2020 Texas Collegiate Twirler Audition Guide

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Welcome to the fourth year we are offering this very special feature for the Twirling is Catching Blog! We know senior year is a very exciting time for many twirlers, but it is also a little nerve wracking as twirlers try to decide which University to select. While this is already a hard decision, when you have a dream of twirling on the collegiate level, it adds an addition level of pressure for picking the right place. There are also many current college students that may be deciding between auditioning at their school or other schools. So many choices! Our goal with this feature is to present as much audition information for Texas universities in one place as possible to at least make the process of knowing how to audition easier for our collegiate twirler hopefuls.

If you have any info to update any of these listings, or for a University not listed, please email texastwirlcontact@gmail.com. We will be posting updates as new details become available.

We will also announce many of the Twirler selections for these Universities as the decisions are made, so stay tuned! You can always follow us here, but make sure to also like and follow our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx, and Instagram account @twirlingiscatchingtx.

2020 Texas Collegiate Twirler Audition Quick Guide:
*Updated 5/5/2020*
 
Electronic Audition Submission Deadlines
*February 1st - Sam Houston State University

*February 2nd - Baylor University

*March 1st - Texas Christian University

*March 5th - Tyler Junior College
*March 15th - University of Houston
*March 18th - Texas Tech University 
*March 19th - Univ. of TX Permian Basin
*April 1st (by Noon) - Texas State University
*April 25th - Lamar University Cardinalettes
*July 1st - University of TX San Antonio

Set Live Audition Dates
*February 1st – Stephen F Austin Feature Twirler
*February 1st - Stephen F Austin Twirl-O-Jacks
*March - Sam Houston State Univ. Callbacks
*March 20th - Tyler Junior College 

*March 29 - UT Permian Basin Callbacks

*May 23rd - Kilgore College

Schools Holding Virtual Auditions
*University of TX San Antonio

No Audition Info Available At This Time:
*March - Angelo State University
*Date TBA - Incarnate Word

Not Holding 2020 Auditions:
*SMU “The Doll” Feature Twirler Position

*University of Texas Feature Twirler
*TAMU Corpus Christi

Already completed 2020 Auditions:
*Stephen F Austin Feature Twirler
*Stephen F Austin Twirl-O-Jacks
*Tyler Junior College
*Sam Houston State University
*Texas Christian University
*University of Texas Permian Basin
*Texas Tech University
*Texas State University
*Lamar University

2020 Texas Collegiate Twirler Audition Details:

SAN ANTONIO: University of TX San Antonio

*Will be holding video auditions this year

Audition materials due by July 1st

*2020 USTA Twirler Audition Information
*For more info contact randi.miles@utsa.edu

KILGORE: Kilgore College

*Live Auditions will be May 23rd
*2020 Audition Info & Registration
*The twirler audition information must be
     submitted on the website prior to auditions.
*Contact jordanijenkins16@gmail.com for info

NACOGDOCHES: Stephen F Austin
*Feature Twirler Auditions February 1st 

*Feature Twirler Audition Information

*Twirl-O-Jack Live Auditions February 1st
*Twirl-O-Jack Audition Information
*January 25th TOJ Pep Class Available
*Contact twirlojacks@gmail.com

 HUNTSVILLE: Sam Houston State University

*2020 SHSU Twirler Audition Information
*Materials Submission Deadline - February 1st
*Live Callbacks will be held in March 2020
    - Submit materials to bxg012@shsu.edu or
     to kelleymccormick5@gmail.com
             1. Video Submission *NEW*
             2. Twirling/School Resume
             3. 2 letters of recommendation
             4. Photograph in twirling costume

WACO: Baylor University

*Audition videos for 2020 due on February 2nd
*Email all materials to lynndell@heilp.com
*2020 Golden Girl Audition Information

FORT WORTH: Texas Christian University

*Audition info must be submitted by March 1st

*2020 Audition Info is posted on their FB Page

*Interested students must:

      - Already be accepted to TCU

      - Send twirling resume & letter of intent

      - Submit Videos highlighting twirling ability

*Send materials to b.youngblood@tcu.edu

*Email b.youngblood@tcu.edu for more info

HOUSTON: University of Houston
*Electronic Materials are due by March 15
*2020 Audition Info for UH Feature Twirlers
*Submit materials or questions to coach@uhtwirlers.com

TYLER: Tyler Junior College
*Audition Info must be submitted by March 5th
*Live Auditions will be on March 20th
*2020 Audition Information for Feature Twirler

ODESSA: University of Texas Permian Basin

*Audition Packet Submission Deadline March 19th

*Seeking Feature and/or Line Twirlers

*Offering up to a $2,000 scholarship per year!

