Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - Texas Southern University

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Last day of September means a very special interview. We hope you enjoyed following her Instastory take over this weekend as she introduced us to a super fun style of Collegiate Twirling.

Each Fall this blog likes to get to know the many awesome field twirlers in Texas a little better by learning about them and their experiences. We will be meeting a new High School twirler each Friday through the season with the Friday Night Lights Features, and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights during the week. Make sure to follow us at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx or on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx for lots of live content and Insta-story take overs by your favorites.

This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the Texas Southern University Platinum Girl!

The Texas Southern University Marching Band, known as the Ocean of Soul, is a Show Style program. If you are not familiar with this style, it is very common with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). HBCU Bands are known for being athletic, loud, and entertaining. In fact, at most HBCU schools, the marching band participants are “akin to elite student-athletes who are scouted, recruited, and offered scholarships like their student-athlete counterparts… During HBCU football games, the relationship between the marching band and the football team is inverted as the halftime show is frequently the primary driver of attendance – not the game” (hbcumarchingband.com). If you ever have the opportunity to see an HBCU band in action, they are quite fantastic to watch, and you will undoubtedly be singing and dancing right along.

One day while checking out our Instagram feed we came across a video posted by @txsuplatinumgirls. This video featured the 2019 Texas Southern University Platinum Girl, Kennedi Robinson, a.k.a. “Tha Dream”. The amount of energy and sass coming from this twirler was undeniable and after checking out more videos and pictures, we just had to reach out and learn more about this twirler.

A very important question we ask of our Collegiate Twirlers is why they chose their school. Selecting Texas Southern University was an easy choice for Kennedi, as the culture of the school was exactly what she wanted and it was close to home. “As an African American student, I’ve always dreamed of having an HBCU experience. Here at Texas Southern, we are diverse while still being in touch with our cultural roots. I enjoy the idea of being around other cultures, while indulging and learning about my own. Not to mention, the university is in the heart of my hometown”.

The HBCU Style, and TxSU Ocean of Soul style, is unique, and is not one we have feature before here on the blog. We asked Kennedi about the style, and how she prepared to be able to embody the style. “The style of TxSU’s twirlers is a marching/dance style. The style has been around for quite some time now. I found myself trying to learn the new style from previous years’ videos. It wasn’t until Freshman band camp that I was taught the correct way of TxSU’s style of twirling/marching. The technique is very different than what I’m accustomed to. I’m still trying to grasp the hang of it and feel less awkward attempting it”.

As she is a freshman this year, this is Kennedi’s first season on the field at TxSU. She tells us that the audition process occurs annually in the Spring. We also asked her what the experience has been like for her so far. “It is still a shock and very new to me performing at a collegiate level. Being the only twirler has its ups and downs, but I really am enjoying myself. I love the thrill of performing in front of hundreds of people and the feedback given once our band marches off the field. Since I am a freshman, I am still learning to juggle personal and study time after practice. Overall, I enjoy being able to say that I am apart of Texas Southern’s Ocean of Soul Marching Band”.

Now that we have learned more about the Ocean of Soul, let’s learn a little more about “Tha Dream” herself!

Kennedi Robinson
Kennedi is a Freshman Pre-Nursing Major from Houston, Texas. She has been twirling for around six years with coach Doris Keener. Her favorite field trick is “The Pretzel” which was inspired by former TxSU Twirler, Jessika Hearne. In baton twirling she has been most motivated by Angelicia Plunkett. After college she plans on going to nursing school to become an RN. “I will then return for medical school and fulfill my dream as an OB/GYN”.




Fun Facts!
Favorite Color – Pink
Favorite Movies – “I LOVE Moana and Clueless”
Favorite Music – R&B and Pop
Favorite Artist – “THE Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter”

Favorite Quote…
“Forget the risk, take the fall. If it’s what you want, then it’s worth it all”

When she is not twirling she loves to…
“Cheer, Tumble, and watch YouTube make up tutorials”

Something people might not know about her is…
“I’ve never been in a band of any sort before. I have been a cheerleader since I was three years old though”

Kennedi has been made sure she is getting the most out of her TxSU experience. So much, in fact, that she is planning on running for the 2019 Miss TSU Freshman so that she can represent her University even further. There are many things she appreciates being a TxSU Tiger, but the moments with her band friends have been unforgettable. Kennedi says her favorite moment as a twirler was “the moment of relief and joy I felt after performing my first field show against Prairie View A&M”. She also loves getting to learn new tricks, and says it just isn’t a good practice unless she is leaving with a new knot or bruise!

In the process to get here, Kennedi has learned a lot from baton twirling and the journey that brought her to the TxSU field, but she said the most important thing she has learned is perseverance. “No matter what life throws at you, push yourself and keep on going”. A lesson that will do her well in every part of life!

Finally, we asked Kennedi what advice she would give to another twirling hoping to one day twirl on a college field. “Twirling at a collegiate level is a lot of work. It takes time, hard work, and a lot of dedication. There will be times when you feel defeated. There will be times when you feel as if you can’t push yourself any farther. Always remember, you can do whatever you put your mind to. Be the best you that YOU can be! Perform as if no one is watching. Leave your all out on the field. And never forget, “Don’t Drop, Just Dazzle!”

