There are many components of a football game that all work together to contribute to the experience fans know and love. One of those components at ULM is the Sound of Today Color Guard (SOTCG) team.
Isabelle Zeringue is a senior, majoring in atmospheric science and minoring in mathematics. She is also the SOTCG team’s captain. Zeringue is from Raceland, Louisiana, and has been a part of the color guard team for eight years, with four of those years being at ULM and two as captain.
She describes her freshman year as being a tough one. It was her first year at ULM that she got to see the major differences between high school and college. It was also then that she realized everyone is on different levels, both socially and academically. Additionally, the band lost Dr. Long, who she describes as being “like everyone’s grandpa and the biggest supporter of the Sound of Today.” There was a lot to learn and a lot of adjustments to make, but as always, Zeringue pushed through.
Zeringue first served as captain for the 2023-2024 season. “My first time as captain was challenging because I was just a sophomore trying to balance classes and band at the same time and could only make it to practice once a week,” Zeringue said, “There were times I wanted to quit, but I pushed through.”
Sophomore year was another tough year for Zeringue. It was challenging trying to balance both her classes and color guard, especially as this was her first year serving as captain. However, she persisted and made it through. Learning from her previous years, she took a different approach for her junior year. She took time away from being captain, allowing her to relax, focus on classes, and have fun on the color guard team.
“My time at ULM hasn’t been the easiest,” Zeringue said, “but it’s shaped me into who I am today.”
Now, Zeringue is a senior. She is once again captain of the color guard team and is having the most fun she’s ever had.
“I came into this year with the mindset of just enjoying every moment, cheering in the stands, performing at halftime, and spending time with friends,” Zeringue said, “before we go our separate ways in life.”
The team has substantially grown since her freshman year, from six members to fourteen. She attributes a lot of the team’s success to their coach, Mrs. Lauren Parrish.
“She treats us like her own kids and is always there for us, both in and out of color guard. She makes our team feel like a family, which is especially important since many of us come from hours away,” Zeringue said, “She also pushes us to be the best versions of ourselves, both as performers and as people.”
“It’s bittersweet knowing that November 15 will be my last color guard performance ever, but I’m proud that my final show will be for Warhawk Football and ULM,” Zeringue said, “I couldn’t imagine ending this chapter anywhere else.”
After ULM, Zeringue plans to earn her master’s degree in emergency management. From there, she hopes to work for the National Weather Service or in emergency management for an agency at either the city or state level.
