Fort Zumwalt South Bands

Colton Hatfield - Fall Colorguard Coach, JV Winterguard Head Coach, Varsity Winterguard Assistant Coach

Colton Hatfield is originally from Springfield, Missouri where he attended Missouri State University. After graduating with a degree in Education, Colton moved to the Saint Louis area and began coaching the FZS Color Guard alongside Dani Mertens in the summer of 2020. Before coming to Fort Zumwalt, Colton previously coached at Ash Grove High School and Clever High School, the latter of which he helped establish the field show marching band and competitive winter guard programs. He has performed with the Missouri State PRIDE Band Color Guard, 901 Performance Ensemble, National Avenue Winter Guard, and Music City Drum & Bugle Corps.

In the fall season, Colton is the head coach of the color guard, and in the winter/spring, he takes over as the head coach of the Junior Varsity winter guard, established in 2024. Outside of color guard, Colton works full time at Crumbl!

Dani Mertens - Color Guard and Winter Guard Assistant Coach

Danielle Mertens is originally from St. Louis and is a graduate of Lindbergh High School. She attended Missouri State University in Springfield. After graduating with a degree in Photography, Dani moved back to the St. Louis area and began coaching the FZS Color Guard alongside Colton in the summer of 2020. Before coming to Fort Zumwalt, Dani previously coached at Clever High School, where she helped to establish the field show marching band and competitive winter guard programs. She has performed with the Missouri State PRIDE Band Color Guard, National Avenue Winter Guard, and the Pride of Missouri State Winter Guard.

In the fall season, she is one of the colorguard staff members and also helps coordinate many things to do with the Bulldog Brigade and in the winter/spring semester takes over as the head coach of the FZS Varsity Winterguard established in 2024. Alongside her colorguard life, Dani is also a professional photographer and works at a local studio. 

Grace Sullentrup - Colorguard Assistant Coach

Grace is from Washington, MO, where she was in the Washington High School color guard for three and a half years. She also played flute in the concert band for six years. She then attended Missouri State University and was a part of the Pride of Missouri State winter guard and PRIDE color guard. Across her performing years, Grace is has been a WGI finalist multiple times. 2025-2026 is Grace's second school year with FZS.

In the fall season, Grace is one of the colorguard staff members and in the winter/spring semester she is the FZS Junior Varsity Winterguard assistant coach.

Marcus Kwasa - Percussion Coordinator

Marcus Kwasa is a percussion educator and marching arts designer based out of the St. Louis area. He currently works as a fraud analyst at Busey Bank, runs a private lesson studio and currently is the director of an independent indoor percussion group. 

Marcus is currently the percussion coordinator at Highland High School and a percussion instructor at O’Fallon Township High School. During the winter he is the director of Fleur winter percussion to oversee the ensemble's design, education and logistics. He has also been an instructor at Modulation Z (Zumwalt combined), Freedom Percussion and Fox HS.

In his free time he enjoys weight lifting, watching Star Wars or superhero movies and eating new foods.

Kelsey Williamson - Percussion - Front Ensemble Technician

Kelsey Williamson is originally from Belleville, Illinois, where she participated in a multitude of jazz, concert, and marching ensembles. She started on the bass line, then migrated to the front ensemble at BEAST indoor, where she found her passion. She has experience with multiple percussion instruments, her favorite being drum set. She currently attends Saint Louis University to study psychology.

Before joining the Fort Zumwalt South instructional team, Kelsey taught front ensemble at Granite City High School and Highland High school. She is also on staff at Fleur Winter Percussion, an independent group based out of Highland, Illinois.

Jim Tejcek - The V

Jim Tejcek (pronounced Tay-check) is from St. Louis, MO. He holds a degree in History from UMSL. He is a proud alumnus of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, 21 times national champions. As a performer and educator, the groups he has marched with and taught have been honored with the John Phillip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Flag, Trophy, and Shield for nationally exemplary High School and Collegiate concert and marching bands. He has served as instructor and choreographer for WGI ensembles, local bands, and BOA national finalists. Jim lives in Ballwin with his wife Morgan and their two cats. They are covenant partners of Bonhomme Presbyterian Church.