We want to thank Kennedi for introducing us to the TxSU and we wish her an amazing season! Go Tigers!

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.

Friday Night Lights Feature - Franklin High School Twirlers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Welcome to the last weekend of September. We hope everyone has plans to enjoy their weekend before the crazy busy start of “Band-Tober”. Twirlers all over the State are preparing for band competitions and another month of those Friday Night Lights.

Each season this blog likes to get to know some of these awesome twirlers a little better by learning about them and their experiences. We will be meeting a new High School twirler each Friday through the season with the Friday Night Lights Features, and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights during the week. Make sure to follow us at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx or on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx for lots of live content and Insta-story take overs by some of your favorites

This week’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Franklin High School Twirlers!

Named for the nearby Franklin Mountains, Franklin High School in El Paso, Texas, is the home of these four awesome twirlers – Maddy Chapa (Captain), Sidney Vallejo, Eleanor Shoenbrun, and Emmy Chapa. Coached by Dawn Menchaca, these twirlers rock the purple and black each Friday in support of their Cougars.

We asked them what the process was to become an FHS Twirler and they told us, “At the end of your eighth-grade year, you prepare a UIL style routine, a competition solo, and an x-strut. The directors view each of these routines and make a decision immediately after about who will twirl”.

As Franklin High School Twirlers, they get to enjoy being a part of the FHS Marching Band. They have many things they enjoy about the band program, but they said their favorite things is when at the end of every game, the band plays the school’s Alma Mater. During the playing of the school song, the football team raises their helmets and gathers around the band to join in. Such a great moment of school unity.

They also get to laugh a lot. They told us their favorite inside joke is their Assistant Band Director’s calves. They call it “the wrath of the calf”.

The experiences they are gaining on the field are like no other, and that is something they will never forget. They told us, “there is nothing like twirling to live music and looking back at all our accomplishments”. We know that is an amazing feeling! We also asked them what they will miss the most when the season is over. “We will miss the first moments before a show. It is so quiet and still, it feels like a dream”.

Now that we have learned what it is like to be a part of the FHS Band, let’s learn about the twirlers!
 
Maddy Chapa, Senior
Competition Level: Beginner
Maddy has been twirling since she was three years old but started competing when she was 12. She is coached by Dawn Menchaca. The competition title she is the proudest of winning was the 2018 Southwest Regional Basic Skills Pageant. Her favorite field tricks are toss turn arounds and group tosses. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by her sister. “My sister and I have always twirler together, and I think she has always motivated me to be better”. After High School she would like to twirl in college and hopes to become an early childhood education teacher. 

Sidney Vallejo, Senior
Competition Level: Novice
Sidney has been twirling for five years with Coach Dawn Menchaca. The twirling title she is the proudest of winning was when the Franklin High School twirlers won the Senior Half Time Show Team at the 2018 Texas State Championship. Her favorite field trick is little joe flips. “They are simple, yet the crowd loves them”. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her Captain, Maddy Chapa. After High School she hopes to twirl in college while learning to do what she loves.

Eleanor Ann Schoenbrun, Junior
Competition Level: Beginner
Eleanor has been twirling for eight years with Coach Dawn Menchaca. She is the proudest of winning with her team at the Texas State Championship and taking first in the 2019 Texas State 15 year Old Novice Two Baton and Beginner Basic Marching. Her favorite field tricks are rolls, especially fishtails. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by University of Texas Feature Twirler, Caroline Carothers. After High School she hopes to twirl in college and become a dermatologist.

Emmy Chapa, Sophomore
Competition Level: Novice
Emmy has been twirling since for nine years but has been competing for three years. She is coached by Dawn Menchaca. The competition title she is the proudest of winning was the 14 year old Novice Open Solo at the 2019 Texas State Championship. Her favorite field trick is a cartwheel toss. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by her sister, Maddy Chapa, who also happens to be her Captain. After High School she hopes to go to college to twirl and find something other than twirling that she is passionate about to make a living out of it.



Fun Facts!
Favorite Color – Blue (Maddy), Pink (Sidney & Eleanor), Yellow (Emmy)
Favorite Music – Alternative/Indie Music (Maddy & Sidney), “Music is a big part of my life. I listen to Alternative/Indie music. I grew up listening to it and I love it” (Emmy)
Favorite Movie – “Steel Magnolias” (Eleanor), “Sixteen Candles” (Emmy)

Favorite Quote…
Maddy – “Act or accept”
Sidney – “Trust the process”
Eleanor – “Do something that scares you every day!” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Emmy – “Do it with passion or not at all”

When they are not twirling, they love to…
Maddy – “Listen to music or spend time with friends and family”
Sidney – “Get a good night’s rest”
Eleanor – “Be involved at school as the Student Body Secretary”
Emmy – “Spend time with my friends and my family”

Something people might not know about them is…
Maddy – “I am left-handed. I also love to take pictures and drink coffee”
Sidney – “I am interested in criminal psychology”
Eleanor – “I founded the service projects Pennies FUR Pets and Kans for Kids in my community”
Emmy – “I love to paint”

Most memorable advice from their coach…
Maddy & Sidney – “Like water off a duck’s back!”
Eleanor – “Stay calm and be solid”
Emmy – “Be flexible not only with your body but with whatever life throws at you”

Together they have a great time twirling on the field, and consider their group tricks to be what they love the most. “Our favorite moment twirling together is when we catch group tosses during performances”. They also have lots of funny moments as well, including when they had to lift Emmy through a spider web prop. Yikes!

