Contest Calendar Series: 2021 ATX Holiday Twirl Fest

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Now that we are well into November, the hints of the holidays are starting to show up everywhere. Music, lights, shopping... and even twirling contests! It is time to get ready to celebrate one of the best times of the year in the Austin, TX area with all your favorite twirling friends. We hope to see everyone in December!

Today our Contest Calendar Series is about the 2021 ATX Holiday Twirl Fest!

REGISTRATION DEADLINE THIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH 

Please note that the registration deadline for this contest is Friday, November 19th. Only online registrations will be accepted. Visit www.twirlatx.com/atx-twirl-fest.html to register, or you can contact the contest directors at 512-848-7426 or email atxtwirlfest@gmail.com. 

PLAYOFF HOLDS - If your High Schooler wants to enter but may have a football play-offs conflict, please have them register online, but do not pay via PayPal! After registering online, hit submit, but close the pay screen when it opens. Then email atxtwirlfest@gmail.com to let them know you are needing a Playoff Hold. They will email you back on how to send in a check to hold your spot. Please do not pay via PayPal if you need a playoff hold!

Who? What? When? Where? Why?

Who - Hosted by the Hutto HS Winterguard & Directed by Ashley Wood and Whitney Coons

What - 2021 ATX Holiday Twirl Fest

When - Saturday, December 4th, 2021. Doors open at 7:45 am. Contest begins at 8:15 am.

Where - Hutto High School, 101 Chris Kelley Blvd, Hutto, TX 78634 (North East of Austin, TX)

Why - The ATX Holiday Twirl Fest is a fun holiday themed contest. Holiday music is played for modeling and solo, the decorations and awards are holiday themed (custom snowflake ornament medals, snowflake trophies, etc), and you get to compete for Miss Holiday Model or the Miss Twirling Snowflake title. Also, make sure to catch a photo op with the Candy Cane archway! 

CONTEST HASHTAG! #atxtwirlfest2021

For this event we would love to see our Texas Twirlers to utilize the hashtag #atxtwirlfest2021 when posting photos of the competition weekend on social media. Use the hashtag and your photo could end up on this blog or the contest site! Don't forget to tag @twirlingiscatchingtx on Facebook or Instagram and we may share your pic on one of our pages.

*NEW FOR 2021* The Candy Cane Cup Twirl Off!

New this year, the ATX Holiday Twirl Fest will be offering the Candy Cane Cup Twirl Off. The top winners in each division will twirl again to determine the Candy Cane Cup Winner! A Candy Cane Cup “trophy” and sash will be awarded to one winner from each division (Novice, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced). We are so excited for this event, and can’t wait until everyone sees the “trophy”! 

Highlighted Event - Created to honor contest co-director, Ashley Wood's, mother, who fought and defeated Breast Cancer in 2015, and to celebrate all the women in our twirling community that have overcome so much, there is a special Best Costume event, unlike any Best Costume event you have seen before. The "Honorary Best Costume" competition puts all ages against each other on the floor at the same time to judge who has the "best costume". The entry fee for this event ($10) is a direct donation to Twirling to Fight Cancer. TTFC Founder, John 'Baton' Mitchell, will once again be judging at the contest, and will be there to accept the donation check. Last year this event raised $400.00 for TTFC... What will it be this year?

*Special for 2021* Both the Twirling to Fight Cancer High School & College Ambassadors will be in attendance! Amber & Alexis will be selling their T2FC Fundraising items, Amber’s Spirit Batons & Clips For A Cure, as well as Twirling to Fight Cancer merchandise, and they will available for photo ops. Make sure to come and say hi to these awesome National Ambassadors. 

Congrats to Kaylynn Lambert, the recipient of the 2020 13+ Best Costume Award

Interested in attending this event? Visit www.twirlatx.com/atx-twirl-fest.html for the online registration link. Have any questions? Contact atxtwirlfest@gmail.com or call /text Ashley at 512-848-7426. 

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 so many great contests heading our way, and we don't want anyone to miss out!

We hope you have 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 info we could use to help highlight our sport? Please contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it.

Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - Sam Houston State University Feature Twirlers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Can you believe competition season starts on Friday here in Texas?  We know today's featured twirlers are doing everything they can to get the most out of their football season during these final weeks. We loved following their Game Day experience on the Instastory Takeover on Saturday, and we hope you did too!

This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the Sam Houston State University Feature Twirlers!

Sam Houston State University (also known as SHSU), located in Huntsville, Texas, is the home of the Bearkats, and the awesome SHSU Feature Twirlers, Madison Frantzen and Yelayna Rossi! These twirlers, lead by SHSU Twirling Sponsor, Kelly McCormick, shine bright on the field as they represent their Bearkats at Elliot T. Bowers Stadium. 

We asked Madison and Yelayna what brought them to SHSU, and as Yelayna said, it was all about location, location, location! Madison agreed as well. “I chose Sam Houston State University because it is so close to home and all my of family went there!”

The SHSU twirlers had a little different of an experience for their auditions back in Spring 2020. As Madison told us, “For the audition process you have to submit a video of your past twirling performances, a full body photo, resume, and letters of recommendation. Then if you are chosen for the second part of the audition you will do a live audition and interview for our sponsor, Kelley McCormick and the band director! I was extremely nervous when I first audition but it was 100% worth it!” While that sounds like a pretty normal audition process, Yelayna filled us in on why Spring 2020 was different. “Due to COVID, it was a video audition for the first round, and then the second round was a LIVE zoom audition.”

These twirlers have to stay on top of their skills though, because at SHSU it is required that they re-audition every year. With the weird year they had in 2020-2021, it was great to see both of them retain their positions during the Spring 2021 audition process, and we love seeing them on the field this year. 

Now that we have learned more about what brought them to SHSU, let’s learn more about them!

Madison Frantzen
Madison is a Sophomore from The Woodlands, Texas, and is Double Majoring in Composite Science and Education. She has been twirling for 8 years as a Mickey’s Majorette, and is coached by Patti Mickey & Kayli Mickey-Mcintosh. The competition title she is the proudest of earning is when her Mickey’s Majorette team won the Gold Medal at the 2021 AAU Junior Olympic National Competition for Senior Dance Twirl. Her favorite trick is anything three baton or rolls, and in baton twirling she has been most inspired by her former teammate, Izzy Obias. After college she hopes to become a professor at Sam Houston!

Yelayna Rossi
Yelayna is a Sophomore from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is Majoring in Political Science and minoring in Public Administration and Public Policy. At SHSU, in addition to being a Feature Twirler, she is also a sister of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She has been twirling for 15 years with coaches Lisa Dorfman and Kim Hoag. The title she is the proudest of earning was Miss Congeniality at the 2019 Miss 4th of July Pageant. Her favorite competition routine is her two baton, and her favorite field trick is a toss front walkover. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Paige Rossi. After college she hopes to become a state house representative alongside her mother. 

Fun Facts!
Favorite Color – Pink (Madison), Blue (Yelayna)
Favorite TV Show – “Anything that is reality TV!” (Madison)
Favorite Beverage – Coffee! (Yelayna)

Favorite Quote…
Madison – “It is okay to struggle, but it is not okay to give up!”
Yelayna – “Be strong and courageous, for god is with you wherever you go.”

When they are not twirling, they love to…
Madison – “I am either studying for classes, or I am cooking and spending time with my friends.”
Yelayna – “Workout.”

Something people might not know about them is…
Madison – “I have wanted to be teacher since the 5th grade!”
Yelayna – “I have seven siblings!”

Best memory as a baton twirler…
Madison – “My best memories are from working with my team this past year to accomplish the huge goal of winning a National Title at the Junior Olympics.”
Yelayna – “Either having a no drop on the field, or getting 1st runner up at Twirl Mania!”

Funniest memory as a baton twirler…
Madison – “My funniest moment on the field was when Sophia (my High School Co-Feature Twirler) and I had to do a lift for our band show, and she ended up hitting me in the face during the performance.”
Yelayna – “Running into a flute when on the field or when we had to run a mile.” 

