highsteppers. Interesting considering she was a former highstepper herself. They have come a long way in a short time and are one of the best Dance Teams at the moment.

When it comes to competitions though, and with all due respect to both Woodlands schools, as a former Revelier and Gingham girl dad, I think that the Langham Creek Bailadoras are the standard setters. Matter of fact Cypress ISD has 2 very good drill teams, Cy Creek is the other one. Kingwood's are very good too.

[CoveMom]

San Angelo Central has the distinction of having the oldest Drill Team in Texas. They are the Tex-Anns and they are so full of tradition. They had their 50 year celebration a year or two ago and had women from all over the place come home for it.

That team is really cool because it is not so "elite" as some seem to be these days. Any school that can put over 30 girls in uniforms and get them high-kicking at halftime deserves a great deal of credit. I wish more schools would try the Drill Team route versus the Dance Team emphasis. Drill Teams are much more inclusive for a larger number of kids.

[CyFallsMom]

Being a former drill teamer from the 70's, I tend to pay attention to the drill teams pretty closely - mainly looking for errors - can't help it! We had a girl lose her skirt one game and we still laugh about that 30 years later!

One thing I do miss is the traditional Texas drill team - back in the day, we wore the cowboy hats, the boots with tassles and wigs (okay we can do without the wigs actually). I miss the way that looked on the field - it was SHARP, especially the hats. You could catch every single mistake with that getup - thank goodness we didn't make any;).

Now it seems every drill team buys their outfits from the same place and they all look exactly the same. It's hard to see their movements with just a bun in their hair - HATS people!! They look GREAT. One drill team that I've seen that bucks the newer trend is Morton Ranch - they look fantastic on the field - very Rangerette looking. Also, the S.A. Madison drill team had so much energy and they looked very good on the field too. I believe the Cy Springs Panteras wear the hats and boots too.

Ask my ex-Spring Woods Tigerette friend, CF Eagle Fan - she will agree with me 100%.:):)

Hey, we made it to Macy's and the Rose Bowl with the Texas Get up - I don't see that happening too much any more.

[CyFallsMom]

San Angelo Central has the distinction of having the oldest Drill Team in Texas. They are the Tex-Anns and they are so full of tradition. They had their 50 year celebration a year or two ago and had women from all over the place come home for it.

That team is really cool because it is not so "elite" as some seem to be these days. Any school that can put over 30 girls in uniforms and get them high-kicking at halftime deserves a great deal of credit. I wish more schools would try the Drill Team route versus the Dance Team emphasis. Drill Teams are much more inclusive for a larger number of kids.

Had my school stayed open, my drill team would have celebrated it's 60th year this season.:(

We were the first drill team in the state (and country) that did the Rockettes style of dance - most were doing drum and bugle military style. My director was a protege of Gussie Nell Davis and she took a chance taking them in that direction rather than drum and bugle but she was a pistol - God love her - she was the best. She died a few years ago and you've never seen so many grown women in distress - we were emailing all over the place. It was like losing a mom. She taught us many things about life and how to be good people.

[Bandmom]

Being a former drill teamer from the 70's, I tend to pay attention to the drill teams pretty closely - mainly looking for errors - can't help it! We had a girl lose her skirt one game and we still laugh about that 30 years later!

One thing I do miss is the traditional Texas drill team - back in the day, we wore the cowboy hats, the boots with tassles and wigs (okay we can do without the wigs actually). I miss the way that looked on the field - it was SHARP, especially the hats. You could catch every single mistake with that getup - thank goodness we didn't make any;).


Yeah, I know what you mean about losing things during performances. I was a 4-year member of my HS drill team and we had the darndest things happen during performances. Back then we wore starched (and I do mean starched!) petticoats under our skirts, one girl's slipped off during a high kick routine. She was devastated. Another always kicked her shoe off and once we used a large parachute as a prop for a routine, and as we lifted it up to get air and make a bubble--well I guess it got too much air underneath and it exploded and tore. It sounded like a cannon went off in the gym. :laugh

We also wore the hats, gaunlets, and boots--very Rangerette style. Of course the drill teams today are very different. I still enjoy watching their style and routines but I will always be partial to the traditional Texas style drill team. I have very, very fond memories of my drill team days and I still have a lot of friends from that time.