Finally, we asked them what advice they have for future High School twirlers, and they said to make sure to practice and be prepared. “Twirling isn’t something you learn over-night, so keep it up, and get ready for band camp”. So true!

Thank you so much ladies for being our Friday Feature, and we wish y'all a great season! Go Cougars!

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.

Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - Stephen F Austin Twirl-O-Jacks

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Welcome to Fall everyone! Too bad it doesn’t feel like fall! We know our field twirlers have been experiencing a crazy hot season, but they are still doing an amazing job.

Each season this blog likes to get to know some of these awesome twirlers a little better by learning about them and their experiences. We will be meeting a new High School twirler each Friday through the season with the Friday Night Lights Features, and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights during the week. Make sure to follow us at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx or on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx for lots of live content and Insta-story take overs by some of your favorites.

This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the Stephen F Austin State University Twirl-O-Jacks!

You may have seen some of the posts on our Instagram Story this past Saturday as we joined the Twirl-O-Jacks during one of their favorite games - the Tomorrow’s T-O-J Day (their version of a Twirler for a Day program). It was so fun seeing all the younger twirlers work on their routines to perform for the SFA crowds, and the T-OJ-s, of course, looked amazing leading them!

For many twirlers, especially in East Texas, the Twirl-O-Jacks are a twirling institution. Not familiar with the TOJs? We asked Twirl-O-Jack Coordinator (2007-present), Candice Curbow, to tell us a little more about the program. “Grace…Poise….Style! These are the words that have become synonymous with the Twirl-O-Jacks of Stephen F. Austin State University since their founding in 1956 under the band directorship of Jimmie Hudgins. While Mr. Hudgins coined the name “Twirl-O-Jacks,” the group’s unique style was created by then head T-O-J, Pat (Griffin) Bridges. The unique twirling style of the T-O-J’s continued throughout the years under Twirl-O-Jack Coordinator, Joan (Griffin) Bridges until 2007, when she passed the torch to one of her very own students, Candice (Pelzl) Curbow.”

The Twirl-O-Jacks join the Lumberjack Marching Band and Feature Twirler on the field to entertain the SFA Community. Keeping to their mantra, they bring a level of sophistication to the show as well as some great twirling skills. The 2019-2020 Twirl-O-Jacks include Head TOJ – Mackenzie Burlingame, Assistant Head TOJ – Codie Lovelady, Elizabeth Bridges, Amanda Bruner, Michalla Byrd, Jaida Crowley, Samantha Denby, Julie Horchler, Gabriela Kilmer, Madeline Murphy, Mykayla Nalls, and Erin Rock. 

The twelve twirlers are doing a great job continuing the legacy of the T-O-J Program. We asked Coordinator Candice Curbow about the group’s growth. “The Twirl-O-Jack line continues to grow each year, both in numbers and talent. We are very fortunate to have such amazing support from the Timeless T-O-J Alumni Association. This association was formed in 2004 and has worked hard to raise money to provide scholarships for the T-O-J’s. Although it took many years to establish, the dedication of our alumni has paid off for the T-O-J’s of today. In addition to the $500 T-O-J Scholarship provided through the University, the Timeless T-O-J Alumni Association is very proud to be able to award a scholarship each year in the amount of $800-$1000 per year. Scholarships are awarded from the proceeds of twirling camps and clinics hosted by the Timeless T-O-J Alumni Association each year”. Want to help support the T-O-J’s? Visit http://www.twirlojacks.com/ to learn more about their summer camp program and Alumni Association.

With such great support, we know the T-O-J program will continue to thrive. Having a group this established and with this many twirlers, there will always be some hurdles to work through. We asked Candice what is the biggest challenge the T-O-J’s face during their season, and she said they often have trouble finding a practice facility. “Although many facilities accommodate our needs, we are always last on the list to use a facility. Often, even when we have a facility reserved, we are told we will not be able to use it because another organization needs it for that time. Although the T-O-J’s are trained to be flexible with these situations, it can still be very frustrating at times”. That is for sure, and a difficulty we all understand. Facility space and baton twirlers… the ongoing battle!

We know that coordinating this group is a lot of work, but Candice says they make it worth the time. We asked her what she has been the proudest of this season. “My proudest moment so far this season would have to be the NO DROP halftime performance at the first game of the season!! They were amazing!” Yes! That is fantastic! We also asked Candice if she has any goals for this organization moving forward. “Competing in a collegiate level competition, is something I hope to see happen for the T-O-J’s in the near future”. We would all love to see that too!

