Phantom Regiment Winter Guard will not be taking the competition floor this winter. The Regiment winter guard was based out of Atlanta, Ga., and under the direction of Adam Sage.

Phantom Regiment is in the process of hiring a new guard caption head and, instead of rushing into the winter guard season which typically has auditions at the beginning of September, the organization has decided it will not field a winter guard in 2009.

“Having a winter guard these past two years was beneficial to the organization, and we look forward to possibly bringing out the winter guard again in the future,” said Phantom Regiment executive director Rick Valenzuela.

PRWG placed seventh in the independent world class division in 2007, its first year of competition after a 24-year hiatus, and 10th in 2008. PRWG was world champion in 1979 and 1980.

The Phantom Regiment is a youth organization dedicated to the development of self-esteem and self-reliance. It encourages team work, sportsmanship, civic pride and contributions of one’s personal best to a group effort. These lessons are learned through a musical and marching activity in which there is a blending of the arts and athletics.

For more information about Phantom Regiment, go to www.regiment.org.