Hello Texas Twirl Fans!
Contest season is officially here! Saturday is the South Plains Twirling Festival, we are only a little over a week away from the Fall Twirling Festival, and if you haven't already, make sure you submit your entry to the 2017 ATX Holiday Twirl Fest, as the mail in entry deadline is this Friday (don't worry, they will still take online entries until the 16th!). Amazing how quick competition season sneaks up on you, and while we are all excited for that to get going, we are still in full swing with our field twirlers, and still have several more interviews to go this season.
Today we are in Tyler, Texas, meeting the two ladies that represent the TJC Apaches. This week's Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is on the Tyler Junior College Feature Twirlers - Beth Maddox & Sami Prazak!
As the Apache Feature Twirlers, Beth and Sami get to be a part of a lot of great moments at TJC. While Beth's favorite school tradition is the band's Rim March, Sami loves the school spirit shown at the end of every practice when the band chants "TJC".
These two have learned so much from baton twirling. Beth says the skill that she has developed most as a baton twirler is dedication. Sami agrees, but also says that Communication has been a major life skill twirling has helped her develop. "I love talking to others, not only about twirling, but about life and God and just getting to know people and all of our diversities. Twirling really broadened my horizons”.
This level of Communication is one Sami hopes all twirlers can develop. Her number one piece of advice for a future collegiate feature twirler is that "Speaking to others about and representing the band is just as important as twirling for the band. Really go and find out about your college so you’re prepared for any questions anyone may ask you about band or school, including traditions!" Such great advice! You have to be able to know and speak about your school to get the best experience from it!
This level of Communication is one Sami hopes all twirlers can develop. Her number one piece of advice for a future collegiate feature twirler is that "Speaking to others about and representing the band is just as important as twirling for the band. Really go and find out about your college so you’re prepared for any questions anyone may ask you about band or school, including traditions!" Such great advice! You have to be able to know and speak about your school to get the best experience from it!
Beth also wanted to add that a twirler should "never forget to be a blessing to those around you, because that’s real leadership.” What a beautiful way to express that thought. Beth did want to make sure to share some practice advice for future collegiate twirlers about balancing their workload. “Remember not to take 17 hours of classes your first football season! Haha! It was rough!" We can imagine!
Now lets take a moment to go a little deeper and learn more about these two ladies!
Beth Maddox
Freshman, Competition Level: Collegiate
Beth is a freshman majoring in Biology, where she is a part of the
Honors Program. She is from Van, TX, and has been twirling for seven years. She
is a member of the Mickey’s Majorettes and is coached by Patti Mickey and Kayli
Mickey-McIntosh. Her favorite competition trick is spins and/or low horizontal
flips, and her favorite field trick is a Russian leap. Her favorite moment as a baton twirler as when she got to twirl fire at TJC's Homecoming pep rally. In baton twirling, she
has been most inspired by former twirler, Paige Patillo. “She has some of the
craziest three and four baton tricks!” After she graduates, Beth hopes to
attend Med school to become a surgeon.
Sami Prazak
Freshman, Competition Level: Intermediate
Sami is a freshman majoring in General Studies. She is from Diana, TX,
and has been twirling for 6 years, however, she just started competing in NBTA
in 2016. She is a member of JJ’s SuperStarzzzz and coached by Janice
Jackson-Seamonds. Her favorite trick is a toss, leap, front-walkover. Her favorite moment in baton twirling is As she is
just getting into the environment at TJC, she is not yet involved in any school
organizations outside of band. “My life revolves around band and twirling,
therefore, I am not a part of anything outside of band and twirling! I even
work in the band hall!” In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Miss
Texas 2016 and current Baylor Golden Girl, Caroline Carothers, “not just for
twirling but for her attitude and humbleness”. In fact, Caroline was a part of one of her favorite moments as a baton twirler. "I performed for a rating and when I went to the judge to get my critiques she told me I reminded her of Caroline Carothers and it made my day! I will remember that forever!”After she graduates she hopes to
get a job as a speech pathologist.
Fun Facts!
- Favorite Color – Green (Beth), Purple (Sami)
- Favorite Movie – “The Help” (Beth), “Tangled” (Sami)
- Favorite Music – Rascal Flatts (Sami)
Favorite Quote/Life Motto…
- Beth - Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord”
- Sami – “A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear”
When they are not twirling they love to…
- Beth – “Run”
- Sami – “Go to my job! Working in the band hall is a lot of fun!”
Something people may not know about them is…
- Beth – “I am an extreme cat person”
- Sami – “I love yellow roses”
Most memorable advice they have been given…
- Beth – “Practice doesn’t make perfect performance, perfect practice makes a perfect performance”
- Sami – “You have to have the downs to have the ups”
Funniest Twirling Moment…
- Sami – “One of the percussion players had left full band rehearsal one morning for class and one of his friends were asking where he went. So I was trying to be smart with him by saying something like “he’s going to get his education”, and I got almost through the sentence but as soon as I said “edd..” my baton rolled off the side of my hand and hit me in the mouth and scared me and the drumline laughed with me a lot about it because I deserved it!”
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