Miss Texas 2021: Meet the Twirlers - Miss Rockwall

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Miss Texas week is has been wonderful so far. Congrats on all the amazing performances yesterday, and we wish them all continued good luck today. To make sure our twirlers get the proper level of support from the twirling community, during Miss Texas Week we will be doing an interview with all of the baton twirlers that will be competing. We want to come together and unite to celebrate and support these young women as they represent our community and show Texas what twirlers can do!

Our last Miss Texas twirler is the 2021 Miss Rockwall, K.K. Tunnell!

PEOPLE'S CHOICE VOTING IS OPEN! Help support our Texas Twirlers in their mission to get baton twirling to the Miss Texas stage! Top 2 highest "votes" get a guaranteed spot to perform in the semi-finals. Check out K.K.’s People’s Choice Voting Site here. Each vote is $, and every $1 counts!

K.K. Tunnell is 20 years old from Rockwall, Texas. She is a Feature Twirler at Texas Christian University, a member of the Texas Touch of Class, and is coached by Shirley Payne and Sheila Payne Rigelsky. At TCU, K.K. is going into her sophomore year and is majoring in Kinesiology with a plan to later attend Chiropractic School. Her favorite memory as a baton twirler was when she got to serve as a Baton Twirling ambassador to Peru. “The whole trip was such a life changing experience. I loved getting to meet and perform for the Peruvian people as well as the amazing group of girls I traveled with!”

Miss Texas OT Platform: Developed minds through caring hearts.

What made you pursue competing in the MAO? From being in baton twirling, I have known contestants in the the MAO. I heard nothing but positive experiences from them and was encouraged to compete myself. Also the MAO is a scholarship organization which is always a bonus, especially in college. 

How would you say Baton Twirling has helped you in your MAO journey? Baton twirling not only is my talent, but has helped prepare me in the competition aspect of Miss Texas. I am used to twirling and performing in front of others as well as being able to think fast on my feet and expect the unexpected. 

Why did you select your platform? My platform 'Developing Minds Through Caring Hearts' focuses on the homeless crisis facing children. My sophomore year of high school my student council volunteered with an organization called Vogel Alcove in Dallas who focuses on providing school like daycare for homeless families. These innocent children lack resources for normal development which Vogel Alcove aids in. I immediately fell in love with this organization and work to raise awareness and donations to help end the devastating cycle of homelessness. 

What has been the most rewarding moment as Miss Rockwall? Engaging with children and seeing the excitement on their faces. I love being able to be a role model for them and encourage them to be their best selves.

What has been the hardest part about competing in the MAO pageants? With this being my first year to complete there are some unknowns about the competition week and how everything will play out, but overall I’m very excited for this new opportunity! 

What advice would you have for other twirlers thinking about going the pageant route? I would say go for it! The MAO is amazing and empowers young women across the country. As a competitor, remember to stay true to who you are and be confident in yourself!    

Thank you so much to K.K. for taking time to answer our questions. We know you will be a beautiful example of baton twirling on and off the stage. #TeamTexas is so excited for you!

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 2021: Meet the Twirlers - Miss Coppell

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Miss Texas week is officially underway, and these beautiful twirlers have been doing an amazing job. To make sure our twirlers get the proper level of support from the twirling community, during Miss Texas Week we will be doing an interview with all of the baton twirlers that will be competing. We want to come together and unite to celebrate and support these young women as they represent our community and show Texas what twirlers can do!

Our first Miss Texas twirler is the 2021 Miss Coppell, Chailie Alsaffar!

PEOPLE'S CHOICE VOTING IS OPEN! Help support our Texas Twirlers in their mission to get baton twirling to the Miss Texas stage! Top 2 highest "votes" get a guaranteed spot to perform in the semi-finals. Check out Chailie’s People’s Choice Voting Site here. Each vote is $, and every $1 counts!

