Miss Texas 2017: Meet the Twirlers - Miss Aggieland

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

The countdown continues toward the 2017 Miss Texas pageant. With the Miss Texas Baton Twirling Clinic this coming Sunday (visit www.misstexas.org/events for more details), and summer upon us, we are only 28 days from this year's representatives taking the stage to compete for one of the biggest pageant honors in the State.

In order to make sure the four Texas twirlers competing get the proper level of support from the twirling community, each week leading up to the Miss Texas pageant (June 27th to July 1st) we will be doing an interview with each of the four baton twirlers that will be competing. We want to come together and unite to celebrate and support these four young women as they represent our community and show Texas what twirlers can do!

This week's Miss Texas twirling representative is the 2017 Miss Aggieland, Aly Beaupré!

Aly is 21 years old and hails from Corpus Christi, TX. Aly is well known within the NBTA competition circuit as she has held titles including Miss Majorette of Texas, Miss Majorette of Mississippi, and is a former Ole' Miss Feature Twirler. Aly is a member of Texas Touch of Class and is coached by Shirley Payne and Sheila Payne Rigelsky. Aly current attends Texas A&M University where she is a Junior.

Now, lets learn a little more about Aly, how twirling is helped her, and what she has learned about herself through her journey to the Miss Texas stage...

PEOPLE'S CHOICE VOTING IS OPEN! Help support our Texas Twirlers in their mission to get baton twirling to the finals! Top 2 highest "votes" get a guaranteed spot to perform in the finals. Check out the People's Choice voting site to donate. Currently we have THREE twirlers in the Top 6 spots. Can we help ensure these ladies take both of the People's Choice Winner spots? This is how we get twirling on the main stage! You can vote up until June 29th!!!

Miss Texas Platform: American Heart Association

Life Motto: “I take nothing fro granted. I now only have good days, or great days.” – Lance Armstrong

Favorite Twirling Experience: That would definitely be twirling for Ole Miss. Although I enjoyed all the game, well, except for the one where I chipped my front tooth and fractured my pinky! I especially enjoyed twirling at the bowl game against TCU my freshman year on New Years Eve. The atmosphere was so fun and exciting!

What made you pursue competing in the MAO?
Seeing some of my life long twirling friends such as our current Miss Texas, Caroline Carothers, former Miss Lubbbock, Sydney Webster, and current Miss Alamo City, Ashley Sneed, compete over the years, I decided I wanted to give it a try. I love that the MAO includes a talent portion so that I’m able to showcase my talent that I started learning at the age of 4! I had gone into “retirement” after leaving Ole Miss, and while I don’t have plans to compete anymore, it’s nice to be able to bring out my batons for some fun performances in College Station and on the Miss Texas stage! And who knows, maybe even the Miss America stage!

How would you say Baton Twirling has helped you in your MAO journey?
Twirling has shaped me into who I am today. From my work ethic to my social skills, it’s taught me so much and I will never be able to give enough back to this sport. I wouldn’t say, by any means, do we have to do any less preparations to do than the other contestants, but being that twirling has prepared us so well for modeling or interview, I believe twirling will definitely be a helping factor for myself and the other three baton twirlers competing!

Why did you select your platform? What made it special to you?
I chose the American Heart Association because of my grandfather suffering from a stroke my sophomore year of college, as well as him having type 2 diabetes. I have seen first hand how hard it has been on him and my family. Being that type 2 is at least able to be delayed, or even prevented, I think it’s so important to stress to today's youth about eating healthy and remaining active!

What has been the most rewarding moment as Miss Aggieland?
I have had the opportunity to visit a few elementary schools this semester and talk about my platform. Seeing the kids get so excited is something I find satisfying and lets me leave knowing I made a difference to those kids. It definitely makes my day every time!

What has been the hardest part about competing in the MAO pageants?
Being that it is my first year competing, I had no idea what to expect. I went into the Miss Houston/Sugarland/Harris County pageant expecting to walk away with a crown. Easy enough, right? I left disappointed and discouraged because I went in with the wrong mindset, and that was a learning experience for me. When I won my title, Miss Aggieland, I didn’t go into the day thinking I HAD to win. I went in looking to learn more and have fun; and if I did happen to be lucky enough to win, that would be the icing on the cake.

