Blessed Sacrament History
The Blessed Sacrament Color Guard organization (affectionately referred to as "SAC") is a not-for-profit, performance arts organization. SAC is devoted to providing its members opportunities to develop their sense of self-confidence, communication skills, sense of team spirit, sense of responsibility and sense of commitment through the arena of pageantry known as color guard/winterguard.
An organization over 70 years strong, SAC traces its origin back to the 1930's when a local parish, all-female drill team formed in the Cambridgeport area of Cambridge, Massachusetts as a summer activity for this urban neighborhood just outside of Boston. In the 1960's, a winter competition unit was formed and when the drill team activity became dormant by the late 1970's, focus shifted exclusively to winter competition.
By the 1980's, Blessed Sacrament had become financially independent of its namesake parish, but remained true to its roots by fielding several competitive units with members from the local Cambridge area. As the World Guard began to achieve success and gain popularity throughout the 1980's, SAC began to draw members from all over the United States and eventually boasted members from around the world including Japan and the United Kingdom. In 2001, SAC began to incorporate both male and female performers and still going strong into this new millennium, is one of the most internationally-renowned, acclaimed, and popular winterguard organizations in the activity today!
The Blessed Sacrament Cadet, Prep and Junior Color Guards have always been a crowd favorite! Over the years, the SAC little "brothers and sisters" have won several local competitions and championships -- including six Eastern Massachusetts Color Guard circuit championship titles.
The Blessed Sacrament World Guard is an 11-time Eastern Massachusetts World Class champion. SAC has been a Winter Guard International (WGI) World Class competitor for 29 of WGI's 30-year existence and is a 30-time WGI World Class Regional champion. The World Guard entered the elite top-15 of WGI World Championships Finalists in 1980 and has maintained that distinction for the last 28 consecutive years -- an unprecedented, unmatched and historical accomplishment in the winter guard activity.
SAC has placed in the top-ten of WGI World Championships World Class Finalists 24 of the last 27 years (scoring a 90 or above 20 times), has been in the renowned WGI "top-six" 16 times and is a six-time Independent World Class medalist; earning World Class Bronze Medals in 1988, 2005 and 2007, Silver Medals in 1989 and 1996 and the Gold Medal and WGI World Championship in 1990.