 
Chailie Alsaffar is 20 years old from Highland Village, Texas. She the 2021-2022 Head Twirler for the Texas Tech University Twirlers, which are coached by Bethany Tolley. At TTU she is going in to her third year as a Kinesiology major. In baton twirling, her two favorite accomplishments were being named the 2020 Southwest Regional Collegiate Downfield Champion and the 2017 Intermediate Junior National X-Strut Winner. 

Being a Texas Tech Twirler has been one of her most rewarding experiences as a twirler as well. When I twirled in high school, my school did not have a band so I would usually twirl to an 80’s song blaring on a speaker. It was such an amazing experience to come to Texas Tech and twirl with one of the best bands in the Big 12. I will never forget turning around in my first halftime show to do a two spin and seeing my brother playing his trumpet right behind me. We were the most iconic band siblings ever!
 
Miss Texas OT Platform: Pups With A Purpose

Life Motto: Be the change you want to see…

What made you pursue competing in the MAO? I grew up watching the Miss America competition with my mom. I remember watching a baton twirler competing in the talent portion on tv one year. I do not know if I was fascinated with the sparkly costumes or the shiny batons but I told my mom I wanted to twirl and the rest is history. I decided to compete in MAO for the amazing scholarship opportunities and because I owed it to my younger self to compete and fulfill my dream.

 
How would you say Baton Twirling has helped you in your MAO journey? Baton twirling teaches you to be flexible and adapt to change quickly. I have had a lot of learning experiences as a titleholder, especially during the peak of the pandemic when the competition was postponed. Miss Texas is always kept on her toes and needs to be ready for anything, which baton twirling certainly prepares you for.

 
Why did you select your platform? My social impact, Pups with a Purpose, educates people on the importance of service dogs and therapy dogs for individuals with disabilities. After my aunt passed away from complications of PTSD, my family and I wanted to find a way to prevent that loss from ever happening to another family. We found Project 2 Heal, which is a nonprofit organization in North Carolina that breeds service dogs, so we funded a litter in my aunt Kathy’s honor. Ever since then, I have been using Pups with a Purpose to educate people across the nation about how these canines can be life-saving for many people.
 
What has been the most rewarding moment as Miss Coppell? I recently got in contact with one of the recipients of Kathy’s litter of service dogs. I got to see Frannie, the service dog, in action and the strong bond she has developed with her handler and his family. He was so thankful for my family and for me acting as a voice for so many who feel overlooked. I knew after speaking to him that my work in MAO means so much more than wearing a crown and sash. Pups with a Purpose is opening up meaningful conversations and raising awareness for the amazing work that service dogs do.
 
What has been the hardest part about competing in the MAO pageants? I have waited almost two years to compete for Miss Texas since my original crowning in August 2019. If there is anything COVID has taught me, it is patience. The hardest thing to overcome was time, and continuing to prepare for competition throughout a pandemic. I am ready to compete, and I am so excited that the wait is almost over.
 
What advice would you have for other twirlers thinking about going the pageant route? Just go for it. You never know what the outcome will be if you do not try. You will learn so much about yourself and accomplish things you never knew you could be capable of if you join the Miss America Organization. MAO will empower you and push you to be the best version of yourself while also teaching you the importance of advocating for causes you care about.
 

We absolutely love that! Thank you so much to Chailie for taking time to answer our questions. We wish you the best of luck as you compete on the Miss Texas stage. We are so excited to see your smiling face, and #TeamTexas is supporting you from all over the state. 

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 2021: Meet the Twirlers - Miss Austin's OT

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Yesterday was super exciting for the twirling world as we saw several baton twirlers win their State titles within the Miss America Organization. A huge congrats especially to the new Miss Arkansas, Whitney Williams! We know our Texas Twirlers are packed up and headed to Miss Texas week, and we are all so happy to get to support FOUR Texas baton twirlers this coming week as they compete for the titles of 2021 Miss Texas & Miss Texas Outstanding Teen!

To make sure our twirlers get the proper level of support from the twirling community, leading up to the Miss Texas pageant (June 20th to 26th) we will be doing an interview with the baton twirlers that will be competing. We want to come together and unite to celebrate and support these young women as they represent our community and show Texas what twirlers can do!