*2020 Audition Info for UTPB Twirlers
*Send materials to marlenetorres6@gmail.com

          1. One page resume
          2. 2-3 minute twirling video
          3. A picture of yourself

*Live audition for callback candidates March 29th

*For more info text Marlene at 432-352-6505

LUBBOCK: Texas Tech University

AUDITION WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY!
Candidates will be emailed with details

*Twirling Line Audition Information
     - Electronic submissions due by March 18th
     - Submit materials to btolley@sbcglobal.net
          1. Resume & HS/College Transcripts
          2. Letters of Recommendation
          3. Why you want to twirl at Tech

           4. A Picture

SAN MARCOS: Texas State University

AUDITIONS WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY

See Audition Info website for details

*Audition Materials are due by April 1st
*Bobcat Twirler Information
     - Submit materials to krg60@txstate.edu
          1. Completed Application
          2. 2 letters of recommendation
          3. Full length photo included
          3. Video <10 minutes of live twirling

BEAUMONT: Lamar University

*VIDEO SUBMISSIONS DUE April 25th

*There will no longer be a live auditions

*Email lcole5@lamar.edu for details

*Lamar University Audition Information

-----------------------------------------------------------
No Current Audition Information Available
However, some details from previous year
auditions may be available for reference.



SAN ANGELO: Angelo State University
*Live Auditions will be in March 2020
*For more info contact jonathan.alvis@angelo.edu
*2017 San Angelo Audition Info for Reference

SAN ANTONIO: Univ. of the Incarnate Word
*No Current Auditions Info Available
*Cardinal Band website for reference

-----------------------------------------------------------
No Holding Auditions for 2020


AUSTIN: University of Texas – Austin
*No positions available for 2020
*Will not be holding auditions for Fall
*2019-20 Feature Twirler: Caroline Carothers

DALLAS: Southern Methodist University
*No positions available for 2020
*Will not be holding auditions for Fall
*2019-20 Feature Twirler: Rachel Hutchinson

 CORPUS: Texas A&M – Corpus Christi
*Not holding auditions for 2020

Contest Calendar Series - 2020 Southwest Regional Championships

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

One of the most important contest deadlines of the season is upon us!

For today's Contest Calendar Series we will be discussing the 2020 Southwest Regional Championships and Miss Majorette of the Southwest competition in Canyon, Texas!

*DEADLINE JANUARY 25TH* Please note that the deadline for this competition is this Saturday, January 25th, 2020. You must have your entry postmarked by this day. Click here to download the entry form or visit the Online Registration Form. For more info, please contact the Directors at gvjohnson61@yahoo.com.

Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Who: Contest Directors Gretta Johnson, Brittany Ashcraft, and Summer Johnson
What: 2020 Southwest Regional Championships & Miss Majorette of the Southwest
When: Sat. March 7 & Sun. March 8, 2020. Doors open at 7:15 am. Contest begins at 8:00 am.
Where: WTAMU First United Bank Center, 3301 North 4th Avenue, Canyon, TX 79106

Why: This is the first major NBTA title earning competition of the season. The Southwest Regional Championships is a qualifying event for the National pageants and provides the opportunity for competitors to represent the Southwest Region (TX, OK, and NM) at AYOP this summer at Notre Dame University.

CONTEST HASHTAG: #swregionalstwirl2020
For this event, we would love our Texas twirlers to utilize the hashtag #swregionalstwirl2020 when posting photos of this competition on social media. Please also tag the Twirling is Catching FB page or Instagram account (@twirlingiscatchingtx) and we might share your picture on our social media!

Unique Feature: The competition is centrally located in the southwest region and held on The West Texas A&M University campus with state of the art facilities. The Southwest Regional Competition has been family ran by the Pierce and Johnson family on a rotation basis since 1984.

Highlighted Event: Southwest Regionals has many very special traditions. There are two traveling trophies at this event that are in memory of two important people to the twirling community.  The College Miss Majorette of the Southwest is awarded the Tony Pierce Memorial Award. This award was started in 2008 by Janice Jackson Seamands and supported by the Pierce/Johnson/Ashcraft/Mayben Families. The Teenage Miss Majorette of the Southwest is awarded the Shane Downey Memorial Trophy.  This award was started in 2012 by the Mickey and Payne Families.  Both are very prestigious awards and a special part of the Southwest Regional Championships.

