Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - San Diego State University Feature Twirler

 

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

As we cross in to the middle of October, which puts us halfway through football season, we are excited to feature one of our Miss Majorette of Texas title holders. We hope you enjoyed following her Instastory Takeover all the way from California, and we know you will enjoy learning more about this talented twirler. 

This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the San Diego State University Feature Twirler!

San Diego State University, located in San Diego, California, is the home of the Aztecs, and led by SDSU twirling coach and former College Miss Majorette of America, Catherine Watters, they are becoming a growing presence in elite baton twirling. It is also the new home of Texas Twirler turned California girl, Kaylynn Lambert! Kaylynn is a well known name in Texas, and we were all very excited to see her named as the sole SDSU Feature Twirler for Fall 2021. Since she headed out to California, we have loved seeing the videos and pictures of her wowing the Aztec community, and are happy to see such a great representative of Texas and baton twirling holding that position. 

We asked Kaylynn why she decided to attend SDSU, and she told us, “I chose SDSU because of the research opportunities I will be able to obtain as I continue in college, as well as the amazing experience I had with the band program at a past SDSU Twirler Day!”

With her audition process falling in the weird COVID year last Spring, we wanted to know what Kaylynn had to do to earn her position. “SDSU’s audition process was completely online this year due to COVID. I submitted a down the field routine to the fight song and a multiple baton routine to my choice of music, and then followed it up with a zoom interview.”

In choosing to go to SDSU, Kaylynn made the decision to not only go out of state, but halfway across the country. We wanted to know what helped her make that decision, and what challenges she has faced being so far from home. “I chose to go out of state because I have always craved independence and what better way to get than moving 1500 miles away! I struggled with the stress of living without my parents there to cook my food, help me with school, and just be there to talk to. However, I have gotten involved more in the variety of communities on campus so it’s easier to live so far away from home. Going out of state is a great way to get yourself used to living independently and while it can be scary at times, overall, it helps you grow as a person! Plus, you get to meet so many new people that come from all over the world!!

Now that we know how she ended up in Cali, let's learn more about her twirling experiences!

Kaylynn Lambert
Kaylynn is a freshman from The Woodlands, Texas, and is majoring in Biology. She has been twirling for 13 years. Currently a member of the Mickey’s Majorettes, she is coached by Patti Mickey and Kayli Mickey-McIntosh, as well as SDSU Twirling Coach Catherine Watters. The competition titles she is the proudest of earning were the 2021 Senior Miss Majorette of Texas and being awarded the Major Margaret Mann “Innovative Choreography Award” for her Senior Advanced Solo. Her favorite field tricks involve two batons. “I absolutely love doing really cool two baton tricks on the field. My favorite are opposition tricks!” In baton twirling she has always looked up to and been inspired by Caroline Carothers. After college she hopes to get into graduate school and earn her Masters. 
 

Fun Facts!
Favorite Color – White
Favorite Music Genre – soft pop music.
Favorite Movie – “That is really hard to pick but I think it would have to be Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

Favorite Quote…
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure” - from The Alchemist

When she is not twirling, she loves to... 
“Watch Netflix and spend time with my family and friends.”

Something people might not know about her is... 
“I played French Horn from 5th grade-11th grade.”

Best moment as a baton twirler…
“The best moment I have ever experienced as a baton twirler was a very recent interaction I had with some little kids after a football game. They were so excited and happy to hear about twirling and it just reminded me of why this sport is my absolute favorite!”

Funniest moment as a baton twirler…
“The funniest moments I have had as a baton twirler were during team practices because my teammates would always make the funniest jokes.”
 
Most memorable advice from her coach… 
“Mrs. Mickey once told me that the judges always want to see you succeed and that they are cheering you on as you perform. Any time that I get nervous I just think about that, and it helps instantly.”

The #1 non-twirling life skill she has learned from baton twirling…
“Twirling has taught me how to effectively and confidently communicate with adults, which is super important.”

Advice to future baton twirlers…
“The hardest part about trying out for college twirling positions is not knowing where you will end up, but I promise that you will end up in a place that is best for you!”

Best SDSU School Tradition…
“My favorite school tradition is Aztec Nights which are events the school puts on every Friday that go until 2 am most days!”

Best SDSU Band Tradition…
“My favorite band tradition is when the whole band runs onto the field at the beginning of our pre-game show.”

Advice for a twirler about to go into the college auditions…
“To trust the process, even if you feel hopeless, because it will all work out for the best in the end.”
 
We experienced some unprecedented circumstances last year. We wanted to know how Kaylynn kept her motivation up and what she learned from the situation. She told us, “I stayed motivated by looking into the future and setting goals for the next competition season! I did face challenges at the beginning of the pandemic because I wasn’t managing my time, but I learned that practicing for a few hours every day really brightened my mood! Also, the lesson I took away from COVID was that I need to appreciate the time I have with those around me”

 
We want to thank Kaylynn for sharing her Game Day with us and we loved learning more about her and her experiences. We are so proud of Kaylynn and what she is accomplishing and we know she will continue to grow the twirling presence at SDSU. Way to go Kaylynn, and GO AZTECS!!

Each season this blog likes to get to know many of our awesome Texas twirlers a little better by learning about their experiences. We will be meeting many HS twirlers on Fridays throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights during the week. We will also be having many of our HS and Collegiate twirlers take over our Social Media Story for their Game Days. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!