Our first Miss Texas OT twirler is the 2021 Miss Austin’s Outstanding Teen, Anna Lilie!

PEOPLE'S CHOICE VOTING IS OPEN! Help support our Texas Twirlers in their mission to get baton twirling to the Miss Texas OT stage! Top 2 highest "votes" get a guaranteed spot to perform in the semi-finals. Check out Anna’s People’s Choice Voting Site here. Each vote is $, and every $1 counts! Not to mention, it is raising money for a great cause, the Miss Texas Scholarship Foundation!

Anna Lilie is 14 years old and is from Austin, TX. She is a member of Twirl ATX and is coached by Whitney Coons. She just completed the ninth grade at Austin High School. The title she has been the most proud to earn as a baton twirler was the 2019 Beginner Pre-Teen Texas State Pageant Winner, and her favorite experience as a baton twirler has been getting to perform for different events within the community and for her school. She loves showing off the hard work she has put in to her routines through spending many hours practicing in a gym.

 

Miss Texas OT Platform: You Do You

Life Motto: Stay True To Who You Are… You Do You!

What made you pursue competing in the MAO? I have grown up watching amazing twirlers compete on the MAO stage. I have always wanted to follow in their footsteps. It is a new challenge and I am always up for a challenge! 

How would you say Baton Twirling has helped you in your MAO journey? Baton Twirling has helped me learn how to connect with my audience and has helped develop my stage presence. Because of my twirling training and performances, I am more confident in my new journey within the Miss America Organization. 

Why did you select your platform? I had to switch schools in 3rd grade. That was really hard for me because everyone at my new school had known each other from pre-k or kindergarten and they all did the same things, like play sports together. It was very hard to “fit in”. I was the only baton twirler in my school and I really don’t think that anyone even knew that twirling was sport until I showed up! I told my Mom that I felt left out and maybe I should quit Twirling and do what the other girls did, like dance or play sports. My mom and I talked, and she told me that, “even if you do something different and something nobody else does, that is ok.” I realized that Baton Twirling was a skill that I had that made me unique. We also talked about how God put us here on the earth to do great things and to be unique and do different things; he put us on this earth for a reason. I learned that it was fine that I was doing something different, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks as long as I am happy. My Mom would say “If it brings you joy keep on doing it… you do you, Anna. You are great!”

My platform is “YOU DO YOU!”  My message to others is to do what truly makes you happy; do not change who you are or your interests to fit into a particular group. Stay true to who you are, you do you! 

What has been the most rewarding moment as your current title holder? I believe that being able to talk about my experiences and telling other adolescents to be true to themselves, “you do you”, and that it is ok to do something different that the crowd has been very rewarding. Being true to yourself is the best gift you can give to you and others around you. 

What has been the hardest part about competing in the MAO pageants? I feel like competitive twirling has prepared me for this experience at Miss Texas OT competition through the twirling performances I have been able to do through school, and the modeling & interviews we do at competitions. I feel that has really helped prepare me, but of course, there is always going to be a hard part to everything you do. I am just not exactly sure what that will be quite yet because I have never participated in Miss Texas Outstanding Teen competition before! I’ll get back to you on this! 

What advice would you have for other twirlers thinking about going the pageant route? It is so much fun getting to show off our unique talents in a different way, and really showing that it is ok to be unique and do different things like twirling. To me this is another fun way to display our sport! I cannot wait to perform on the stage! I think that the best way to experience a piece of what Miss Texas OT is like is to participate in a local competition. You can find the upcoming competitions at www.misstexas.org

Any fun or interesting stories or sidenotes you would like to add? I started twirling in 2nd grade. I watched my grandma, Mommo, twirl her old baton in the backyard. I knew I wanted to learn how to twirl after watching her! She also competed in pageants and competitions when she was younger. 