Now that we have learned a little about the T-O-J organization, let’s learn more about the twirlers!

Mackenzie Burlingame, Head T-O-J
“All dreams come true, if we have the courage to pursue them” – Walt Disney
Mackenzie is a 4th year EC-6 from Whitehouse, Texas. Her favorite field trick is a toss illusion. When she is not twirling, she loves to eat Mexican food with friends and watch Netflix. After High School she plans to travel the world and become an elementary school teacher.

Codie Lovelady, Assistant Head T-O-J
“My philosophy is it's none of my business what people say of me and think of me. I am what I am, I do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything, and it makes life so much easier.” – Anthony Hopkins
Codie is a 3rd year Digital Media Major from Bullard, Texas. She is also a member of the Film making Club. Her favorite field trick is a toss cartwheel. She is the proudest of winning the title of 2019 Collegiate Premier Performer. When she is not twirling, she loves to eat and workout. After High School she would like to become part of an animation studio and work on cartoons or animated TV shows and movies.

Elizabeth Bridges
“Be strong and courageous for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” – Joshua 1:9
Elizabeth is a Sophomore Nursing Major from Whitehouse, Texas. Her favorite field trick is a toss illusion catch backhand. She is the proudest of winning the 2019 Southwest Regional Novice Senior X-Strut. When she is not twirling, she loves to go workout, watch Netflix, or hang out with friends. After High School she plans to become a Traveling Nurse Practitioner for a little bit then settle down and either open her own practice or work at a hospital setting.

Amanda Bruner
“Stay positive, work hard, and make it happen”
Amanda is a Sophomore Music Education Major from Little Rock, Arkansas and says when it comes to her college life, “everything is band related!” Her favorite field trick is a toss illusion or anything with a layout. She is the proudest of winning the 2019 Mid South Regional Intermediate Senior pageant. When she is not twirling, she loves to be around her friends, watch TV, and eat good food. After Undergrad, she hopes to get her Graduate Degree in Music Education so that she could possibly land a college teaching position.

Michalla Byrd
“Perfectly Imperfect!”
Michalla is a Freshman Accounting major from Joaquin, Texas. Her favorite field trick is a two-turn. When she is not twirling, she loves to watch the TV Show FRIENDS on Netflix and spend time with her friends and family. After College she hopes to get a job and make money!

Jaida Crowley
“You must dress the part to be the part”
Jaida is a 2023 Dance teaching major from Garland, Texas. Her favorite field trick is a three turn. When she is not twirling, she loves to nap and hang out with friends. After college she hopes to coach her own drill team at the high school level.

Samantha Denby
2 Timothy 1:7
Samantha is from Mount Enterprise, Texas. Her favorite field trick is a two-turn illusion. She is the proudest of winning the title of Twirl Productions Unlimited Premiere Performer. She says, “All I do is twirl!” After college she hopes to become an agricultural science teacher and own a successful twirling studio.

Julie Horchler
“You will miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” – Michael Scott
Julie is a Freshman Early Childhood Education Major from Whitehouse, Texas. Her favorite field trick is a toss double illusion. She is the proudest of winning the title of Intermediate Miss Summertime of South Carolina. When she is not twirling, she says she is “a huge Office fan, so I am always watching it!” After College she would like to teach Kindergarten or 1st Grade at a local elementary school, and continue to teach twirling with her instructor, Reinetta Gingles.

Gabriela Kilmer
“Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground” – Theodore Roosevelt
Gabriela is a Sophomore Psychology major from Nacogdoches, Texas. Her favorite field trick is a toss cartwheel. Her favorite twirling memory was when she performed at her first SFA Game as a T-O-J, and the title she is the proudest of winning was the SWTA State Overall High Score of the Day in 2018. After College she hopes to own a private practice for counseling.

Madeline Murphy
“The more you do stuff, the better you get at dealing with how you still fail at it a lot of the time” – John Mulan
Madeline is a Sophomore Theater Major from Jacksonville, Texas. Her favorite field trick is horizontal/vertical juggles. When she is not twirling, she loves to play Dungeons and Dragons, or sing and act with the SFA Theater program. After college she hopes to pursue acting and one day be on Broadway.

Mykayla Nalls
“The temptation to quit will be the greatest just before you are about to success”
Mykayla is a Freshman Music Education Major from Hallsville, Texas. Her favorite field trick is a toss layout. When she is not twirling, she loves to practice her flute and says, “band is my life!” After College she hopes to return to her hometown and teach music and baton twirling to Junior High and High School Students.

Erin Rock
“Fake it till you make it”
Erin is a 2nd year Sociology Major from Jacksonville, Texas, where she is a member of the Episcopal Church Women’s Group. Her favorite field trick is a toss somersault. When she is not twirling, she loves to cook and sing. After College she plans to become a social worker focusing on children in juvenile detention centers.