Most memorable advice from their coaches…
Madison – “Just have fun! You have done everything you possibly could to prepare for this moment.”
Yelayna - “Even if your gonna drop, drop it pretty!” - Lisa Dorfman 

#1 Non-Twirling Life Skill they have learned from baton twirling…
Madison – “I have learned how to be confident and trust myself. I always put so much pressure on myself in anything I do in life and twirling showed me that even when I drop, it doesn’t matter because there is family and friends who will always love me and that’s the most important thing in life.”
Yelayna – “To be organized.”

Advice for future baton twirlers…
Madison – “The advice I would give to other twirlers is that your attitude is just as important as the skills you do on the field.”
Yelayna – “Always smile big and have fun!”

Best School Tradition…
Madison – “When we call out “Sam” and “Houston” at the games.”
Yelayna – “The fight song.”

Best Band Tradition…
Madison – “For pregame the band runs on the field yelling and getting excited.”
Yelayna – “The trombone player.”

What advice would they give to a twirler about to go into college auditions… 
Madison – “While you may have advance skills, college twirling is so much more than about difficulty. It is about how you will represent the school and the band program!”
Yelayna – “Have a good attitude no matter what. Personality is key!”

Last year we experience an unprecedented issue with COVID. We asked them how they both prepared for this year. Yelayna told us she just focused on the future. “I stayed motivated because we continued to have practices outside and I was focused on the coming football season!”

Madison, on the other hand, really leaned on her teamates to help her through. "COVID has affected the Sam Houston Twirlers a lot because last year we unfortunately had no games. However, I kept myself motivated by being part of a team in my competition group, Mickey’s Majorettes. I learned that even when you feel like giving up there is a light at the end of the tunnel. There would be times I would not touch a baton for weeks but once I started team, I never wanted to let my teammates down. After pushing through those times, I now get to enjoy games and I could not love game day more!”

We are so glad both of these twirlers found their motivation to bring them back on the field this year. A big thank you to Madison and Yelayna for sharing you Game Day with us, and we wish y'all a great rest of your season. Eat Em Up Kats! 

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!

Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - Kilgore College Twirlers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

It is amazing how fast this season has gone. We are only 10 days away from the entry deadline for the ATX Holiday Twirl Fest (visit ATX Holiday Twirl Fest for more details), and 11 days away from the first NBTA Texas contest of the season. We also cannot believe that today we are meeting one of our last few collegiate twirlers for this Fall, and the last line of the season. 

This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the Kilgore College Twirlers!

Kilgore College, located in Kilgore, Texas, is the home of the Rangers, and a great history of baton twirling! The Kilgore College Twirlers, also known as the KCTs, have been entertaining the KC community for many, many years, and we love seeing this program continue to have such a strong presence in East Texas. This year the KCTs include one Feature Twirler – the Silver Starlette: Gracie Shellhorse, and five line twirlers – Emily Nix, Macy Maxwell, Sydney Knight, Laney Hearon, and Maggie Kroesche.

We asked these ladies what made them choose to attend Kilgore College, and the unanimous answer was to become a KCT! Gracie told us that it was the “Sweet sisterhood and close friendships within the Kilgore College Twirlers” that made her want to become a Ranger. Macy, Sydney, and Maggie all agreed. Emily was also interested in the KCTs, but was also attracted to how inexpensive it was for her to get her basics done. Laney, however, decided to join the team after choosing the school. “I actually was not going to twirl in college, but I saw the Kilgore College Twirlers performing at a competition and when I got home that day I signed up for tryouts!”

In order to fulfill their goals of becoming a KCT, they had to go through the audition process. As Gracie told us, “We learn the routine in the morning for line tryouts and tryout in the afternoon. For Feature Twirler tryouts, you also try out with a solo.” While the process seems standard, when you are chasing a dream, according to Macy and Sydney, it can be very stressful. Maggie also agreed, but said it gets better as you go. “It was nerve wracking the first year but now I enjoy it!”

As a KCT there are several traditions, but none is more memorable or more special than the KCT Little and Big Sisters! As Sydney told us, “The sister tradition is always my favorite, having them guess who they have in different ways. Like scavenger hunts or getting them a surprise gift.” They also have a tradition with the KC Ranger Band that they all find funny. Emily, Laney, and Sydney all said they enjoy the use of the word “With”. Anyone else curious about that one?

