Meet the Team: Color Guard

Finishing up the current team announcements, we have our color guard caption heads for OC18!

Kelsey King returns as the Caption Head and her third season with OC. A native of the area, Kelsey is the color guard director at Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Georgia. As a performer, she marched with the Cadets from 2012-2015 where she aged out as captain of the color guard. Kelsey is currently pursuing a degree in Human Services from Kennesaw State University and hopes to soon begin a career in Social Work.

Alex Bolender also returns as an Assistant Caption Head. Alex currently resides in San Diego, California, where he attended high school and began his marching career in 2009 as a musician in the Poway High School Marching Band. He would later join the winter guard team in 2011, and his passion for color guard and dance would flourish. Alex was a member of The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps in 2012 and 2013, The Cavaliers in 2014, and then would age out in 2015 with The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. He was also a member of the San Diego based Vox Artium Winter Guard since their inaugural season in 2012 until his age out in 2017. Alex teaches and consults for several high school programs including Vista High School, Helix Charter High School, and Rancho Bernardo High School. Alex is also attending school at Miracosta College for a degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Nikki Szymanski also returns now as an Assistant Caption Head. Nikki is currently a sixth grade math and science teacher in Grove City, Ohio where she is also the director of the Central Crossing High School Colorguard. Starting her pageantry experiences in the fourth grade she continued to flourish as a member of Maumee High Schools Marching Band, Winterguard, and Indoor Drumline. Nikki’s Marching experience includes: The Glassmen, The Academy, The Cadets, and Juxtaposition Winterguard.