We asked the T-O-J members to tell us more about the audition process to become a T-O-J, and they told us it was an all-day event. “We meet in the morning to learn the audition routine. It is very exciting to meet all the new candidates! After learning the routine, we have lunch break and then meet at the coliseum to begin the audition process. We audition first in a large group including all T-O-J Candidates. Then, we break into smaller groups of three or four candidates and audition in small groups twice. The most rewarding part of the day is hearing your name called and receiving a flower from an alumni member!”

With spending so much time together, they must have some amazing moments as a team. They told us that entering the field for their very first pre-game of the season was their favorite moment this Fall. They also very much enjoy when they get to join the football team after each game to sing the school song together. In fact, singing after each game and twirling with some of their best friends is what the seniors will miss the most when they graduate.

Being together so much, they get to have a lot of fun, especially when goofing around during breaks at band camp. They all laugh together a lot and get to join the band with their silly traditions too. One of the band traditions that cracks them all up is when at practice a cloud comes with shade, the whole band says, “God loves the LMB!” We know that feeling, and wow, have we needed those clouds this season! Whew!

Finally, to end our interview, we asked them what advice they have for any future T-O-Js. “Practice, practice, practice!” They also suggested getting someone to watch you twirl to give you helpful critiques.

We want to thank the Twirl-O-Jacks for taking over our Instastory and joining us for this week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight. We wish them a great rest of their season! Axe Em 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.

Friday Night Lights Feature - The Woodlands College Park High School Twirlers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

What a week is had been. We want to send our thoughts and prayers to our Houston twirl family who have been experiencing heavy rains and flooding. If you are in the Houston area and need any help, please reach out and let us know what we can do to assist you!

Luckily, while the twirlers in today’s interview are from the Houston area, the rain subsided enough for them to enjoy tonight’s game, even though they did get sprinkled on just a little bit.

Each season this blog likes to get to know some of these awesome twirlers a little better by learning about them and their experiences. We will be meeting a new High School twirler each Friday through the season with the Friday Night Lights Features, and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights during the week. Make sure to follow us at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx or on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx for lots of live content and Insta-story take overs by some of your favorites.

This week’s Friday Night Lights Feature is The Woodlands College Park High School Feature Twirlers!

The Woodlands College Park High School is a school many NBTA twirlers from Texas should be familiar with, as it is the location of the Annual Twirl in the Woods contest. TWCPHS has wonderful facilities which has helped promote a great history of baton twirlers over the past decade, and we love seeing that continue with the current Feature Twirlers, Madison Frantzen and Sophia Dinubilo. 

The Cavalier Marching Band Community is very supportive of their twirlers, and of twirling in general. Did you know that the TWCPHS Band Director’s Daughter was the 2019 Texas State Tiny Tot Basic Skills Champion? Isn’t that the cutest? With such a great appreciation for twirlers, the audition process is relatively simple. As the twirlers told us, “for auditions you talk to our amazing band director about joining the twirlers. After you prepare a routine, you perform it for the band director, and he decides who will twirl that year”.

There have been a lot of great opportunities for the twirlers at TWCPHS as part of the Marching Band and as Game Day entertainment. We asked Madison and Sophia what part of Game Day is their favorite and they told us, “when we get to go on the field after a football game and sing the school song with the football players and cheerleaders.” Love seeing school unity like that between organizations!

We asked the twirlers about their marching band program and they told us the band "loves to clap for basically anything”. Well, when your band has a lot worth clapping for, that makes sense. The TWCPHS Marching Band not only has State & Regional Champion Baton Twirlers, the program is very well respected in the school. This year both the Homecoming King and Queen were part of the Band. In fact, according to their band director, a band member has been King or Queen for 11 of the past 12 years. Wow! Band students are hard working kids and it is wonderful to see them get the recognition they deserve in the student body.

Now that we have learned a little about the TWCPHS Community, let’s learn more about their twirlers!

Madison Frantzen, Senior
Competition Level: Intermediate
Madison has been twirling for 6 years. She is a member of the Mickey’s Majorettes and is coached by Patti Mickey and Kayli Mickey McIntosh. The competition title she is the proudest of winning was the 2018 Beginner Junior Texas Pageant. Her favorite field trick is anything 3 Baton. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by current University of Texas Feature Twirler, Caroline Carothers. After High School she hopes to attend Texas A&M University and earn a degree in Education.

Sophia Dinubilo, Freshman
Competition Level: Advanced
Sophia has been twirling for 7 years. She is also a member of the Mickey’s Majorettes and is coached by Patti Mickey and Kayli Mickey McIntosh. The competition title she is the proudest of winning was the 2018 Pre-Teen Miss Majorette of the Southwest pageant. In baton twirling, she was most inspired by her Mickey’s Majorette teammate, Isabel Obias. Her favorite field trick is a high toss front walkover. After High School she hopes to twirl for a University.