Now that we have learned more about why they became KCTs, let’s learn more about them.

Gracie Shellhorse
Silver Starlette Feature Twirler
Gracie is from White Oak, Texas, and is a freshman Accounting Major. She has been twirling for fourteen years and has been coached by Michele Faulkner, Amanda Frazier, and Jordan Jenkins. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the 2021 National Senior 17-18 Dance Twirl Soloist Champion. Her favorite competition trick is three baton juggles and her favorite field trick is a toss cartwheel. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Anna White (Clemson Feature Twirler) and Savannah Miller (Former University of Arkansas Feature Twirler). After college Gracie hopes to travel, make lots of money, go to Hawaii, continue teaching twirling, and maybe start a business.

Emily Nix
Emily is from Ore City, Texas, and is a sophomore majoring in Mathematics. She has been twirling for eight years and works with coach Jordan Jenkins. In addition to being a KCT, Emily is in Tri and Mu Something. Her favorite competition trick is a toss illusion and her favorite field trick is a toss back kick turn. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by former SMU Feature Twirler, Alex Bridges. After College she hopes to become a freelance statistician. 

Macy Maxwell
Macy is a from Chapel Hill, Texas, and a graduate of Arp HS, that is a freshman majoring in Psychology. In addition to being a KCT she is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. She has been twirling for nine years and has been fortunate to have had many coaches throughout her time twirling including Jordan Jenkins, Rachel Cheatham, Michele Faulkner, Tiffany Ellis, Mitzi Bowie and Paige Keitt. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was either the MA Outstanding Performer or Trick or Twirl Virtual Overall Winner. “I love Halloween, so the Halloween title meant alot to me!” Her favorite competition trick is three baton boxes and juggles, “basically anything three baton!”, and her favorite field trick is a press leap. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Karissa Wimberley. “She is most definitely my biggest inspiration and such an amazing twirler!” After College, Macy hopes to participate in the DCP (Disney College Program) as well as teach twirling. “I currently teach twirlers and would love to continue.”

Sydney Knight 
Sydney is from Lindale, Texas, and is a sophomore Biology major. In addition to being a KCT she is also a Ranger Ambassador. Sydney has been twirling for nine years and has been coached by Abby Banko and Jordan Jenkins. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was Premier Performer. Her favorite competition trick is a toss illusion, and in baton twirling she has been most inspired by Savannah Miller. After college she hopes to become a marine biologist. 

Laney Hearon
Laney is from Whitehouse, Texas, and is a sophomore majoring in Business Management. She has been twirling for ten years and works with coach Jordan Jenkins. Her favorite competition tricks are toss illusion one-turns, or toss cartwheels, and her favorite field trick is a toss illusion. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Savannah Miller and Alexa Tamburlin. 

Maggie Kroesche
Maggie is from New Braunfels, Texas, and is an education major. She has been twirling for twelve years and is coached by Jordan Jenkins. Her favorite competition tricks are partner skills, and her favorite field trick is a toss illusion. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Haille Stephenson. After college, Maggie hopes to become a teacher. 

Fun Facts!

• Favorite Color – Green (Emily), Blue (Gracie & Macy), Yellow (Sydney), Pink & Lavender (Laney)
• Favorite Movie – “The Fault In Our Stars” (Gracie), “The Last Holiday” (Emily), “Anything Disney” (Macy), “Beauty & The Beast” (Sydney), 
• Favorite Music – “Anything Taylor Swift” (Gracie), Christian Pop (Emily), “I LOVE Panic! at the Disco” (Macy), Country (Sydney), “I like any and all types of music” (Laney)

Favorite Quote…

• Gracie – “Life is like a twirling routine. If you mess up just keep smiling.” 
• Emily – “Everything will be alright!”
• Macy – “Venture outside your comfort zone. The rewards are worth it.” – Rapunzel
• Maggie – “'Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?’ ~ Stardust”

When they are not twirling, they love to…

• Gracie – “Spend time with my dogs and drink coffee!”
• Emily – “Be outdoors doing anything.”
• Macy – “Watch tv, play on my switch, hangout with my boyfriend, and play with my cats Gaston and Gilbert!”
• Sydney – “Sleep.”
• Laney – “Hang out with friends and family.”
• Maggie – “Hang out with my friends.”