[CyFallsMom]

Yeah, I know what you mean about losing things during performances. I was a 4-year member of my HS drill team and we had the darndest things happen during performances. Back then we wore starched (and I do mean starched!) petticoats under our skirts, one girl's slipped off during a high kick routine. She was devastated. Another always kicked her shoe off and once we used a large parachute as a prop for a routine, and as we lifted it up to get air and make a bubble--well I guess it got too much air underneath and it exploded and tore. It sounded like a cannon went off in the gym. :laugh

We also wore the hats, gaunlets, and boots--very Rangerette style. Of course the drill teams today are very different. I still enjoy watching their style and routines but I will always be partial to the traditional Texas style drill team. I have very, very fond memories of my drill team days and I still have a lot of friends from that time.

I have so many great memories but one bad night sticks out for me. It was about 20 degrees and sleeting. We were not allowed to wear anything to cover our legs up (and we also wore the Rangerette style of uniform - STARCHED skirts - OMG were they a pain!). Anyway, we went to the other side to wait our turn and a few Memorial Mustang fans started throwing things at our hats to make them fall off...along with the wigs. They got a couple of us before we went on - we, in our most disciplined manner - did not move a muscle - we let our chaperones take care of it and they put the hats back into place. Then we went onto the field and did this fantastic routine - chattering teeth and all - and I lost a tassle off my boot. I cried all the way off the field because I knew Miss Biddy would be after me. She didn't give me one demerit. She told me that it was amazing that we even got through it without getting hypothermia!!

[NSMustangProud]

Being a former drill teamer from the 70's, I tend to pay attention to the drill teams pretty closely - mainly looking for errors - can't help it! We had a girl lose her skirt one game and we still laugh about that 30 years later!

One thing I do miss is the traditional Texas drill team - back in the day, we wore the cowboy hats, the boots with tassles and wigs (okay we can do without the wigs actually). I miss the way that looked on the field - it was SHARP, especially the hats. You could catch every single mistake with that getup - thank goodness we didn't make any;).

Now it seems every drill team buys their outfits from the same place and they all look exactly the same. It's hard to see their movements with just a bun in their hair - HATS people!! They look GREAT. One drill team that I've seen that bucks the newer trend is Morton Ranch - they look fantastic on the field - very Rangerette looking. Also, the S.A. Madison drill team had so much energy and they looked very good on the field too. I believe the Cy Springs Panteras wear the hats and boots too.

Ask my ex-Spring Woods Tigerette friend, CF Eagle Fan - she will agree with me 100%.:):)

Hey, we made it to Macy's and the Rose Bowl with the Texas Get up - I don't see that happening too much any more.

OMG I thought the NS Scarlets were the only ones that wore wigs in the 70s. My wig almost got me kicked out of drill team....oops by behavior with my wig almost got me kicked out. Gosh, I hated that wig but I loved my derby hat. The hat did make it. I uniform was gorgeous and different.

My favorite traditions were painting signs for our football boy and giving a gift each week. We used a theme for the game and then decorated that item with loads of candy and presented it to our boy on game day. I loved painting and hanging signs.

[CyFallsMom]

OMG I thought the NS Scarlets were the only ones that wore wigs in the 70s. My wig almost got me kicked out of drill team....oops by behavior with my wig almost got me kicked out. Gosh, I hated that wig but I loved my derby hat. The hat did make it. I uniform was gorgeous and different.

My favorite traditions were painting signs for our football boy and giving a gift each week. We used a theme for the game and then decorated that item with loads of candy and presented it to our boy on game day. I loved painting and hanging signs.

You know, I don't think you can do the "football player" thing any more where you decorated their lockers and they decorated yours and you gave them homemade cookies/brownies and they gave you a cute little bear (which I still have by the way;)). I think that's against the rules now just as weight watching is - we had to be weighed every Monday so we starved ourselves on Sunday...my limit was like 117 - one oz over and I was out of the show that week. That is definitely against the law now but, weird as that seems, there were no anorexics or unhealthy girls - she just didn't pick anyone who was heavy to begin with - another no no in these politically correct times. We ate healthy the rest of the week - just not Sunday night or Monday!

The wigs - they were awful 70's shag cuts. We used to put makeup and kiss marks all over our styrofoam wig heads. As for the hat - ours was cowboy and it was from Shudde Bros and mine is still sitting in my closet - I hate to pack it away or put it in the attic. They sold them to us when the school closed and I actually found my original hat, belt and shirt! They are so tiny!!! That 24" waist is LONG GONE! LOL

[NSMustangProud]

You know, I don't think you can do the "football player" thing any more where you decorated their lockers and they decorated yours and you gave them homemade cookies/brownies and they gave you a cute little bear (which I still have by the way;)). I think that's against the rules now just as weight watching is - we had to be weighed every Monday so we starved ourselves on Sunday...my limit was like 117 - one oz over and I was out of the show that week. That is definitely against the law now but, weird as that seems, there were no anorexics or unhealthy girls - she just didn't pick anyone who was heavy to begin with - another no no in these politically correct times. We ate healthy the rest of the week - just not Sunday night or Monday!