Fun Facts!
Favorite Color - Pink (Both Madison & Sophia)
Favorite Movie - Any of the Star Wars Movies (Madison), Clueless (Sophia)
Favorite Music - Pop (Both Madison & Sophia)

Favorite Quote…
Madison – “Happy girls are the prettiest girls” – Audrey Hepburn
Sophia – “Though she is little, she is fierce”

When they are not twirling, they love to…
Madison – “Spend time with my family and swim”
Sophia – “Hang out with my friends and practice makeup”

Something you might not know about them is…
Madison – “I am in the teaching club for my school and compete competitively”
Sophia – “I really like to paint and make art”

These two ladies have a ton of fun twirling together. Already having been teammates, they knew each other well and had similar styles, which made the transition easy. They get to enjoy learning skills together and appreciate the camaraderie that comes from being co-features. This also leads to a lot of laughter. We asked what was one of the funniest things that has happened to them since they started twirling together. Madison said, “During the duet section we perform, Sophia hit me in the face and we couldn’t stop laughing”. Oh geez! At least they can both laugh about it!

We asked Madison and Sophia what the #1 non-twirling life skill they have learned from baton twirling was and they told us, “learning how to be self-motivated and always in a positive mood.” Being self-motivated is a very hard thing to learn, especially in a situation where you are twirling and may not have constant direction from the Directors. We wanted to know how they kept their focus during practices, and they shared some great advice. “We always try to make a list of what we want to get done that day and make sure we don’t get off topic”. That is a super productive way to approach practices!

As this is Madison’s senior year and Sophia’s freshman year, it will be their only year twirling together. Their co-feature bond is already strong, and losing that time together is what they will both miss the most when the season is over. They have really loved their time getting ready and practicing together, and seeing their hard work pay off on the field.

To wrap up our interview we asked these ladies what their best advice was for future High School twirlers. Madison told us “Smile big, and just have fun!” and Sophia kept it simple but strong with, “Never Give Up!” Both are great words of advice for any twirler.

We want to say thank you to Madison and Sophia for introducing us to the TWCPHS community and we wish them the best of luck with an amazing field season. Go Cavs!

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.

#TexasTwirlersTravel - International Cup & Grand Prix

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We know we are already in to mid-September (how did that happen?), but we want to rewind a little bit to last month for today's blog post. Previously this blog has mostly covered NBTA competitors when it comes to competition posts due to that being the most familiar to the blog writer.

However, with the creation of the International Baton Twirling Federation (IBTF), and the future goals of working together between organizations, this blog hopes to take more time to cover USTA events as well. The future of baton twirling relies on the WFNBTA and the WBTF coming together and aligning their goals, so here in Texas, we would like to ensure that we are broadening our horizons and making sure all Texas Twirlers have coverage.

To kick off our new efforts to show all the facets of different organizations that exist in Texas, we wanted to give a shout out to the amazing twirlers from Texas that recently represented on the World level at the WBTF International Cup and the IBTF Grand Prix! These five Texans included Emily Perkins, Maggie Chrudimsky, Emmanuel Espinosa, Krystal Yoli Miller, and Destiny LeBrun!

*Photo is missing Emily Perkins and includes two representatives from Louisiana.

In case you are not familiar with these two events, we will give you a quick summary. While both of these events were held in Limoges, France, this August, they were two separate events with different qualifiers.

The WBTF International Cup is the "USTA Worlds" event where twirlers qualified by placing Top Three at USTA Nationals in either the Elite, A, or B level or events including Solo, Two Baton, Three Baton, Artistic Twirl, and Artistic Pairs. This event occurred first from August 5th to 8th.

The IBTF Grand Prix was a glimpse in to what will occur on the Worlds level when NBTA/WFNBTA and USTA/WBTF combine for their future World event. The Grand Prix brings twirlers from both organizations together to compete for an overall title. Each organization had different qualification processes, and sent representatives for each division. This event occurred on August 9th to 11th.

This year, Texas brought home several final placements as well as two Silver Medals between the two competitions. We are super proud of these Texas Twirlers and their accomplishments representing Texas and the USA in France! Let's take a moment to recognize each of them.

Emily Perkins 

*IC Senior Elite Artistic Pair (with partner Keragan Ogden)*

4th in Prelims and 6th in Finals

*IC: Senior Elite Three Baton*

SILVER MEDAL in Finals

*Grand Prix* - 12th in Two Baton, 16th in Solo, and 

SILVER MEDAL in Duet (with partner Keragan Ogden)

     

Maggie Chrudimsky

*IC: Junior Level A Two Baton*

3rd in Prelims and 6th in Finals

Emmanuel Espinoza

*IC: Senior Men Level A Artistic Twirl*

Placed 8th in Prelims and 7th in Finals

Krystal Yoli Miller

*IC: Adult Level A Solo*
Placed 21st in Prelims

Destiny Lebrun

*IC: Senior Level A Artistic Pair (with partner Keriann Hollis)*
Placed 19th in Prelims

We want to send a huge congrats to these awesome Texas twirlers on a great International Cup & Grand Prix. We can't wait to follow them moving forward, as we know they will continue to do great things!

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.

Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - University of Texas San Antonio

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Last weekend was a great weekend for College Games. So many fun pictures and videos on social media of Texas twirlers performing their hearts out and supporting their teams.