Something people might not know about them is…

• Gracie – “I love broccoli and brussel sprouts.”
• Emily – “I have never had goosebumps.”
• Macy – “I love Halloween- I work at a Haunted House and love to dabble with special effects makeup.”
• Maggie – “My high school mascot is a unicorn.”

Best moment as a baton twirler…

• Gracie – “Best moment was my no drop routine at Nationals my senior year performing my last time there after competing at Nationals and MA Dance for 10 years.”
• Emily – “Qualifying for state as a freshman in high school.”
• Macy – “The first time I earned a sash at a competition!  I worked and wanted a sash!”
• Sydney – “Seeing all the girls come to the camps just watching us, or when people bring their child to the games because they want to watch us.”
• Maggie – “Having a no-drop routine and my parents supporting me.”

Funniest moment as a baton twirler… 

• Gracie – “When the drum major at my high school hit me in the face at a pep rally with juggles.”
• Emily – “I once was performing on a muddy field and slid into my splits.”
• Macy – “Looking for anything at stores to twirl- I have twirled water launchers, wrapping paper, and pvc pipe to name a few.  I may or may not have been caught by employees before.”
• Sydney – “We were at a game a few weeks ago and we were tired after hosting the Vicki Bowden Mobbs Line Classic Competition (for local high school and junior high twirling lines) all day before the game. So, after halftime we just danced, made jokes, and had fun the rest of the game.”
• Maggie – “All the inside jokes and dancing in the stands.”

Most memorable advice from their coach…

• Gracie – “If you ever forget your routine or mess up just improv!”
• Emily – “Smile so big they forget your mistakes.”
• Macy – “When you are a KCT you don't just get teammates, you get sisters for life.”

#1 non-twirling life skill they have learned from baton twirling…

• Gracie – “Determination, hard work, and never giving up.”
• Emily – “How to manage my time well.”
• Macy – “Presentation.”
• Sydney – “Not everyone is the same so don’t compare them like they are.”
• Maggie – “Memorization.”

Advice to future baton twirlers…

• Gracie – “Stretch every day and practice often! If you don’t achieve a goal the first time, try a second and never give up!”
• Emily – “Always be stretching.”
• Macy – “Don’t overthink.”
• Sydney – “It’s always the little things that will mean the most to you.” 
• Maggie – “Practice and don’t give up when it gets hard!”

Advice for a twirler about to go through college auditions…

• Gracie – “Make sure you are stretching and practicing every day, and don’t be nervous!”
• Emily – “Put your all into the practice, and when you are let go for break, make sure to rest and do not spend your whole break practicing. Then give all your energy into your tryout.”
• Macy – “Just smile :)”
• Sydney – “Give the tryout the best you can and if you don’t make it this year you always have next year, just keep trying. Because you never know what can happen in a year of work.”
• Laney – “Don’t be nervous. Everyone is going through the same thing as you are!”
• Maggie – “Don’t get into your head about it and breathe! You’ll do amazing!”

 

We want to thank the KCTs for sharing their Game Day and their advice with us. We wish them a wonderful remainder of their season and we can't wait to see them at upcoming competitions! Go Rangers!

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!

Friday Night Lights Feature - Henderson High School Feature Twirler

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We are finally here. After nine Friday Night Light Features, we are at our tenth and final interview of the season! Do not worry though, we will continue to have several instastory takeovers throughout the rest of the marching band competition and playoff season, but today we are ending the Fall 2021 High School Series.

We loved learning more about these amazing twirlers and following their Game Days this Fall...
• Stony Point High School Feature Twirlers, Amber Sorenson & Jordan Chmiel
• Troup HS Twirlers – Jaycee, Cali, Hannah, Reagan, Ellie, Faith, Cadence, Jacey, Lindsey, & Natalie
• Veterans Memorial High School Feature Twirler, Megan Garcia
• New Braunfels High School Feature Twirler, Katy McClain
• Frenship High School Feature Twirler, Taylor Tubbs
• Joaquin High School Feature Twirler, Avery Prnka
• Needville High School Twirlers – Emily, Elisabeth, Hope, & Kenzie
• Melissa High School Feature Twirler, Hollyn Fleming-Stump
• Azle High School Feature Twirler, Diana Garcia

And now for our final feature interview….