Another funny side note is I really did not like the modeling and interviewing at the twirling competitions in elementary school! My Mom and Coach would laugh because they said I looked everywhere but at the judge! After placing 5th at NBTA Nationals for the modeling and interviewing part I realized that I could actually do this! It is still something I am working on, but at least now I will make eye contact with the judge and will elaborate my answer when asked a question which is helpful!

It is amazing how much confidence changes when you get better as the modeling & interview portion of NBTA pageants, and we know it will serve Anna well this week. Thank you so much to Anna for taking time to answer our questions. We wish you the best of luck as you compete on the Miss Texas OT stage, and just know, all the Texas twirling is cheering for you! #TeamTexas supports Miss Austin's OT!

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 2021: Meet the Twirlers - Miss Midland's OT

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

This is always such an exciting time of year for twirling in Texas. The State Championship just wrapped up, and we are now we are all getting psyched about Miss Texas Week. We are all so happy to get to support FOUR Texas baton twirlers as they compete for the titles of 2021 Miss Texas & Miss Texas Outstanding Teen!

To make sure our twirlers get the proper level of support from the twirling community, leading up to the Miss Texas pageant (June 20th to 26th) we will be doing an interview with the baton twirlers that will be competing. We want to come together and unite to celebrate and support these young women as they represent our community and show Texas what twirlers can do!

Our first Miss Texas OT twirler is the 2021 Miss Midland’s Outstanding Teen, Baryn Brown!

PEOPLE'S CHOICE VOTING IS OPEN! Help support our Texas Twirlers in their mission to get baton twirling to the Miss Texas OT stage! Top 2 highest "votes" get a guaranteed spot to perform in the finals. Check out Baryn’s People’s Choice Voting Site here. Who wants to see these ladies perform live at the Miss Texas OT Finals? If you do, click on the link and support our twirlers!

Baryn is 14 years old and hails from Midland, TX, and is coached by Marlene Torres. She is in the ninth grade at Midland Christian. Her favorite title twirling win was the Intermediate Pageant at the Double T Contest in Lubbock, and her favorite moment as a twirler was when she got the opportunity to twirl in the Walt Disney World Nighttime Parade.

Miss Texas OT Platform: Braxton’s Brown Bears - Blessing Empty Arms to Remember a Sibling.

Life Motto: Go big or go home!

What made you pursue competing in the MAO? After being a Lone Star Princess for a couple of years, I wanted to be a part of something bigger alongside my passion of servant leadership!

How would you say Baton Twirling has helped you in your MAO journey? It has joined me with my fellow NBTA family in a common goal! We all look out for each other!

Why did you select your platform? My platform is in memory of my brother, Braxton. So many people suffer a loss at one time or another, but it is very difficult on kids who lose a sibling at a young age. Braxton’s Brown Bears is a non profit that my big brother and I started to hand out Angel Bears to kids who have lost a sibling as a way to remember them. They can color their wings and make it their own.

What has been the most rewarding moment as Miss Midland's OT? I really enjoyed crowning each attendant of prom at Bynum School, a school for mentally challenged students. Their smiles were contagious! 

What has been the hardest part about competing in the MAO pageants? Juggling all of the appearances while practicing twirling, interview, on stage routines, and school work!

What advice would you have for other twirlers thinking about going the pageant route? There is a bigger picture to setting a goal! Having fun along the way all while serving others and sharing your heart is the biggest part of Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen!

Any fun or interesting stories or sidenotes you would like to add? I have grown up around Tarabeth Echols Gertsch, and was one of her flower girls in her wedding, but never understood that she was a National level twirler, so I didn’t consider twirling all the years I was around her. I then used to watch Caroline Carothers at the Baylor football games on the field, and still never considered twirling! Then, on Caroline’s Miss Texas talent prelim, I looked at my mom, and said, “I want to do THAT” and the rest is history! All of a sudden, I wanted to twirl like the cool girls, and here I am with my two twirling role models by my side!

