The Sky Is the Limit
Mauldin1
Ashleigh Mauldin
ENG 1010
Mrs. Fox
31 August 2013
The Sky is the Limit In the art of color guard, there are many different tosses that can be used to suit the need for visual aid in a show. Each toss has a different look, style, and even difficulty range; however, if you can master the mechanics of one simple toss, you can master the toughest toss out there. All you need to do is know the structure and parts of the flag, learn the mechanics needed, and grow strong in the art of tossing. Before you begin, it will be very necessary for you to know and be able to recognize the parts of the very large, very heavy flag you will be tossing. If you are not familiar with the parts of the flag, you could injure yourself and anyone within a six foot radius. At the top of the flag, there is a tip. This tip contains a two lb. bolt that gives the flag the rotation needed to complete the toss. Without the tip, there is no spinning and the toss becomes irrelevant to the routine. Then, there is the silk. The silk is used not only for visual aid, but is sometimes needed for the prep for the toss. At the bottom of the silk, is a piece of tape and this is simply called “tape”. This is the most basic place for hand positioning while doing a toss. Your hand will most likely be placed here for a part of the toss. Below the tape are two pieces of tape that are also used for hand positioning. At the very bottom of the pole, is the bottom tip. This is used for hand positioning and is necessary for an equal weighted flag. Now that you are familiar with the basic fundamentals of the flag, you are safe to begin the toss. Mauldin2
The positions of your hands throughout the prep for this toss are very crucial. If your hands are not correctly placed, then the toss will more than likely look wrong and could hurt someone. It is very important for your hands to be in the right place at the right time, always. To begin, place your right hand on the tape and put it right above
Ashleigh Mauldin
ENG 1010
Mrs. Fox
31 August 2013
The Sky is the Limit In the art of color guard, there are many different tosses that can be used to suit the need for visual aid in a show. Each toss has a different look, style, and even difficulty range; however, if you can master the mechanics of one simple toss, you can master the toughest toss out there. All you need to do is know the structure and parts of the flag, learn the mechanics needed, and grow strong in the art of tossing. Before you begin, it will be very necessary for you to know and be able to recognize the parts of the very large, very heavy flag you will be tossing. If you are not familiar with the parts of the flag, you could injure yourself and anyone within a six foot radius. At the top of the flag, there is a tip. This tip contains a two lb. bolt that gives the flag the rotation needed to complete the toss. Without the tip, there is no spinning and the toss becomes irrelevant to the routine. Then, there is the silk. The silk is used not only for visual aid, but is sometimes needed for the prep for the toss. At the bottom of the silk, is a piece of tape and this is simply called “tape”. This is the most basic place for hand positioning while doing a toss. Your hand will most likely be placed here for a part of the toss. Below the tape are two pieces of tape that are also used for hand positioning. At the very bottom of the pole, is the bottom tip. This is used for hand positioning and is necessary for an equal weighted flag. Now that you are familiar with the basic fundamentals of the flag, you are safe to begin the toss. Mauldin2
The positions of your hands throughout the prep for this toss are very crucial. If your hands are not correctly placed, then the toss will more than likely look wrong and could hurt someone. It is very important for your hands to be in the right place at the right time, always. To begin, place your right hand on the tape and put it right above