Message from the Directors: The Johnson family looks forward to having everyone back in Canyon, TX! Thank you for your continued support!

Want to attend this event? Please download the Southwest Regional Entry Form, visit the Online Registration Form, or contact the Contest Directors at gvjohnson61@yahoo.com. 

Also, don't forget to check out www.texastwirl.com/contests.html for information and entry forms for many upcoming contests in the State of Texas. There are many great contests heading our way, and their deadlines are around the corner!

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? Please contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

Contest Calendar Series - 2020 Dallas Twirling Festival

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Competition season is officially here in Texas! We are only 5 days from Twirl in the Woods, which is the first NBTA Contest of 2020, and we loved seeing all the great photos from the USTA TSTC Winter Fest competition held this past weekend in Magnolia, Texas. A huge congrats to all the competitors who participated in Winter Fest, and a special shout out the High Scoring Champions - Tara Zielinski (Strut), Maggie Chrudimsky (2 Baton), Keriann Hollis (3 Baton), McKenzie Gomez (Solo), and Agnesa Dolomite (Artistic Twirl). Way to go ladies!

With January events well in motion, it is time to look forward to our February event entry deadlines!

Today our Contest Calendar Series post is about the 2020 Dallas Twirling Festival!

*DEADLINE JANUARY 23RD* Please note that the deadline for this competition is Thursday, January 23rd, 2020. You must have your entry postmarked by this date. Payment can be sent via Venmo or with a money order/cashiers check. Click here to download the entry form. For more information, please contact the contest directors at texastouchofclass@gmail.com.

Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Who: Contest Directors Shirley Payne & Sheila Payne Rigelsky
What: 49th Annual Dallas Twirling Festival
When: Saturday, February 8th, 2020. Doors open at 7:00 am. Contest begins at 8:00 am.
Where: DeSoto High School (Freshman Campus), 620 S. Westmoreland Road, DeSoto, TX 75115

Why: This competition is a legacy competition. Not only is it in its 49th year, which is something to be said on it's own, but it is directed by a mother/daughter duo. Twirlers from all over Texas, and surrounding states, come to this competition. This competition is also known for having out of state judges, so that contestants get a wide variety of comments. The directors have had years, and years, and YEARS of experience directing competitions; therefore, the event runs smoothly and timely. They also bring an upbeat element of fun throughout the day!

CONTEST HASHTAG: #dallastwirlfest2020
For this event, we would love for our Texas Twirlers to utilize the hashtag #dallastwirlfest2020 when posting photos of this competition on social media. Please also tag the Twirling is Catching FB page or Instagram account (@twirlingiscatchingtx) and we might share your picture on social media!

Highlighted Event: A highlighted event of this competition is the Parent/Twirler Duet category! Since this contest is directed by a mother/daughter, it is only fitting that other duos show off their talents!

Unique Feature: The awards are beautiful and PINK! Nice sized trophies, unique first place pageant awards, and beautiful tiaras are awarded. Also, all enjoy the special ratings trophies, as well as, the vintage medals awarded to the runners up.

Note from the Directors:  Miss Shirley and Sheila appreciate all the support over the last 48 years, and look forward to many more years! See you on February 8th!

Want to attend this event? Please download the Dallas Twirling Festival 2020 Entry Form, or contact the directors at texastouchofclass@gmail.com.

Also, don't forget to check out www.texastwirl.com/contests.html for information and entry forms for many upcoming contests in and around the State of Texas. There are many great contests heading our way, and you don't want 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? Please contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

Contest Calendar Series - 2020 East TX Valentine's Twirling Festival

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Can you believe it is already almost halfway through January and we are only days from the first Texas NBTA contest in 2020? Who all is going to Twirl in the Woods? Make sure to tag us in your photos and we will share them through the day! It is also time to think about the next upcoming contest entry. February is right around the corner, and this is a contest you will not want to miss!

Today's Contest Calendar Series is the 2020 East Texas Valentine's Twirling Festival & Twirl Day Clinic!

*DEADLINE JANUARY 20TH* Please note that the deadline for this competition is Monday, January 20, 2020, so get your entry in the mail ASAP. Click here to download the entry form. For more information, please contact the contest director, Janice Jackson Seamands at jjtwrldnc@aol.com or (214) 697-5310.

Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Who: Contest Director Janice Jackson Seamands
What: 2020 East Texas Valentine's Twirling Festival & Twirl Day Clinic
When: Saturday, February 22nd, 2020. Doors open at 7:30 am. Contest begins at 8:30 am.
Where: Sabine High School, 5324 FM 1252 West, Gladewater, TX 75647
Why: Being that this is the only NBTA contest in East Texas, this is an important contest for our ever-growing East Texas Twirling population. With a great location, the 2020 Valentine's Twirling Festival will bring a ton of awesome twirlers together.

CONTEST HASHTAG: #easttxtwirlfest2020. For this event, we would love if our Texas Twirlers to utilize the hashtag #easttxtwirlfest2020 when posting photos on social media. Please also tag the Twirling is Catching FB page or Instagram account (@twirlingiscatchingtx) and we might share your picture on social media!

Highlighted Event: An additional bonus to this contest is the Twirl Day Clinic on Sunday, February 23rd from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Sabine High School Gyms. Cost of the Clinic is only $75, and for that you get great instruction from some fantastic Twirling Coaches! Camp classes will include multiple baton, X-Strut, rolls, body work, UIL routines, field tricks, and more.

Some of the amazing instructors for this Twirl Clinic include Nicole Jensen, Michael Lopez, Kristen Scali Smith, Melinda Mann and several others. ALL twirling levels will have Professional Instructors to help your twirler improve their skills.

Want to attend this event? Please download the 2020 East Texas Valentine's Twirling Festival Entry Form, or contact the director, Janice Jackson Seamands, at jjtwrldnc@aol.com.

Also, don't forget to check out www.texastwirl.com/contests.html for information and entry forms for many upcoming contests in the State of Texas. There are many great contests heading our way, and their deadlines are around the corner!

Credit for photos in this post: Nina Edwards, Marty Lane, and Robin Crossland

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? Please contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

Contest Calendar Series - 2020 Double T Twirling Championships

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Welcome to January! Shortly we will be full swing into competition season. With only two weeks until Twirl in the Woods, it is time to decide which contests you are attending this season and start getting those entries in the mail. When you are looking at events, make sure to consider this awesome competition where you can get your routines on the floor and support a great group of Collegians at the same time

Today our Contest Calendar Series is about the 2020 Double T Twirling Championships!

*DEADLINE JANUARY 10TH* Please note that the deadline for this competition is Friday, January 10, 2020, so get your entry in the mail this week. Click here to download the contest entry form. For more information, please contact the Contest Director, Bethany Tolley, at 806-777-7792.

Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Who: Contest Director Bethany Tolley & the Texas Tech Twirlers
What: 2020 Double T Twirling Championships
When: Saturday, January 25th, 2020. Contest begins at 9:00 am.
Where: Premier Lubbock Sportsplex, 9000 Memphis Drive, Lubbock, TX 79423

Why: Not only is this the first panhandle area contest of the season, it is also a fundraiser to help the Texas Tech University Twirlers attend AYOP in July. The Tech Twirlers this season are an amazing group and this contest will support them on their way to Nationals.

CONTEST HASHTAG: #doubleTtwirlchamps2020
For this event, we would love if our Texas Twirlers to utilize the hashtag #doubleTtwirlchamps2020 when posting photos of this competition on social media. Please also tag the Twirling is Catching FB page or Instagram account (@twirlingiscatchingtx) and we might share your picture on social media!

Unique Feature: Are you a Red Raider fan? Make sure to purchase a contest shirt! Wear your red and black and gets those guns up to support the Tech Twirlers at the contest, and after! Plus, since the shirts are by Freestyle Design Co. (run by former Tech Feature Twirler, Amanda Tolley), you know they will be super cute!

Want to attend this event? Please download the Double T Twirling Championships Entry Form, or contact the Contest Director, Bethany Tolley, at 806-777-7792. Also, don't forget to check out texastwirl.com/contests.html for information and entry forms for many upcoming contests in the State of Texas. There are many great competitions heading our way, and their deadlines are just around the corner!

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? Please contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it.  

3...2...1... Happy 2020! 2019 Year End Countdown

Hello and Happy New Year Texas Twirl Fans!

The new year always brings memories of the year that has past, and hope for the year to come.

