In the spring of 1977, a group of six people met in San Francisco to discuss the formation of an organization to govern the color guard activity from coast to coast. At that meeting, attendees Don Angelica, Shirlee Whitcomb, Stanley Knaub, Bryan Johnston, Marie Czapinski, and Linda Chambers introduced the name Winter Guard International (WGI). The mission at that first meeting was clear: All parts of the country would be equally represented in the development and maintenance of the activity; color guards would govern their own activity; shows would take place within their season (winter); rules and regulations would be uniform; and there would be a championship contest. This contest would rotate around the country, being held for two consecutive years in each of the three major regions, thereby offering equal opportunity to all guards. (Travel was very uncommon for guards at that time, so site rotation was very important.) The next step, the organizational meeting, meeting was in October 1977 at the site of the DCI Rules Congress in Chicago. Many of the leading guard instructors at the time were also teaching drum corps and would already be in attendance. The meeting was an open forum for anyone to attend. Representatives of all of the established color guard circuits nationwide were invited; 13 associations attended. It was agreed that Lynn Lindstrom, the current Commander of the Midwest Color Guard Circuit, would head the newly formed organization for the first year. This became a post she subsequently held for twenty-four years. Four existing guard circuits each donated $250 to provide the initial $1,000 needed to operate that debut season. The First WGI Color Guard Champions were Quasar from Revere, MA. In 1992 a new division joined the already thriving color guard division. Indoor Percussion competition began with six groups performing on stage in their debut season. The first Champion was Clovis West High School of California. Paralleling the growth of their sister division, percussion began growing at such a rate that their classification process paralleled that of winter guard and increased steadily to accommodate more and more percussion lines. By 1999 it offered eight classes of competition: Independent A, Open, World, Scholastic A, Open, World, and two Concert classes. Many referred to this division as "Percussion Theater." WGI was rapidly becoming a full-service organization filling the competitive needs of both independent and scholastic units. The educational standards set forth by the Board of Directors drew respect and trust from the units, and among other pageantry organizations WGI is acknowledged as the premier leader in education. Not only do the adjudicators commit to ongoing education unparalleled anywhere in the pageantry activities, but also the competitive experience is focused on the educational development of the performers. At the urging of several members of the Board of Directors, and from other competing groups whose percussion and guard programs had flourished, WGI created the Friendship Cup competitions offering the same standards of competition and adjudication to marching bands. In January of 2003 the Marching Band division of WGI was discontinued. In 2015, WGI launched a third division - WGI Winds. This division includes competitions for any instrumentation of musicians in the same intimate competition setting. Twenty groups competed in the first WGI Winds Championships held on the Sunday following the Percussion World Championships. Although only in its third year now the WGI Winds division is growing at a steady pace. Today, that loosely woven organization that began with a simple goal, a dream, a great deal of trust and 30 color guards, now serves hundreds of guards, percussion ensembles, and winds groups. Over 500 color guards, percussion ensembles, and winds groups compete on two separate weekends for their own World Championships. Approximately 200 volunteers manage the Championship Contests that serves the over 12,000 young performers. Over 135 trained adjudicators service the guards and percussion lines during the season. Some of the same volunteers from that very first contest can still be found working at the championship contest. All three divisions have their own Advisory Boards that sets the artistic and competitive direction. They select their steering committee representatives and determine all rules and regulations. This keeps the artistic and competitive direction of the WGI in the hands of the units.
