Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - University of Texas

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

College Football is back in our lives full swing, and we could not be more excited for the amazing college twirling that is already happening this season! We are excited to continue featuring these talented athletes, and we hope you will enjoy learning more about them too!

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 High School twirlers throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights. We will also be having many of our High School 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!

This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the University of Texas Feature Twirler!

The University of Texas, located in Austin, Texas, is the home of the Longhorns, and currently the #1 Rated College Football team in the country! It is also the home of a long line of amazing Longhorn Feature Twirlers, including current UT Feature Twirler, Aidyn Mentry!

Attending such a well-known University comes with some fun facts and cool opportunities. As Aidyn tells us, “The University of Texas is the only NCAA division 1 school with burnt orange as one of our colors! The Longhorn Feature Twirler also gets a special solo performance at the end of the 3rd quarter to the song Wabash Cannonball, and now I am able to do it with fire batons!”

In order to earn this prestigious position, we asked Aidyn what the audition process was like. “My audition process was a little different because of COVID but it was still a standard 2 round audition process. Round 1 was an audition video, resume, essay, recommendation letters, and a few other pieces of information. Round 2 was a live audition to 3 music pieces, with one being a full halftime show. After the live audition there was a panel interview.”

Earning the position of Longhorn Feature Twirler is always a dream come true for those that get the honor, and attending UT was an easy one for Aidyn. “It had been my dream school forever because it was the number 1 school in the world for advertising! I knew that I needed to prioritize academics over anything else in my college search, but when I found out that the twirler spot would open at the perfect time for me to audition, it felt like the stars aligned and I knew that it was meant to be!”

Aidyn, who is originally from Virginia, came to Texas from out of state. While that can be a tough decision for many, it was always the right choice for her. “I knew I wanted to branch out and move away from the town I grew up in, so I set a list of things that I wanted in a college out of state. My requirements were: top advertising school, warm, BIG student body, great football, creative atmosphere, lots to do, and felt like home…. Texas was the perfect fit! No place felt like home to me until the first time I visited Austin!”

With getting the opportunity to attend her dream school, there has to be so many things that Aidyn loves about the University, but she says the thing she loves the most is the people! “As silly as it sounds, it’s pretty cool to know that you have a ton in common with someone when you see them throw up our iconic hand sign No matter what walk of life or experiences that someone has had, there is a unity and common love shared between all past and present longhorns that feels so special! I could brag about a million things about my school, but the people are what make it so unique!”

The University of Texas has so many amazing traditions including Lighting the tower, Smokey the Cannon, Big Bertha, and “of course saying Hook ‘Em to every single person that wears burnt orange once you leave campus!” The members of the band program also make some wonderful memories together. Aidyn told us about one of her favorites. “My favorite is top secret until you are an official member of the Longhorn Band, but a close second is the Pizza Tree after our first performance of the year! As you can imagine, 430 people eat a LOT of pizzas. We take over 100 pizza boxes and stack them up 2 stories tall while eating pizza. Then, we sing Christmas carols to the pizza tree until it gets too tall and topples over!”

With this being Aidyn’s Senior Season, we know everything is special to her, but we wanted to know what she is looking forward to the most this Fall, and she said she is counting the days until the Texas A&M game. “I can’t wait for our Texas A&M rivalry to come back after more than 10 years! We will travel to College Station to play the Aggies, and I can’t wait to twirl on Kyle Field and show them what Longhorns are made of!”

Now that we have learned more about the University of Texas, let's learn more about Aidyn!

Aidyn Mentry, Senior
Competition Level: Collegiate
Aidyn has been twirling for 14 years. She is a member of Twirl ATX and is coached by Whitney Coons. The competition placements she is the proudest of earning was being named a 2025 Team USA representative for Artistic Twirl at Nations Cup and winning the 2024 College Miss Majorette of America Modeling and Interview. Her favorite competition tricks are a one-spin triple illusion or reverse right toss flat double slap catch right, and her favorite field tricks are a one-spin illusion walkover catch front aerial or anything three baton. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Laney Puhalla, Jameson Kenerly, and Savannah Miller. After college, Aidyn plans to continue her work in Marketing. “I will hopefully end up in ATX or NYC working in marketing for a major entertainment company, using my knowledge of strategy, psychoanalytic research, and biometric tracking to create branded experiences! I will also continue to coach, design costumes for Sew Stoppers, and work towards my judge's license!”

Fun Facts!