Texas Twirling had many, many, many amazing moments in 2019...

• Analeia Aleman making the 2020 WFNBTA USA World Team in 2 Baton
• Collyn Lambeck winning the Beginner Tiny Tot National Pageant
•  Halle Burton winning the Intermediate Junior National Pageant
• Jaidyn Poole & Kaylynn Lambert placing Top Ten in their MMOA Pageants
• Emily Perkins winning the 2019 USTA Collegiate Championship
• Maggie Barnett & KK Tunnell representing as NBTA Ambassadors to Peru
• Adaline Bebo & Emily Perkins representing as USTA Ambassadors to Peru
• Five Texas Twirlers competed in the International Cup & Grand Prix in France with many Top Ten placements, including Emily Perkins winning two silver medals.
• Four Texas Twirlers winning their modeling in their National Pageant
• Three Texas Twirlers in National Majorette Semi-finals, with Collyn making Top Six 
• Eleven Texas Twirlers competing in the 2019 Twirl Mania Championship
• And too many National first place wins to even begin to list all of them!

With the fantastic talent that is developing in Texas, we can't wait to see what 2020 brings for #TeamTexas!

For the blog this past year, we have continued to live out our mission to help keep our sport and our community going strong by bringing us together. It just makes every moment of time spent on these posts worth it when we go to contests and see twirlers from all over Texas that may not have known who the others were, taking pictures together and enjoying the friendships that come with twirling. #TeamTexas is amazing and we are so blessed to be a part of it!

To celebrate, here is our annual Goodbye 2019 post to take a look back at the past year of this blog's existence and recognize those that have helped contribute to our mission...

2019 Blog Countdown… 

• 75 Total Blog Posts
• 17 Contest/Camp Calendar Series Posts
• 15 Collegiate Twirler Announcements
• 13 Collegiate Twirler Spotlights
• 12 Friday Night Lights Features
• 11 #TeamTexas at AYOP Posts
• 5 Stories about Texas Twirlers
• 2 Collegiate Twirler Guide Posts + Updates

*Total Number of Blog Page Views Since January 1st – 24,897
*First Blog Post of 2019 – Contest Calendar Series East TX Valentine’s Twirling Festival 2019
*Top Friday Night Lights Feature Post – Henderson High School Twirling Line
*Top Collegiate Twirler Spotlight Post – University of Oklahoma, Emily Perkins
*Highest Viewed #TeamTexas AYOP 2019 Post – Twirling Sweet Sensations
*Highest # of Likes on Instagram - #Texastwirlerstravel Kaylynn, Sophia, and Jaidyn at GA State
*Highest # of Likes on Facebook – Collyn Lambeck wins Beginner Tiny Tot National Pageant
*Highest # of Shares on Facebook – Henderson High School Twirling Line
*Highest Viewed Contest Calendar Series – Final Countdown… NBTA Texas State 2019!
*Highest Viewed Collegiate Twirler Announcement – 2019-20 Texas Tech University Twirlers

Top 10 Posts By Page View Numbers:

• #1: 1,697 page views – Collegiate Twirler Spotlight, University of Oklahoma
• #2: 702 page views – Collegiate Twirler Spotlight, University of Texas
• #3: 682 page views – Friday Night Lights Feature, Henderson High School Twirling Line
• #4: 611 page views – Friday Night Lights Feature, Henderson High School Feature Twirlers
• #5: 545 page views – Fright Night Lights Feature, The Woodlands High School
• #6: 531 page views – Collegiate Twirler Announcement, Texas Tech University
• #7: 489 page views – Collegiate Twirler Spotlight, Stephen F Austin Twirl-O-Jacks
• #8: 471 page views – Collegiate Twirler Announcement, Southern Methodist University
• #9: 438 page views – Friday Night Lights Feature, Chapel Hill High School
• #10: 435 page views – 2019 Collegiate Twirler Audition Guide

Congrats to all of those who made it into the end of year wrap up and Top 10 list, and a big THANK YOU to everyone who has read, liked, shared, or contributed to any of our posts this year.

While we do have our Contest Calendar Series, Contest Wrap-Up Series, Collegiate Twirler Audition Guide and Announcements, plus some new post series in progress, we are always looking for fun, new angles and information to share. Have an idea for an upcoming post or some exciting news to share with the community? Email texastwirlcontact@gmail.com.

Until the next post, we leave you with our wishes that you have a fantastic new year...