Each season this blog likes to get to know some of these awesome twirlers a little better by learning about them and their experiences. We will be meeting a new High School twirler each Friday through the season with the Friday Night Lights Features, and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights during the week. Make sure to follow us at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx or on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx for lots of live content and Insta-story take overs by some of your favorites.

This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight in the University of Texas-San Antonio Feature Twirlers!

Who else had a blast following the UTSA Twirlers as they took over our Insta-Story on Saturday? Experiencing Game Day with the SOSA Sweethearts, Alexis Tanner, Hannah Kacher, and Caitlin Stanke, was so much fun. We got to see the view from the field at the Alamodome, a sneak peek at the TeamWalk, and some pre-game and halftime twirling awesomeness. It made us super excited to get to know more about these three wonderful Feature Twirlers!

As we saw on Instagram, a UTSA Football Game Day with the Spirit of San Antonio (SOSA) Marching Band is unforgettable. The UTSA Feature Twirlers, coached by Staci Smith, are a beautiful presence on the field and bring extra talent to the organization. First year Feature Twirler, Hannah, tells us that the experiences with SOSA is what brought her to be a Roadrunner. “Of course I’ve been to college games, but being a performer on the field is a completely different experience. I loved my first game so much, and although it was long, I will never forget that day. A big reason why I chose UTSA was because of SOSA. Being from San Antonio I know how big of a deal SOSA is, and how could I not want to be a part of it?”

First year Feature Twirler, Caitlin Stanke, agreed. “I chose UTSA because of the pride shown in the band, even though it hasn’t been established very long. It’s amazing to see how we all work together to create such entertainment for all UTSA fans!” Being a freshman twirler has to be an overwhelming experience, but Caitlin also told us it was just as astonishing. “The atmosphere is so much different than high school band. I enjoy it every second of it, especially since I have two great new friends along my side!”

The University of Texas - San Antonio has been a presence in San Antonio since it was built in 1993, but they did not have a football team or marching band until 2011. This season is only the 9th year that SOSA has been rocking the Alamodome, but in that time they have developed some great school traditions. We asked the twirlers which of them meant the most to each girl. Second year Feature Twirler, Alexis, told us her favorite tradition is when, “after each game, win or lose, the football team and band gather together to sing the Alma Mater”. Catilin also loves the singing. It is such a special moment for the two organizations. Another event they enjoy is Midnight Light. Hannah tells us that “at midnight the night before school starts they get everyone pumped for the school year and light fireworks. It was very tiring but a memory I will always have!”

The band continues their traditions off the Game Day field. Hannah tells us how much she loves the unity that the band organization has and that is shows when they end rehearsal. “The drum major stands on the podium then gathers everyone’s attention through a back and forth chant. At the end you can hear the echo the band leaves and it gives me chills every time.” During the many, many hours the SOSA organization spends together, they have created a lot of fun inside jokes to go along with the more serious traditions. Alexis says her favorite inside joke is “Y’all Hear/See Sum?” which makes no sense to us, but we are sure it means something to them. They also agree that the nicknames they make up for  keeps them giggling on those long days. Caitlin additionally mentioned that “Hannah is a secret food critic of Mac and Cheese.”

Now that we have learned what it is like to be a part of the UTSA and SOSA Community, let’s learn more about Alexis, Hannah, and Caitlin!

Alexis Tanner
Alexis is from Corpus Christi, Texas, and is currently a sophomore majoring in Mathematics with a Teacher's Certification. She has been twirling for 13 years. She is a member of the Mickey’s Majorettes and is coached by Patti Mickey and Kayli Mickey McIntosh. The title she is the most proud of winning was the 2019 National 18 Year Old Baton Flag Champion. Her favorite competition trick is a toss double illusion, and her favorite field trick is a toss front walkover. In baton twirling, Alexis has been most inspired by her role model, now coach, Kayli Mickey McIntosh. “When I was little I wanted to be just like Kayli Mickey and I remember she put a crown on me at a competition and I completely freaked and didn’t let my mom touch it because Kayli had touched it, and now Kayli is my coach!!” After college she hopes to become a high school math teacher and either coach track or baton at the school.

Hannah Kacher
Hannah is from San Antonio, Texas, and is currently a freshman Psychology and Kinesiology major. She has been twirling for 13 years. Hannah is a member of the Twirling Sweet Sensations and is coached by Michele Pangrac and Mary Ann Srulowitz. The title she is the most proud of winning was the Junior Intermediate Texas State Pageant. Hannah’s favorite competition trick is a floor roll into a split catch blind, and her favorite field trick is a toss cartwheel. “It is definitely an easy crowd pleaser”. In baton twirling, she has been inspired by many of those around her. “Caroline Carothers has always been a person I loved to watch on the field and on the competition floor. But I can’t leave out my teammates on Sweet Sensations that have always encouraged me and inspired me to push myself, and now my new friend Alexis who has pushed me these past couple weeks to do bigger and better tricks." After college she is hoping to become a “Sports Psychologist, and maybe open up my own practice. Being to help athletes, like twirlers, overcome the mental strain of competition and games is something I am very passionate about”.