What advice would you have for other twirlers thinking about going the pageant route?
I say go for it! In just 9 months, I’ve learned more about myself than ever before and the MAO has impacted my life immensely. Think about all of the friends you’ve made in twirling.. it’s like a family, right? The MAO is the same way and I wouldn’t take back my new experiences for anything. Whether I walk away this year as Miss Texas 2017 or not, I will forever cherish my time in this system.

Thank you so much to Aly for taking time to answer our questions. We wish you the best of luck as you compete on the Miss Texas stage, and just know, all the Texas twirling community is behind you! You got this Miss Aggieland! Gig Em!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

*Opportunity* Baton Twirling Clinic with Miss Texas June 4th!

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Just wanted to take a moment and share an AMAZING opportunity available to our Texas Twirlers. Miss Texas 2016, Caroline Carothers, will be hosting a baton twirling clinic on Sunday, June 4th as a fundraiser for the Miss Texas Scholarship Foundation.

The Donation is only $50 and will include a baton, an autographed photo, CD of the routine, and a snack. Twirlers will get a chance to learn a fun routine from Miss Texas herself, and hear Caroline talk about her Tips for Success. Want a preview of Caroline's motivation abilities? Caroline's Letter "The One Spin" that was in the April Drum Major and posted a few weeks ago in this blog has had over 6,700+ page views, and is continuing to inspire twirlers around the country. This is your twirler's chance to experience this in person!

How do you sign up? Just visit www.misstexas.org/events for more information or you can go straight to the sign up link. There will be two sessions of this program, so make sure to sign up for the right age group. 4 to 7 year olds will be from 1:00-3:30 pm and 8+ year olds will be from 4:00-6:30 pm.

We hope everyone who can attend has a great time! Make sure to tag the blog in your photos from the clinic and we will share them to our Facebook and Instagram pages.

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

Miss Texas 2017: Meet the Twirlers - Miss Twin Rivers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We know the twirling community loves pageants, and even more so when the pageant competitors are baton twirlers! We have been lucky the past year to have our very own Caroline Carothers as the 2016 Miss Texas. Caroline has represented our State and our sport with both class and talent. Sadly, in only a month, Caroline's reign will come to an end, but don't worry! We will have FOUR baton twirlers competing for the title of 2017 Miss Texas. Can baton twirlers see a Miss Texas repeat?

In order to make sure our twirlers get the proper level of support from the twirling community, each week leading up to the Miss Texas pageant (June 25th to July 1st) we will be doing an interview with each of the four baton twirlers that will be competing. We want to come together and unite to celebrate and support these four young women as they represent our community and show Texas what twirlers can do!

Our first Miss Texas twirling representative is the 2017 Miss Twin Rivers, Kimberly Ferguson!

Kimberly is 23 years old and hails from Carthage, TX. You may have seen Kimberly performing around east Texas as she was the head twirler at her high school and a member of the well known Stephen F Austin State University Twirl-O-Jacks in college! Kimberly is coached by Caylee Brandy Moore and Candice Curbow. Kimberly graduated from SFA with a BA in Mass Communications and is currently the Recruiting Coordinator and Academic Adviser/Twirling Coach at Panola College.

Now, lets learn a little more about Kimberly, baton twirling, and her journey to the Miss Texas stage!

PEOPLE'S CHOICE VOTING IS OPEN! Help support our Texas Twirlers in their mission to get baton twirling to the finals! Top 2 highest "votes" get a guaranteed spot to perform in the finals. Check out the People's Choice voting site to donate. You can vote up until June 29th!!!

Miss Texas Platform: Everyone's Got a Story - magazineliteracy.org

Life Motto: "There are far better things ahead than anything we leave behind."-C.S. Lewis

Favorite Twirling Experience: Twirling in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the London New Year's Day Parade. There is absolutely nothing like being in a huge city during the holidays and performing with your best friends in that environment!

