For today's Collegiate Twirler Spotlight, we head west as we visit with a brand new marching band and twirling program to meet the three trailblazers from the University of Texas, Permian Basin – Cristina Sanchez, Kaden Ellison, and Emily-Ann Brito.
The UTPB Falcon Twirlers, Coached by Marlene Torres, are a part of an inaugural year for the school. 2016 marks the first ever season for the Falcon Football Team and the Falcon Marching Band. These twirlers get to pave the way for all future UTPB twirlers and help start a legacy of Collegiate Twirlers in West Texas.
In order to become the first UTPB twirlers, they had to audition using one, two, and three baton. Even though they all three came from very different twirling backgrounds, they have done a great job performing together. They also had the chance to twirl fire at the homecoming bonfire. In their coach’s words “The student body went ballistic!” As a part of the new Falcon Band, each twirler received a brand new Show-Off costume and a $250 fall semester scholarship, a number that the program hopes to see increase each year.
One of the most interesting things about the UTPB Twirler program is the Endowment Fund being set up by Coach Marlene. This Endowment Fund, once fully funded, will guarantee the UTPB Twirler tradition continues throughout the years regardless of potential future change in the program’s directorship. To make this happen, we need the help of all the Texas Twirling Fans! Currently the Fund has only had about $1.5K contributed, and they need at least $10k in order to officially create the fund. Do you have a little extra you could contribute to making the Falcon Twirlers a staple of the UTPB Marching Band? Please check out the UTPB Twirler Endowment Fund Pledge Form for more information on how to help. These donations are tax deductible (with certain limitations) for those looking for a good location to find legitimate last minute end of year donation opportunities!
If you are a High School twirler interested in being a part of the UTPB twirling program, but are concerned since there are already three freshman twirlers, do not let that detour you from seeking more information. The band director is so excited about the twirling program, he has not set a limit to the number of twirlers he will allow. Add to that when the Endowment Fund is in effect, there is no telling what this program can achieve! Tryout dates and facility bookings are currently being set for the spring and we will make sure to post them once they are available. In the meantime, you can contact the UTPB Twirling Coach, Marlene Torres, at babeswithbatons@aim.com or visit the Falcon Marching Band website.
Now let’s take a moment to meet the three lovely ladies in the orange and black…
Cristina is from Crane, TX, and is majoring in Kinesiology and minoring in Biology. She has been twirling for 5 years with Coach Marlene Torres. Cristina’s favorite field trick is her 3 baton pendulums. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her older sister who also twirled. After Cristina graduates from college she wants to become a physical therapist.
Kaden is from Odessa, TX, and is majoring in psychology. She has been twirling for 6 years with Coach Marlene Torres. Kaden’s favorite competition trick is her toss reverse illusion, and her favorite field trick is her toss hop catch blind. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Texas Tech Twirler, Tiera Johnson. Outside of marching band, Kaden is also a member of the sorority Theta Eta. After Kaden graduates from college she wants to become a counselor for children.
Emily-Ann is from Odessa, TX, and is majoring in mechanical engineering. She has been twirling for 15 years with Coach Marlene Torres. Emily-Ann’s favorite competition trick is her monster roll, and her favorite field trick is her toss illusion. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by former TCU Feature Twirler, Sawyer Powers. Outside of marching band, Emily-Ann is also a part of the Psych Club. After Emily-Ann graduates from college she wants to become a mechanical engineer for an oilfield company.
Fun Facts!
Color = Pink (Cristina & Emily-Ann), Maroon (Kaden)
Movie = Clueless (Cristina), Disney’s Original Fantasia (Kaden), Never Back Down, Million Dollar Baby, and 8 Seconds (Emily-Ann)
Music = Justin Timberlake (Cristina), Country (Emily-Ann)
When they are not twirling they love to…
- Cristina = play volleyball
- Kaden = read & listen to music
- Emily-Ann = go to Starbucks
Something people might not know about them is…
- Cristina = “My first and middle name are a combination of all of my aunts’ names”
- Kaden = “I am left handed”
Favorite Quote/Life Motto…
- Cristina = “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- Kaden = “Let it be your will, not mine” – The Passion of Christ
Most memorable tip from their coach…
- Cristina = Always respect your caregivers because they have been there from the beginning and they will never stop caring for you.
- Kaden = “If it hits your hand, you should have caught it”
- Emily-Ann = “Red tape bureaucracy is not the best, but we have to make it work for us”
Favorite moment of twirling…
- Cristina = “`Twirling at my first collegiate football game”
- Kaden = “performing at football games”
- Emily-Ann = “It was Regionals one year in Rockwall, TX, and this little girl who was struggling on her one turn asked me to help her. I was able to help her catch the trick and it was very rewarding.
We had to know what brought these three freshman to UTPB. Cristina says “I chose UTPB because although it is a small school, the environment and the quality of education I am receiving is great. I also chose UTPB because I was able to continue twirling at a collegiate level”. Kaden and Emily-Ann also loved that it was close to home but still had a great, and affordable, education to offer.
While they are getting to start a lot of new traditions, this being the first year in the school’s history with a football team and marching band, they still say the school has started some great activities. Cristina tells us that her favorite tradition at the school is when “the swim team will go to most of the basketball, volleyball, and soccer games in their swimsuits to distract the opposing team”. Yikes! We bet that is quite the sight!
The marching band also has created a fun way to end their practices. Cristina tells us that “our school mascot is a falcon so when our band is over with rehearsal our band director will say “hashtag” and the rest of the band will saw “caw caw”. We even had #cawcaw put on one of our band shirts”. Emily-Ann also mentions that her favorite inside joke as part of the Marching Band is “Dangit Todd”. There has to be a good story behind that one!
The girls have also already formed lasting bonds. Both Cristina & Kaden say that learning to work with others have been the best life skill they have learned from this experience. Emily-Ann agrees, but also says that “I learned that in order to succeed at anything, one must work hard”. In learning to work together, they have had a couple funny moments of their own. Kaden says they always get a good laugh when they are getting ready together with how much “we each struggle with our tights”. Don’t we all know that feeling!
We asked the girls what advice they have for future collegiate twirlers, especially those wanting to attend UTPB. Christina says “be persistent and practice hard because if you have the drive and never give up you can accomplish much more than you could have ever imagined”. She also says that future UTPB twirlers should “always strive to make the program here at UTPB better and to never settle for less than what you are capable of”.
Kaden advises future twirlers to make sure to stretch every chance you get, and also “be friends along with teammates”. Emily has some practical advice to add. She says “practice being in step! For me, it was harder than it looked to twirl and march”. She also wants to say that “I would tell future UTPB twirlers to make sure they make friends in the band, don’t seclude yourself! Everything becomes more fun when you know a lot more people”.
We wish these three twirlers and the UTPB Marching Band a big congratulations on a great first year, and we cannot wait to see the amazing places this program will go. Here is to many, many more years of Falcon Twirlers and the start of something new! #cawcaw
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