Caitlin Ann Stanke
Caitlin is from Rogers, Texas, and is currently a Medical Humanities Major with a Pre-Dental focus. At UTSA she is also a member of the First Generation College Student Organization and the UTSA Pre-Dental Society. She has been twirling for 6 years and is coached by Stacie Smith. Her favorite field trick is a toss cartwheel. In baton twirling she has been inspired the most by Karissa Wimberley. After college she hopes to start her own dental practice.











Fun Facts!
Favorite Color… Blue (Alexis), Gold - “because it has the perfect shine” (Hannah), Red (Caitlin)
Favorite Movie… Moana (Alexis), “I love, love, love Pitch Perfect!” (Hannah), Documentaries (Caitlin)
Favorite Music… Country (Caitlin), “I listen to all kinds of music, but you will usually find me listening to R&B” (Alexis).

Favorite Quote or Life Motto…

• Alexis: “Fake it till you make it!”
• Hannah: “Why do anything less than your best?”
• Caitlin: “Come forth into the light of things and let nature be your teacher”

When they are not twirling they love to…

• Alexis: “Workout or run! Being active outside of twirling is very important to me”
• Hannah: “Play with my puppy and kitty. My pets are my entire world”
• Caitlin: “Read!”

Something you might not know about them is…

• Alexis: “I have broken my nose WAY too many times!”
• Hannah: “I’m a pretty open book, so I can’t necessarily think of anything”
• Caitlin: “I love photography and taking photos!”

Most memorable advice from their coaches…

• Alexis: “Just keep smiling! And if you need to cry, don’t let anyone see you upset”
• Caitlin: “Don’t knock it until you try it”

Favorite moment of twirling…

• Alexis: "I gave myself a bloody nose in front of Mrs. Mickey at a local competition and stopped in the middle of my routine to bend over and cry. Mrs. Mickey told me to "keep going", so I proceeded to wipe the blood from my nose onto my arm and finish my routine. After I saluted, of course, I started crying again while my coach started walking me to the bathroom and my mom made sure that I didn’t get any blood on the white parts of my costume. I got a sportsman ship award at that competition, so I would say it was worth it!"
• Hannah: “Definitely my team’s Disney trip where I got to be 1 of 3 twirlers that lead the parade”
• Caitlin: “Teaching a multitude of young girls how to twirl every year at my high school."

Funniest Twirling Moment: 

• Alexis: “Last year during a show we had to listen carefully to the music for a cue to move to the other side of the field in time for a trio section of the show. Well, I guess I was just having WAY too much fun twirling that I completely forgot to listen to the music. I soon realized that Julie (former UTSA twirler) was already on the other side of the field with Michael (another former UTSA twirler). I stopped twirling and bolted it to the other side of the field. With all that sprinting I got to my spot just in time for the opening exchange."
• Catilin: "Getting chased by bees at practice. (Also very scary)"

Baton twirling has opened many new experiences to these ladies, but it has also taught them many life lessons. Caitlin says the main thing she has learned from twirling is “Proving to myself that I can do more than I think I can”. Hannah feels the strongest lessons she has learned have been about leadership and friendliness. “I believe you must be a role model in and out of the gym.” So true! The non-twirling skill Alexis is proud to have gained from twirling is how to talk to and make friends with people. “Believe it or not, I am a very shy person, but over the years twirling has taught me how to make friends with ease. It has also taught me how to speak to people in higher positions than myself. This is, of course, from the countless numbers of interviews I’ve done in practice and at competitions.”

As this is Alexis’ second yeas as a SOSA Sweetheart, we asked what she was the most excited about this season, and what she plans to improve on from last year. “I was most looking forward to just performing and being on the field again! Competition twirling is so much different that field twirling. I definitely don’t feel as much pressure on the field. I am able to be less critical of myself, be more comfortable showing the audience what I have improved on, and focus on putting on a good show. I will add harder tricks to my performances this year, and also add in more facial expressions. Last year I was very scared of performing on the field since it was my first time. However, since I have a year under my belt now, I am more comfortable with the setting and environment and I am able to have more fun. Also, adding in more expression to my twirling will hopefully make the show more exciting for me and the audience.”

To close the interview we asked these twirlers what advice they would pass on to future collegiate twirlers. Learning from experience, Alexis advises twirlers to work on facial expressions. “It may feel silly but if you practice these and incorporate them into your routine it will make a world of difference. It will add so much excitement into your twirling and the audience will appreciate it. Even if you are doing a trick that you find easy make it exciting for the audience to watch”. Caitlin suggested being in the moment as much as you can. “Take a deep breath and relax, enjoy and take pride in the routine you are going to perform. Once it’s over you’ll want to do it again and again!” Hannah kept it short and sweet with “Enjoy the game and smile so so big!” Love it!

We want to say thank you to Alexis, Hannah, and Caitlin for letting us get a glimpse in to the SOSA life, and wish them an amazing season in the Alamodome. Go Roadrunners!

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.