What made her pursue competing in the MAO?
I have always been a huge fan of the Miss America Organization, and it's so funny to think that after watching the pageant every year, I'd practice my introduction and walk in the mirror! I turned down a really great job offer last fall for several reasons; one of which was a feeling that God was telling me to bloom where I'm planted. I wasn't thrilled with the decision, but I felt in my heart that I was doing the right thing. Right before I turned down the job, a local MAO pageant started liking my photos on Instagram. I thought since I was no longer a college student, I probably wasn't eligible. When I actually looked up the rules, I realized I could win scholarship money for grad school by competing, and also fulfill a lifelong dream of mine. Plus, I never thought I'd get to solo again, so I was thrilled for the chance to twirl! The day after I decided not to move, I registered for Miss Texarkana Twin Rivers. I believe that God had a reason that I needed to stay at my current job a little while longer, and he placed me with the Miss TTR board on purpose!

How would you say Baton Twirling has helped you in your MAO journey?
Baton twirling was my first love. It taught me how to set a goal and pursue it relentlessly. At 14 years old, you don't always want to practice every night, but I would always tell myself that an hour watching TV isn't going to help me win a gold medal, and I'd make my way out to the driveway. I think of twirling as Chapter 1 - after I graduated college, I continued to teach but it wasn't the same anymore. MAO is Chapter 2 - taking the skills I learned as a twirler and performer, and adding to that skill set to juggle and achieve even more than I thought I could. I love pageantry as well, but I don't think I'll ever fall in love with something the way I did with twirling. I shaped me through my most formidable years!

Why did you select your platform? What made it special to you?
I love to read, and I majored in journalism hoping to write one day for a nationally syndicated magazine. My mom is also a library director, so literacy is very close to my heart! Texas has one of the worst literacy rates in the nation, so I felt that partnering with magazineliteracy.org could help me see an impact directly on my community. The organization collects gently used magazines from all over the nation and redistributes them to foster homes, missions, food banks, homeless shelters, etc. where people might rather flip through a magazine than a Jane Austin novel!

What has been the most rewarding moment as Miss Twin Rivers?
On Miss America Serves Day, a group of titleholders went to visit Water Springs Ranch, which is a foster home in Texarkana. We visited with some very special young women over cupcakes and mani/pedis. One little girl and I really hit it off and we keep in touch by email. She's 12, which is the age when I started twirling, and I told her that if someone told me I'd be competing for Miss Texas in about 10 years, I never would've believed it. It just goes to show that you have no idea what the future could hold, but you should always be hopeful that good things are coming, and take advantage of opportunities as they come your way!  I like to think that even if I didn't achieve anything else in my year of service, I brightened her day that day and maybe inspired her to pursue a dream that seems impossible.

What has been the hardest part about competing in the MAO pageants?
Juggling a full time job with appearances and Miss Texas prep has definitely been a challenge. I have to squeeze in a work out before work, talent practice after work, and then sometimes a second work out in the evenings. At one time, I had four students doing private lessons as well, and Monday - Thursday I'd get home at about 9 p.m. Some days it's difficult to give 110% to everything, especially since I don't want my employers to ever feel like I'm not doing my job well because of my title. I travel for work, and I live about an hour and a half from Texarkana, so all of those appearances mean a lot of travel for me. That can also make it really hard to plan meals and stay on top of my fitness goals! I'm definitely a very tidy person, but I just keep telling myself that the judges will only see what's on stage - they won't know if my room is clean, so that may have to wait until July 2nd!

What advice would you have for twirlers thinking about going the pageant route?
Just do it - don't wait! I think a lot of people surprise themselves with how much they can achieve when you actually give it a shot, and you'll make so many friends! But be sure you're doing it for you, because ultimately the work will fall on you. Your mom or director can't practice talent for you or do those crunches, so make sure you know why you're signing up! It’s been said that one of the most important things you can do to prepare for a pageant is to know your “why” – the reason you want to pursue that title – and to remind yourself of that frequently.

Any fun or interesting stories or sidenotes you would like to add?
I recently downloaded the twitter app after deleting it for a while, and I saw where I had tweeted in May 2015 "I regret not doing pageants, like mmmm, once daily." Now two years later, I'm competing for Miss Texas! I can’t wait to be able to look back in May 2019 and see where life has taken me.

Thank you so much to Kimberly for taking time to answer our questions. We wish you the best of luck as you compete on the Miss Texas stage, and just know, all the Texas twirling community is behind you! Show them what you got Miss Twin Rivers!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

2017 Fall Twirler Announcements - University of Houston

It is that exciting time of year where twirlers are auditioning for twirling spots for the Fall. This blog hopes to help spread the excitement by announcing the selections for the lovely twirlers we will see on the field very soon. If you have an announcement for new twirler selections for 2017-18, please email texastwirlcontact@gmail.com so that we can help spread the word!