How fun is that? We love how twirling brings people together. Thank you so much to Baryn for taking time to answer our questions. We wish you the best of luck as you compete on the Miss Texas OT stage, and just know, all the Texas twirling community is behind you! #TeamTexas supports Miss Midland's OT!

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. 

Camp Calendar Series: JJ Superstarzzz Twirling Camp

 Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

As we all prepare for the NBTA Texas State Championship this weekend, we have another great twirling summer camp to tell you about. Make sure to check out the info below about the awesome JJ Superstarzzz Twirling Camp for a chance to work with some fantastic instructors. 

*REGISTRATION DEADLINE JUNE 15* Interested in attending JJ Superstarzzz Twirling Camp? Check out the Camp Brochure or contact Director Janice Jackson Seamands at jjtwrldnc@aol.com or 214-697-5310.

Who? What? Where? When? Why?

Who: Director Janice Jackson Seamands
What: 2021 JJ Superstarzzz Twirling Camp
Where: White Oak Baptist Church Gym, 117 White Oak Rd, White Oak, TX 75693
When: June 29, June 30, & July 1
Why:  Instruction for Novice to Elite levels. Great for Competition or Field Twirlers. National Prep Classes and Practice Time will be made available to anyone attending National Competitions. 

Wonderful Instructors: All classes will be taught by professional instructors including:

• World Gold Medalist, Former MMOA, and Twirler for University of Tennessee, Laney Puhalla
• College MMOS and former Univ. of South Carolina Feature Twirler, Sabrina Smith
• Former MMOA, World Medalist, and Former Univ. of Louisville Feature Twirler, Steffany Lien
• World Team Member, and Former Univ. of Nebraska Feature Twirler, Rachel Foehlinger
• Former SMU Feature Twirler and Former College MMoSW, Alex Bridges

Not only will these instructors be leading classes and prep sessions, but they are all available for private lessons as well! Make sure to include any private lessons requests with your registration!

Camp Logistics: Camp will occur June 29, June 30, and July 1. Cost is $360 for the full camp. Camp includes a healthy lunch each day and a camp t-shirt .

Each day of camp, twirlers will arrive in athletic/practice appropriate clothes and start the day with a group warm-up. They then will divide into sessions rotating each hour to a new class. Twirlers should bring with them their baton(s), twirling shoes, water, snacks, and a willingness to learn and try new things.

If this sounds like something that would be great for your twirler please check out the JJ Superstarzzz Camp Brochure. If you have any questions contact the Camp Director, Janice Jackson Seamands, at jjtwrldnc@aol.com or 214-697-5310.

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. 

Camp Calendar Series: Twirl TEX

 Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

In less than one week, Twirlers from all over Texas will be in Desoto for the NBTA Texas State Championships. So exciting! This event will be the last step on the way to Junior Olympics for many twirlers, and for others it will be the grand finale to their season.

Regardless of which category you fall in, or even if you aren't attending the State Championships, everyone is beginning to think about what their next move will be once State is over. Will you be going full speed forward training for Junior Olympics, the US Twirling Open, or USTA Nationals? Will you begin learning new routines for the Fall? Or do you just want to take some of your skills to the next level? No matter which option might be the right one for you, this is where camp Twirl Tex comes in!

*REGISTRATION DEADLINE JUNE 14* Interested in attending Twirl TEX? Please visit www.twirltex.co, email twirltex@gmail.com, or call Ashley Wood at 512-848-7426.

*Please Note* There are only about 18 spaces left for this camp as they are almost full. Make sure to get signed up ASAP! Want to sign up but need a payment plan? Email twirltex@gmail.com to set up a payment plan. We can do a 50% deposit at time of registration with the remaining 50% being paid at the door. Use this option to reserve your spot before we fill up. 