The wigs - they were awful 70's shag cuts. We used to put makeup and kiss marks all over our styrofoam wig heads. As for the hat - ours was cowboy and it was from Shudde Bros and mine is still sitting in my closet - I hate to pack it away or put it in the attic. They sold them to us when the school closed and I actually found my original hat, belt and shirt! They are so tiny!!! That 24" waist is LONG GONE! LOL

Our wigs were flipped and the shag came the year after I graduated. We wore bright red lipstick and blue eyeshadow. Oh and don't forget the red panties under the bloomers. If you didn't have your red panties on underneat it was a 2 point demerit. We had the satin skirt with long sleeved satin jackets and about died of heat strokes on Fri nights. We had the white cotton shirt (sleeveless) with the ruffled jabot. You had better button your jabot well or it would come undone and flop you in the face while doing a kick routine. We had the short white boots. We pinned our wigs into our derby hat and then our hat tilted to the right side at the tip of your right eyebrow. The pins were so tight sometime that you would have a migraine by the end of the game. Your lips were stained red for the entire weekend.

Gosh, my legs were so slim and gorgeous and my waist......oh those were the days.....many pounds ago and two kids ago. Where did time go.

Can you still do the splits?

[NSMustangProud]

You know, I don't think you can do the "football player" thing any more where you decorated their lockers and they decorated yours and you gave them homemade cookies/brownies and they gave you a cute little bear (which I still have by the way;)). I think that's against the rules now just as weight watching is - we had to be weighed every Monday so we starved ourselves on Sunday...my limit was like 117 - one oz over and I was out of the show that week. That is definitely against the law now but, weird as that seems, there were no anorexics or unhealthy girls - she just didn't pick anyone who was heavy to begin with - another no no in these politically correct times. We ate healthy the rest of the week - just not Sunday night or Monday!

The wigs - they were awful 70's shag cuts. We used to put makeup and kiss marks all over our styrofoam wig heads. As for the hat - ours was cowboy and it was from Shudde Bros and mine is still sitting in my closet - I hate to pack it away or put it in the attic. They sold them to us when the school closed and I actually found my original hat, belt and shirt! They are so tiny!!! That 24" waist is LONG GONE! LOL


I was so in love with my football boy. I would just melt when I went over to hang signs. One of the other players told him and we began dating....then this new girl came to town and he dumped me.....it just broke my heart.

[CyFallsMom]

Our wigs were flipped and the shag came the year after I graduated. We wore bright red lipstick and blue eyeshadow. Oh and don't forget the red panties under the bloomers. If you didn't have your red panties on underneat it was a 2 point demerit. We had the satin skirt with long sleeved satin jackets and about died of heat strokes on Fri nights. We had the white cotton shirt (sleeveless) with the ruffled jabot. You had better button your jabot well or it would come undone and flop you in the face while doing a kick routine. We had the short white boots. We pinned our wigs into our derby hat and then our hat tilted to the right side at the tip of your right eyebrow. The pins were so tight sometime that you would have a migraine by the end of the game. Your lips were stained red for the entire weekend.

Gosh, my legs were so slim and gorgeous and my waist......oh those were the days.....many pounds ago and two kids ago. Where did time go.

Can you still do the splits?

Funny you should ask!! LOL

The school closed in 1985. In 1999, we decided (well a few of us anyway) that, during our all school reunions, we would put on a halftime show during the alumni games. So, imagine if you will, a bunch of old girls and boys (who didn't feel too old!!) going out there and playing football, dancing the halftime, playing the band instruments and cheering!! I don't think many in the stands had a very good time watching the spectacle but we had a blast!! We had the last and final on in 2007 - we are all just getting too old. BUT, during the 2003 show, I had a brain fart and decided we should do splits in our routine. There were about 6 of us who could still do them so we worked them into the show. I was sore for weeks afterwards but I got down in a complete split! I was 43 at the time.

If you click on my myspace address in my signature line, you can see how well we replicated the outfits - I am on the second line - second from the left. The three ladies directly behind me and to the right of me in the picture all graduated in the 60's!! Did we have fun doing that!!