Today's post announces the selections of the 2017-18 feature twirlers for the University of Houston. The U of H Feature Twirlers, lead by Coach Jennifer Garrison, are "an elite Team of Baton Twirling Soloists who are integral contributors to the entertainment value of the Spirit of Houston Marching Band". These ladies can be seen rocking it on the field at the TDECU Stadium in Houston.

We would like to congratulate returning feature twirlers:

• Junior Business Management Major from Houston, Morgan Bull
• Sophomore Broadcast Journalism Major from Vista, CA, Jassandra Holbert
• Sophomore Kinesiology Major from San Antonio, Rebekah Gonzales

We would also like to welcome first year feature twirler:

• Incoming Freshman Psycology major from Cibolo, Abigail Neuman. 

Congrats Ladies! We cannot wait to see you all perform in the Powerhouse this Fall! Go COOGS!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

Contest Calendar Series - 2017 AAU Texas State Championship

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Colleges are done for the semester, grade schools are winding down, everyone is getting ready for NBTA & UIL State, but make sure you don't forget that there is another State competition coming up as well!

Today's Contest Calendar Series will be discussing the 2017 AAU Texas State Championship!

*DEADLINE FRIDAY* Please note that the deadline for this competition is Friday, May 19th. You must have your entries postmarked or electronically submitted by that date, so you still have time! Click here to download the entry form. For more information, please contact the contest director at aau_coachcindy@yahoo.com.

Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Who: Contest Directors Cynthia Bryant (TX Gulf District) & Jennifer Kotzur (S. TX District)
What: AAU Texas State Baton, Dance, and Color Guard Championships
When: Saturday, June 17th. Facility opens at 8:00 am. Contest begins at 8:30 am.
Where: Lee College Sports Arena - 200 Lee Drive, Baytown, Texas

Why: The AAU, or Amateur Athletic Union, is an "amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It claims to have over 670,000 participants and over 100,000 volunteers". The AAU Texas State Championship is a qualifier for the AAU Junior Olympics National Championships and includes many events that have rules that parallel the larger Baton Twirling Associations, making it an easy transition for NBTA or USTA twirlers to compete.

CONTEST HASHTAG: #AAUTxGulfTwirlDance
For this event we strongly encourage our Texas twirlers to utilize the hashtag #AAUTxGulfTwirlDance when posting photos of this competition on social media.

Highlighted Event: Make sure to check out the information about being included in the 2017 AAU Academic All American Selections. Awards for this category include a certificate, medal, and patch, and it looks great on an academic or twirling resume!

Unique Feature: AAU events always include beautiful AAU Medals awarded with trophies for the All Around Winners. There will also be a bonus Twirling for the Cure Fundraiser from the entries for those competing in the High Points competition. Support a great cause while you compete!

Any Last Comments: An AAU Membership is mandatory to participate in this event, but don't worry, it is under $17! Also, participating in this event is required for those wishing to participate in the National Championships.

Want to attend? Please download the 2017 AAU Texas State Championship entry form, or contact the director at aau_coachcindy@yahoo.com.

Also, don't forget to check out http://www.texastwirl.com/contests.html for information and entry forms, including the NBTA State Entry (due on the 20th), for many upcoming camps in and around the State of Texas. There are many great opportunities heading our way, and we don't want anyone to miss out!

We hope you have enjoyed this edition of the Contest Calendar Series. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

NBTA State & #TeamTexas Twirler T-Shirt Info

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

The next 10 weeks are going to be very exciting around here. UIL State in 12 days, AAU State in 33 days, NBTA State in 40 days, and AYOP in only 70 days. Wow! It is all going to come and go so quickly. With all of these events comes fun t-shirt opportunities, so we wanted to put together some options to help you make sure your twirler is rocking all the right Summer 2017 t-shirts.

NBTA Texas State T-Shirt
Whenever NBTA Texas State is in Desoto, you can count on a cute, inspirational, and practice practical t-shirt. This year will be no different. After checking with one of the NBTA Texas State Directors, they have confirmed this summer's design and have given me permission to share it!