Who? What? Where? When? Why?
Who: Directors Ashley Wood & Pat Montgomery
What: 2021 Camp Twirl TEX
Where: Standard of Athletics Gym, 6219 Krempen Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78233

When: June 21st to 24th, 2021 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (half day on the 24th)
Why: Join us for this fun twirling summer camp where we combine twirling, amazing instructors, and twirl friends together to increase skills, challenge campers, and give everyone a positive and motivating experience

Amazing Instructors: This year Twirl TEX is so excited to welcome several out of state instructors that are all University Feature Twirlers as well as World Team Members and/or National Title Holders. 

• Penn State Blue Sapphires & Three Time Miss Majorette of America, Gillian Brooks
• ASU Feature Twirler, World Medalist, and Men's National Champion, Bower Sarra
• Ole' Miss Feature Twirler & World Team Gold Medalist, Alexa Tamburlin

Joining these three fantastic twirlers, will be additional in state instructors

• Former UTSA Feature Twirler, World Medalist, and Men's National Champion, Michael Lopez
• Former Arizona Twirler and Current UTSA Twirling Coordinator, Mary Ann Pozzi

Not only will these instructors be leading classes and prep sessions, but they are all available for private lessons as well! Make sure to include any private lessons requests with your registration!


Camp Logistics: Camp will occur June 21st to 23rd from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and June 24th from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. There is also a half day option (9:00 am to Noon or 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm). Cost is $290 for full day or $160 for half day. The full day camp includes a healthy lunch each day. The cost of camp also includes a t-shirt for twirlers to wear on the last day of camp (if registration is received in time) for the parent show-off performance at Noon.

Each day of camp, twirlers will arrive in athletic/practice appropriate clothes and start the day with a group warm-up. They then will divide into hour long sessions rotating each hour to a new class. Lunch is served at Noon, and the day ends at 4:00 pm. Twirlers should bring with them their baton(s), twirling shoes, water, snacks, and a willingness to learn and try new things.

If this sounds like an amazing opportunity and you want to enroll your twirler, please visit www.twirltex.co. If you have any questions, email twirltex@gmail.com, or call Ashley Wood at 512-848-7426.

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. 

2021 Southwest Regional Pageant Winners - Advanced Pageant

 Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

One week and counting until the NBTA Texas State Championship! In this final week leading up to State, we are taking a look back at the 2021 Southwest Regional Championship by honoring the pageant winners. With all the COVID safety precautions in place at Regionals per the facility, we were not able to have our traditional award ceremony. Due to that, here on the blog we are posting the pageant winners for each level with a picture of them in their sash and tiara. It isn't quite the same as stepping up on the blocks and being crowned, but at least we can give them a little recognition before we have our new round of pageant winners from State. Congrats to all of these talented twirlers on their success at Regionals. 

Today we will be recognizing the 2021 Miss Majorettes of the Southwest!

K.K. Tunnell

College Miss Majorette of the Southwest 

K.K. is from Rockwall, Texas, and is a Feature Twirler for Texas Christian University. She is a member of the Texas Touch of Class and is coached by Shirley Payne & Sheila Payne Rigelsky. 

Stephanie McBurnett

Senior Miss Majorette of the Southwest 

Stephanie is from San Antonio, Texas, and is a Feature Twirler for Texas Christian University. She is a member of the Mickey's Majorettes and is coached by Patti Mickey & Kayli Mickey-McIntosh with additional coaching from Tori Mays. 

Jaidyn Poole

Junior Miss Majorette of the Southwest

Jaidyn is from Katy, Texas, where she is the Feature Twirler for Seven Lakes High School. She is a member of the Mickey's Majorettes and is coached by Patti Mickey & Kayli Mickey-McIntosh.

Analeia Aleman

Pre-Teen Miss Majorette of the Southwest

Analeia is from Sherman, Texas. She is coached by Brianna Costello-Martin & Christina Aleman. 

Hailey Wood

Juvenile Miss Majorette of the Southwest

Hailey is from Cedar Park, Texas. She is a member of the Mickey's Majorettes and is coached by Kayli Mickey-McIntosh & Patti Mickey for individual events and is a member of Twirl ATX for teams.

CONGRATS TO ALL OUR SOUTHWEST MISS MAJORETTES!

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.