How to Select Training Videos for Drill Teams

There are many ways to perfect drill team performances and routines. Practice is generally thought to be the most important method, but training videos play an important part in bringing drill teams closer to the top. These videos are often used on the brink of a major competition or performance and aid in preparation and sequencing of routines.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Select the Best Training Videos for Your Drill Team

1. Check out competition videos. These videos allow your team to dissect the competition, which is especially important if you are trying to advance your team's level of entry or rank.

2. Watch drill team videos from special events. Drill teams commonly appear at special events like parades, football half-time shows and patriotic holiday celebrations. These performances often feature the most elaborate or creative routines.

3. Get inspiration from the military. Drill teams are a long-standing tradition in the military and each branch has its own drill team and signature drill maneuvers. For a more traditional, conventional approach, watch videos of military performances.

4. Select from silent drill teams or drill teams that use drill commands, or vocal directions. Depending on the type of team you have, you are better off choosing one format over the other.

5. Set your aim high. The military has the best drill teams, performances and maneuvers around, so check out their videos for better training (see Resources below).

Use the Drill Team Videos

6. Train new drill team members or newly formed drill teams. To describe a move is one thing, but to see it performed is another and new drill team members may learn the routine quicker if they can see on video before they practice it.

7. Borrow routines for practice. While some drill routines are created spontaneously, others are very traditional and have a long performance history. If you are in search of a crowd-pleaser, select traditional maneuvers like the Queen Anne Salute, which are highly recognizable to the general public.

8. Break down the component parts of various routines. Drill teams watch videos so that senior members and coaches can pause, slow down or rewind to demonstrate the intricate steps, choreography and alignment used in routines.

9. Watch for mistakes. Most live performances include errors or flaws. Drill teams use the videos to better their own performance and tackle common challenges in the face of competition.

10. Have the entire team watch the video. More sophisticated teams always require all members to view drill team videos as a part of preparation, practice and performance. For example, the highly competitive naval teams review videos constantly in an effort to critique their own performances, as well as the demonstrations of others.

Tips & Warnings

• If your team is entering a drill meet, it's important to utilize creativity as well as inspiration from other teams' performances. Judges frown on duplicate performances that appear to be unoriginal or borrowed, unless you are using traditional, long-standing maneuvers.

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