The NBTA Texas State shirt is being offering as a t-shirt or a tank top in Youth and Adult sizes for $20 each. The shirts/tanks will be black with white printing. The back will have the logo from the registration form, and the front will say "Dream. Believe. Do. Repeat."

Don't forget there are also shorts that can be bought in Youth or Adult sizes for $20 each. They will be black with the program logo printed in white on the front of the right leg.

Here is an example of the black tank and black t-shirt from when State was in Desoto in 2014 modeled by the lovely Shirley Payne and Chailie Alsaffar. Love!!!

Make sure when you are filling out your entry (which is due **SATURDAY, May 20th**), that you add on one of these cute shirts or shorts from page #4. Already sent in your entry and wish you had added a shirt? Just email NBTATexasState2017@gmail.com and the Directors can help you out!

AYOP Team Texas T-Shirt

On the Friday of AYOP (July 28th), all the Texas Twirlers will be wearing our AYOP Team Texas shirts. Last year these shirts, designed by Pat Montgomery, were super cute and we all looked awesome on Collegiate night sitting together in a sea of Pink. 

This year Pat has agreed to take on the design and ordering of the shirts again, but she is including an extra special addition. Last year's shirts listed the name of every Team from Texas that attended, but this year we want to list the name of EVERY Texas twirler that will be representing at AYOP! Wow! This will be a "must have" shirt if you are attending AYOP as a twirler or a parent. 

How do you make sure your name is included on the T-Shirt and that you get information on ordering as soon as the ordering link is available? If you already know you are going to attend, just email texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we will get you set up. We also know many people will not decide if they are going to AYOP until after State. We will continue to take name add ons and t-shirt orders until June 30th, so let us know as soon as you have made your decisions.

Here is a really fun picture of a group of Texas Twirlers from last year sporting their #teamtexas shirts! 

Twirling for the Cure 2017 Shirts

While we are talking about AYOP and Pink Shirts, make sure you check out the 2017 Twirling for the Cure shirts! Every year the TFTC Founder, John Mitchell, sells these shirts as a fundraiser for the organization. This is an easy way to help out. It is also great to have one if you are attending AYOP as the Twirling to Fight Cancer Breast Cancer Awareness Day is on July 27th, which happens to be the Thursday of Nationals. Twirlers from all over the country will come together to support this great organization on this day by wearing these shirts.

Bonus! This year the shirts come in five different styles. T-Shirts & V-Necks are only $20. Long sleeved shirts are $25. Hoodie Sweatshirts and Game Day Jerseys are $45. 

The back of all the shirts, except the Game Day Jersey, will have a listing of the team and corporate sponsors for 2017 as shown in the bottom left picture. The back of the Game Day Jerseys will say "Twirling to Fight Cancer", as shown in the bottom right picture.

Want to order a shirt and support Twirling for the Cure? 

To order a t-shirt, v-neck, long sleeved, or hoodie, visit --> https://www.booster.com/twirling-to-fight-cancer-1

To order a Game Day Jersey, visit --> https://www.booster.com/twirling-to-fight-cancer-2

Want to get your team name or business added to the list of sponsors? --> Email TFTCure@gmail.com

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

2017 Fall Twirler Announcements - Stephen F. Austin State University

It is that exciting time of year where twirlers are auditioning for twirling spots for the Fall. This blog hopes to help spread the excitement by announcing the selections for the lovely twirlers we will see on the field very soon. If you have an announcement for new twirler selections for 2017-18, please email texastwirlcontact@gmail.com so that we can help spread the word!

Today's post announces the selection of the 2017-18 Stephen F Austin State University Feature Twirler and Twirl-O-Jacks. SFA, located in Nacogdoches, TX, has a "timeless" reputation regarding baton twirlers thanks to their Twirl-O-Jack twirling line. The TOJ's are know for their "Grace...Poise...Style!" and they perform at football games, school, and community events. Auditions for the coming Fall were held May 6th, and the Feature and 11 TOJ's were selected.

Returning for her second season as the SFA Feature Twirler will be Rachel Dugan (pictured front middle).The 2017-18 Twirl-O-Jack twirling line will be lead by Head Twirl-O-Jack, Jeni Scoggin (pictured front left) and Assistant Head Twirl-O-Jack, Erin Whittenberg (pictured front right).