This week’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Henderson High School Feature Twirler!

Henderson High School, located in Henderson, Texas, is the home of the Lions, and a wonderful group of baton twirlers. This school not only has a Feature Twirler, but also 28 members of their twirling line! Wow! While we love following this amazing group, today we are focused on their Feature Twirler, Gracie Lane!

We asked Gracie to tell us about the process to earn a spot as a Henderson High School Twirler, and she told us about the auditions. “Each year we hold auditions around the beginning of April. Each girl is required to perform a solo and a group routine. We have closed auditions. Once every girl has performed the judges decide if they need to have call backs. Once the judges feel good with what they have seen we are free to leave and the results are posted on Facebook later that night!” 

Gracie has had an opportunity to be on the twirling line all four years, the Feature for three, and was even voted as the Fall 2021 Homecoming Queen! In those years she has developed a strong love for the Henderson Band community. We asked her what her favorite thing about being in the HHS marching band was, and she told us, “My favorite thing about marching season is how much time I get to spend working with the twirlers and band!” 

The game on Friday night was Gracie’s last as a member of the Henderson Twirlers. With so many memories and experiences, we wanted to know what she would miss the most, and she said everything! “Once marching season is over, I will never perform again at a Friday night high school game. There are so many amazing memories associated with marching season! I will miss dancing in the stands with the team, warming up with the line, praying with all 28 of the girls before half time, performing for an amazing and supportive crowd, and so much more!”

Now that we have learned more about Gracie’s time with the HHS Band, let’s learn more about her!

Gracie Lane, Senior

Competition Level: Intermediate
Gracie has been twirling for six years and works with coaches Paige Keitt, Kayli Mickey-McIntosh, and Patti Mickey. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the 2021 Beginner Senior Southwest Regional Pageant Winner. Her favorite field trick is a toss back handspring. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Natalie Kelley, Paige Keitt, Kayli Mickey-McIntosh, Patti Mickey, Jana Higgs, Caroline Carothers, Olivia Howard, and Julie Horchler. After High School she hopes to attend a University where she can twirl. 

Fun Facts!
Favorite Color – light blue
Favorite Movie – “Freaky Friday”
Favorite Music – Indie, Alternative, Pop, and Oldies
Favorite Book – “Catching Fire”

Favorite Quote…
“Enjoy the little things!” 

When she is not twirling, she loves to…
“Watch Marvel movies with my family!” 

Something most people might not know about her is… 
“I am a huge Paramore fan!”

#1 non-twirling life skill she has learned from baton twirling…
“The relationships you build are more important than the titles you earn.”

Most Memorable Advice from her Coach…
 “Practice makes progress not perfection!”

Advice to Future Twirlers…
“Twirling is supposed to be fun! Try to enjoy practicing and make it a fun activity not a chore!! Dedication and practice will pay off!”

Favorite Moment as a Baton Twirler…
“My favorite moment has to be receiving a video from a little girl’s mom of her replicating my routine in the stands. It was truly an amazing compliment that I will always remember!”

Funniest Moment as a Baton Twirler…
“Every year we perform at a black light pep rally. This year we used glow in the dark streamers and my streamer fell out of my pocket. The whole performance all four of the seniors on the front were dying laughing! Not our best performance, but it was a lot of fun!”
 
Best HHS School Tradition…
“Our band is known for a pop song called “call out”. Every time the band plays it everyone does the same dance, and it is my favorite tradition!”

Best HHS Band Tradition…
“At every competition, and at every event, a percussionist carries around a Spiderman stuffed animal and every time he pulls it out, we all cheer for Spiderman!” 

We experienced particularly unprecedented events last year with COVID. We wanted to know how Gracie stayed motivated and ready to twirl this Fall, and she said knowing her senior year was coming was the best motivation. “It was extremely difficult, but the idea of putting new tricks on the field for my last season really pushed me. I wanted to make this my best season yet!”