[78 Spartan]

First drill team I ever saw was the Bryan Adams Belles in the late 60s (in Dallas).

Emerald green outfits and those poofy skirts. Each one better looking than the next one. Very interesting stuff for a then- preadolescent boy.

[RedRage00]

I don't think the Victoriadores from Victoria have the same ole costume that every other drill team has.

http://www.victoriadores.org/photos/Homecoming07/Images/Img_0095.jpg

http://www.victoriadores.org/photos/Homecoming07/Images/Img_0249.jpg

They've had these same uniforms since I was at Victoria HS....they converted them from Red & White to Black & White for Memorial HS.

[twhsfan626]

The Highsteppers have had the same uniforms since when the school opened 30 years back. I still love them...
http://woodlandshigh.org/athletics/highsteppers/smBaker_Highstepper_group.jpg

[Soonertransplant]

[quote=CyFallsMom;875011]You know, I don't think you can do the "football player" thing any more where you decorated their lockers and they decorated yours and you gave them homemade cookies/brownies and they gave you a cute little bear (which I still have by the way;)).


Nope, the UIL put a stop to the food gifts, but does allow decorating of lockers as long as there is nothing "of value" hanging from it, like the ornaments used to decorate mums, garters, etc.
Our daughter was a Trinity Troy-Ann (06 grad), Lieutnenant for two years, and they still wear the hats and boots. They did change to a new uniform this year (the others were rotting away...cheap fabric) with a straighter skirt, but still has the wide lace-up belt, a la Rangerettes. There are still a lot of "traditional" look teams here in Tarrant Co. Colleyville Panteras, Grapevine Fillies, SLC Emerald Belles, Bell Raiderettes, Keller Indianettes, Coppell Lariettes... A little farther east, The Tyler Lee team is VERY much in the tradition of Apache Bells, Rangerettes. They all do precision field routines during football season, then move on to competitive dance competitions in Feb-April. They're still pretty inclusive, too, in spite of demanding more dance skills. Most of these teams have at least 40 members, and a number of them have 60-70 girls participating. Plenty of opportunities at all the area dance studios to take Drill Team prep classes, of course, and get ready for spring auditions.

[countfisto]

my sister and 2 cousins were on drill team so I guess I know a thing or 2 about it. I know it takes alot of hard work and dedication and it is pretty cool to see them perform. The crowd enjoys their performances as well.

My sister didnt enjoy it too much though, for reasons I really can't say here.

[Kboda]

I know the Victoriadores were around for a LONG time. My mom was one back in 59-61. I'm sure they'd be among the oldest in the state if the whole consolidation of Stroman and Victoria High hadn't taken place. They used to do a mean military style routine but I know they've won tons of awards for their "show" dance routines.
The Raider Belles (from Stroman) had cowboy hats while the Victoriadores had the same ones they have now.

[Tiger Fan]

Saw the Highsteppers last night at the Stony Point/ Woodlands game. They were AMAZING! Although your football boys are done, we know that the Highsteppers will kick but in their contest season. Best of luck from a SPHS Tiger Dancer parent!
http://www.tigerdancers.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/2008FootballSeason/2008Football4.jpg

[buzzsaw]

my sister and 2 cousins were on drill team so I guess I know a thing or 2 about it. I know it takes alot of hard work and dedication and it is pretty cool to see them perform. The crowd enjoys their performances as well.

My sister didnt enjoy it too much though, for reasons I really can't say here.

my cuz was on the drill team too for a year and didnt like it too much either. Had something to do with the outfits they had to wear, which were too revealing.

[4th and 1]

The Highsteppers have had the same uniforms since when the school opened 30 years back. I still love them...
http://woodlandshigh.org/athletics/highsteppers/smBaker_Highstepper_group.jpg

Highsteppers are simply AWESOME! Nuff said

[da hawaiian]

finally a non band thread

[Trojanalum693]

Yeah what a surprise. But there is a cheerleading thread.

[da hawaiian]

Band, Drill team and Cheerleading, Tailgaiting food, have I missed anything?

[Trojanalum693]

Announcers.

[da hawaiian]

:d

[Trojanalum693]

We talk about everything in the Game Day threads.

[da hawaiian]

We sure do, this is turning into a two poster forum :D

[Trojanalum693]

Yeah it is. It is all us. Maybe somebody will eventually join us. I invited Panther but I don't think Panther will be joining us.

[da hawaiian]

He's allready solid page 2

[Trojanalum693]

We'll I thought he'd want to try and get to page 1.