Pictured from left to right, the 2017-17 Twirl-O-Jack twirling line will include (middle row) Kacey Loe, Tarah Duncan, MacKenzie Burlingame, Katelyn Bynum, Anna Click, (back row)Alexa Silver, Hannah Reschke, Bailee Woodall, and Codie Lovelady.

Congrats to Feature Twirler Rachel, Head Twirl-O-Jack Jeni, Asst. Head Twirl-O-Jack Erin, and all the 2017-18 Twirl-O-Jacks. We know you all will continue the TOJ tradition of exciting and original performances this coming Fall. Go Jacks!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

"The One Spin" by Miss Texas 2016 - Caroline Carothers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Unless you have been living under a rock the past year, you probably know that the beautiful and talented Caroline Carothers has been graciously representing our state and baton twirling during her reign as the 2016 Miss Texas. We have all enjoyed seeing her at contests, watching her live feeds from her many adventures, and felt the impact she has had on our twirlers. I know my daughter has an autographed picture of Caroline hanging on the wall right when she walks in her bedroom so that (in her words) she can "see it every day and know that I could be a princess just like her!"

We asked Caroline if she would be willing to write some words of wisdom for the blog as she winds down her time as Miss Texas. Caroline was happy to share with us her letter, entitled "The One Spin", so that we could post it here for everyone to read. This letter also appeared in the April 2017 edition of The Drum Major, but as all twirling families don't have a subscription, we are honored that Caroline has let us publish it here as well.

From the entire State of Texas and the Texas Twirling community, we want to say a huge thank you to Caroline for all she has done for this sport in the last year. We will be sad to see her reign end, but we know she will continue to spread her message of positivity and perseverance, and we hope you enjoy reading it here:

"The one spin.  For so many twirlers, this is the milestone that represents the start of something great.  Done correctly, it is the foundation for baton twirling - proper thumb flip, baton placement, foot placement and catch.  Once this is achieved, the possibilities are endless.  As twirlers, we all know that our sport takes commitment, perseverance, practice, and patience.  We drop the baton and pick it back up thousands of times before accomplishing the trick, whether it’s learning a one spin or a triple illusion. Twirlers learn to never give up.

My story starts when I was just six years old and it took me nearly a year (yes a year!!) to catch my first one spin. (My teacher Miss Belva was a real stickler for technique!)  After months of practicing in my living room, I started thinking that maybe baton twirling wasn’t for me.  My mom had twirled and knew there would be challenges along the way, although I don’t think she expected me to struggle that much with a one spin.  But I kept working, and finally, it “clicked” and I started catching it. At seven years old, I had learned so much more than a new trick.  I had learned that if I didn’t give up, I would eventually achieve success.  Each time I picked up the baton and tried again, I was practicing perseverance. And that became the foundation for the rest of my twirling career, earning a spot as a college feature twirler for Baylor, and eventually winning Miss Texas.

As Miss Texas, my “one spin” story is the foundation for my message in school presentations across the state.  This message resonates with students of all ages, from preschool to high school.  I ask the students to think about their “one spin” - their own challenge - and I encourage them to never give up.  I talk with them about overcoming obstacles, setting goals, and working hard every day to achieve those goals.  I take my batons to every school I visit (about 70 schools so far) and I juggle three batons (in a crown and heels!) to show them that dreams do come true.  I’ve also realized that twirling is the universal language that brings a smile to the face of nearly every student I meet.

Since winning Miss Texas last summer, my life has been a whirlwind.  The position is full time, so I spend almost every day of the year speaking to schools and community groups.  I’ve had the opportunity to meet all types of people, from sick children to celebrities.  I’ve ridden in parades, carriages, and even on horseback with billionaire Richard Branson. I’ve been in a rattlesnake pit with a thousand venomous snakes and spent an afternoon playing cards with Veterans.  I’ve encouraged kids to love math, read as much as possible, volunteer in their communities, limit social media, and say no to drugs.  I’ve done dozens of interviews and driven over 20,000 miles to appearances across Texas. And through all this, time and again, I’m grateful that baton twirling prepared me for the job of Miss Texas.  Not only is twirling my talent, but this sport has taught me so much about developing a strong work ethic, how to win and lose gracefully, and how to juggle multiple priorities.  I can truly say that I am more confident, independent, driven, and organized because I grew up twirling.