COVID presented challenges both with twirling and in regular life. We asked Gracie was her biggest challenge was and how she handled it. “This past year my sister moved halfway across the country. My sister and I have always been very close and living so far away from each other has been extremely difficult, but in this time I am reminded to cherish every moment with my family that I have.”

The situation also affected her Junior year pretty drastically, so it has been great seeing her have a more normal Senior year. “Last year I only had the opportunity to twirl at four games. This put a real damper on my junior year, but this year I have had the opportunity to travel to every football game! I have enjoyed every single game this season, and I am so glad I get the opportunity to twirl so much this year!”

We want to say congrats to Gracie on a wonderful Senior season, and we wish her the best going into the next stages of her twirling journey. Go Lions!

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!

Friday Night Lights Feature - Azle High School Twirler

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Happy November! How are we already here? The football season is winding down, and the competition season is about to start. Just a few more twirlers left to feature, including this excellent young lady! 

This week’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Azle High School Twirler!

Azle High School, located in Azle, Texas, is the home of the Hornets, and the subject of today’s interview, AHS Feature Twirler Diana Garcia! 

Diana loves being a part of the Azle community, especially the AHS marching band. She really enjoys the competition side of being in the program as well. While her band has had a great season so far with making UIL Area Finals and are now gearing up for the BOA San Antonio competition this weekend in the Alamodome, when the season is over, the competitions will be what she missed the most. “We have worked really hard to have a good season and I am going to miss the announcement announcing the scores and the tensions hearing 1st and 2nd, etc.”

Regardless of the placements though, the achievement of working hard and having it pay off is what she looks forward to the most. In fact, Diana says her favorite part of marching season “is the looks on people’s faces when they think they had a really good run.”

Now that we have learned a little more about being in the AHS Band, lets learn more about Diana! 

Diana Garcia, Junior
Competition Level: Intermediate
Diana has been twirling for five years with the Vick's Chicks and is coached by Vicki Ray. The competition title she had the most fun winning was Southwest Duet Champion, and her favorite field trick is a high toss double leap. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by the amazing Savannah Miller. After high school, she hopes to attend the University of Texas and major in criminal law. 

Fun Facts!
Favorite Color – Any shade of blue
Favorite Movie – “The Bridge to Terabithia”
Favorite Books – Anything that is a romantic mystery

Favorite Quote…
"'I ultimately control my destiny,' because it shows that others don't have as much power in my life as I do.”

When she is not twirling, she loves to…
“Be with our marching band, eat ice cream, go to debate competitions, and sleep in.”

Something most people might not know about her is…
“I drive 4 hours a day to attend my high school.”

#1 Non-Twirling Life Skill she has learned from baton twirling…
“To learn how to be independent even when people are there to help you.” 

Most memorable advice from her coach… 
“Act like I have lost when I haven't even competed because something good will come from it.”

Best advice for future baton twirlers… 
“Just keep going. You practice your best when you are constantly moving, it doesn’t have to be routines, but don't stop your flow you have going.”

Favorite moments as a baton twirler…
“When little kids get really excited to meet you and want to just touch your baton.”

Funniest moment as a baton twirler…
“The first time I signed myself up for a competition and I put myself in the 0-6 category, and I was 13!”

Best AHS School Tradition…
“Buzzy the mascot!” 

Best AHS Band Traditions…
“When our principle conducts blink 182, false starts when every member plays as loud as they can on any note they want, and the plastic ducks the trumpets give out.” 

During the past year we experienced some very unprecedented times. We asked Diana what she did to keep going. “I kept myself motivated by wanting to be really strong this year.” 

With all the uncertainty, we all faced lots of challenges. We wanted to know what the biggest challenge Diana faced was, and how she handled it, and she told us, “I faced challenges with being dependent on my teachers. I have put a lot of credit on using them to teach me and I had to learn to help myself.”

Despite the trials, Diana felt Azle High School came out stronger on the other side. “COVID has actually improved my school's motivation, wanting us to be a lot stronger this year.”

We want to thank Diana for sharing her game day with us, and we wish her and the AHS Band all the best at BOA San Antonio this coming weekend. Go Hornets!

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!