Just seven weeks after winning Miss Texas, I went to Miss America.  I’d always loved watching the pageant on TV and cheering for the twirlers. I never imagined that I would one day be there too, and even place in the top seven.  The other 51 contestants were all so beautiful, articulate, smart, and successful in their own fields. During the two week period, we lived together, laughed, cried, and leaned on each other.  There were two other baton twirlers competing at Miss America this year – Aleah Peters (Miss Nebraska) and Katelyn Niemiec (Miss Arizona.)  We cheered for each other, talked about the slippery stage and spotlights, and prayed for no drops!  Just as in twirling, the “sisterhood” is real. 

Now that my year as Miss Texas is winding down, I hope I have had an impact on students through my “one spin” message and I have represented baton twirling in a positive way.  People often ask me for advice for twirlers just starting out, preparing for high school or college tryouts, or even thinking of competing in the Miss America system.  Here are a few words of advice:

*Be patient*  Learning anything new takes time, especially baton twirling. Time is needed for practicing, improving, pushing for new heights. The best advice I can give a new twirler is to twirl every day. Don’t be afraid to try new tricks.  Don’t get discouraged if there are more drops than catches at first. Take one step at a time, learn proper technique, and be patient.  Ultimately, there are no shortcuts in twirling.

*Be grateful*  Appreciate your parents, coaches, and even judges. As I look back over the last 15 years, I have been able to work with so many wonderful coaches because we moved frequently due to my father’s US Air Force service. I lived in four different states growing up, and each time, I was blessed to find a great twirling coach and continue doing what I love.

*Share the sport*  Get out in the community and perform! Even if your school doesn’t have twirlers, find ways to twirl for others – at community centers, children’s events, talent shows, and parades. This will not only build your confidence, but you will learn how to perform for exhibition, not just competition, which will give you invaluable experience if you want to twirl on a college field one day.

*Find a way to give back*  This is twofold – give back to the community and give back to the sport.  Partner with a community organization that is your passion.  Develop your personal platform and share your message and talents with others.  My pink hairpiece idea combined my love of rhinestoning with wanting to raise awareness about Twirling for the Cure. This campaign has resulted in twirlers all across the country wearing their pink ribbon hairpieces and $6,300 raised for breast cancer research.

*Enjoy the ride* As I look back, it’s hard to believe that I have been twirling for 15 years. I have so many wonderful AYOP memories – from “sparkle hunts” collecting rhinestones off the floor, to begging my mom to stay and watch every single rhythmic routine, to playing with my twirling friends by making up duets and trios in the fieldhouse after competition was over.  I can’t remember how I placed in every event at AYOP, but I CAN remember each year leaving the arena after the Big Show feeling energized and inspired.  Looking back, that’s what really mattered.

What’s next for me?  I will return to Baylor to finish my degree in math education.  Over the next couple of years, I want to learn from my coach Patti Mickey how to be a great role model, judge, and coach by inspiring and motivating.  I eventually hope to become an NBTA certified judge, coach a few twirlers, and of course, teach them all about THE ONE SPIN."

Twirlingly Yours,

Caroline Carothers

Miss Texas 2016

Baylor Golden Girl Feature Twirler

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

2017 Fall Twirler Announcements - University of the Incarnate Word

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

It is that exciting time of year where twirlers are auditioning for twirling spots for the Fall. This blog hopes to help share the excitement by announcing the selections for the lovely twirlers we will see on the field very soon. If you have an announcement for new twirler selections for 2017-18, please email texastwirlcontact@gmail.com so that we can help spread the word!

Today's post announces the selection of the 2017-18 University of the Incarnate Word Feature Twirler. UIW, located in San Antonio, TX is the home of the Marching Cardinals, the UIW Marching Band, that is considered the Pride of the University of Incarnate Word.

Wearing the Red and Black for the 2017-18 season will be the new Cardinal Feature Twirler, Ashley Sneed. Ashley, a Sophomore studying International Business, is from San Antonio, and is a member of the Texas Gems as a student of Coach Tori Mays.

Congrats to you Ashley! We are so excited to see you rocking the red and black in the Fall, and we cannot wait to follow your journey this summer to the Miss Texas pageant. Go Cardinals!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

May Madness Social Media Challenge Winner!

A big thank you to everyone who followed us or shared our posts on Facebook and Instagram this week! It was so fun to see all of you get involved and we were able to enter over 80 names in the drawing. The drawing was held today, Monday, May 8th, and we did select a winner..

Congrats to Laura Williams Horn! Please email texastwirlcontact@gmail.com to claim your $25 gift certificate.

We have many more exciting blog posts coming up in the next couple of months, so stay tuned... 

Contest Calendar Series - 2017 NBTA Texas State Championships

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

You still have today left to get your name entered in our drawing to win a $25 gift certificate to eith ABC or Starline Baton! Have you shared the Twirling is Catching TX Facebook Fan Page on your FB site or added us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx yet? It isn't too late! Check out the May Madness Social Media Challenge if you want to find out more!

 As we are now into May, it is time to focus our attention, and today's Contest Calendar Series post, on the 2017 NBTA Texas State Championships and Miss Majorette of Texas Pageant!

*DEADLINE MAY 20TH* Please note that the deadline for the State Championship is on Saturday, May 20th. You must have your entry postmarked by this day. As a reminder, your entry must be sent with a Cashiers Check or Money Order. Personal or business checks will not be accepted. Click here to download the entry form. For more information, please contact the contest directors at NBTATexasState2017@gmail.com.

Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Who? Contest Directors Sheila Payne Rigelsky and Shirley Payne
What? NBTA Texas State Championships & Miss Majorette of Texas Pageant
When? Saturday, June 24 & Sunday, June 25, 2017
Where? DeSoto High School Main Gym - 600 Eagle Drive, DeSoto, Texas 75115

Competition gym pictured on the left, Practice gym pictured on the right.

Why? State is a qualifying event for AYOP in several categories, especially the National Pageants. This competition will decide who represents the State of Texas in the Beginner and Intermediate National Pageants as well as the Miss Majorette of America pageants!

CONTEST HASHTAG: #txstatetwirl2017
For this event, we strongly encourage our Texas twirlers to utilize the hashtag #txstatetwirl2017 when posting photos of this competition on social media. Lets see if we can get State trending in Texas that weekend!

Unique Feature: When state is in Dallas, you can always count on beautiful awards, elegant tiaras, and embroidered sashes. Also, the gym is always beautifully decorated with cloth linens and chair covers. The gym itself has a ceiling height worthy of a quad, with upper tier seating to create an arena feel. You can be assured that experienced, knowledgeable, and thorough judges will be hired. The event moves smoothly with an ambiance of fun. PLUS, there's always an element of surprise to be expected, which could be anything from the voice of AYOP Teams, Todd James, to a live DJ playing during solo time...just different ways to make it a fun event for everyone!

Highlighted Event: Since this is a qualifying championship competition, the standard events are offered. We also over several visitor and open events; therefore, there tend to be athletes from other states that also attend. This is great way for our Texas athletes to see where they stack up nationally.

The Tex-An Award: At State each year we celebrate the hard work of all athletes, as well as the time, commitment, and passion put forth by the athletes' parents and coaches. As a State tradition, we will once again acknowledge one special coach who has given back to baton twirling and made it an even better and more positive sport for all the athletes by awarding them the Tex-An Award. We are looking forward to presenting the award to that special coach this year!

Any Last Comments - We are excited to have State in Big D, and wish all safe travels!  See you in June!

Want to attend this event? Please download the 2017 NBTA Texas State Championships Entry Form, or contact the directors at NBTATexasState2017@gmail.com for more details.

Also, don't forget to check out http://www.texastwirl.com/contests.html for information and entry forms for many upcoming contests and camps in and around the State of Texas. There are many great contests heading out way, and you don't want to miss out!

Photo Credit: The source of the photos in this blog post are credited to Texas Touch of Class, Edward Obias, Twirl ATX, Lisa Dausin, Mary Ann Srulowitz, Alana Lilie, and the Texas Tech Twirlers.

We hope you have enjoyed this edition of the Contest Calendar Series. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear about it.