• Favorite Color – Burnt Orange ;)
• Favorite TV Show or Movie – “Hunger Games or anything true crime.”
• Favorite Book – “Everything, Everything”

Must have Game Day Snack/Drink…
“Celsius and apple sauce pouches, 3 of each every single gameday... at a minimum.”

Favorite Quote…
“Pressure makes diamonds!”

When she is not twirling, she loves to…
“Work out, design & rhinestone twirling costumes, bake, listen to new music, and attempt to find the best latte in Austin with my friends!”

Something people might not know about her is… 
“I am partially responsible for the invention of Extra Toasty Cheez-its.”

The best non twirling life skill she has gained from baton twirling is… 
“Time management! I work 4 jobs and take 16 hours of classes. Without twirling teaching me balance, I would be so stressed, but I love being busy all the time and staying involved in the campus community!”

The most memorable advice from her coach… 
“Nerves just mean that you care and that your body is anxious to show off what you have taught it in practice!”

Advice to future Collegiate twirlers… 
“Say yes to every opportunity! Every chance that you get to twirl in your community, take a picture with a fellow twirler, enter in a small contest, or talk about twirling to a stranger will help you to become a better twirler and representative of the sport!”

Funniest memory as a baton twirler… 
“Lana Del Ray offered to clasp my costume at last year's Red River Rivalry game, I was in shock! Then she asked me for a selfie!”

Favorite thing about marching season… 
“The excitement of "shaking the fringe" and singing and dancing with my friends before every performance.”

What will you miss most when marching season is over… 
“Seeing my best friends every single day! I take for granted all of the little conversations on water breaks and all of the high fives on the way to set, I will miss those so much!”

We want to thank Aidyn for sharing her Game Day with us, and we greatly enjoyed learning more about her in this interview. We wish her and the Longhorns an amazing rest of the season. Hook Em! 

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

Friday Night Lights Feature - Jacksonville High School

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

What a great weekend of Texas twirlers on both the high school and collegiate fields. We just love seeing those smiling faces where they belong. So much joy and so many sparkles! We also loved following this week’s Friday Night Lights Feature this past Friday as they took over the Instastory, and we are excited to learn more about them! 

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 High School twirlers throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights. We will also be having many of our High School 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!

Our next Friday Night Lights Feature is the Jacksonville High School Twirlers!

Jacksonville High School, located in Jacksonville, Texas, is the home of the Indians, and a great twirling program! With a large number of twirlers on both the High School and Middle School level, Jacksonville is a great community for supporting these athletes, and you know we love to see it! 

For the 2024-2025 season, Jacksonville High School has 13 Twirlers representing the Royal Blue, Gold, and White each Game Day under those stadium lights. The Jacksonville Twirlers include Adriana Munoz (Feature Twirler), Juliana Salazar (Captain), Angeles Grimaldo (Senior Lieutenant), Andrea Tavera (1st Lieutenant), Logan Fontenot (Senior Drum Major), Abbey Barrier (Junior Drum Major), Gisella Casas, Sophie McNeill, Kenley Penn, Jessica Sims, Emery Stephens, Malayla Travis, and Alyssa Wright.

An interesting fact about Jacksonville is that they are proud of the Downtown Historic Tomato Bowl. “It is one of the last remaining downtown stadiums in Texas. It was originally built in 1930 and was completely surrounded by rock walls that were built with area rock and local labor. It underwent a complete renovation in 2018 but the surrounding walls and entry remained intact. Jacksonville is also known for holding the record of the largest bowl of salsa! We love our DELICIOUS home-grown Jacksonville tomatoes and even host a tomato fest in June every year.”

With such a fun claim to fame for the town, the school had to have its own interesting backstory, and of course it did. “Before the High School was renovated and added on to, a 7ft Indian and Maiden statue sat on top of the roof. Rumor has it, a few students in the 90’s stole the statues and later returned them during the renovations. They now sit in our student commons area bolted to the ground.”

It isn’t easy to create such a big twirling presence in just any school, but JHS has had a long history of Twirling Lines. “However, the last known Feature twirler for JHS was in 1974. This year will be the first time JHS has had a Feature Twirler in 50 years, and we are super excited to be able to feature Adriana!”

As for how they earned their positions, they all go through a rigorous audition process that takes a whole week! “We learn a fast pace 1 baton dance twirl Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. On Thursday, we demonstrate the group routine as well as our multi baton solos. Solos must contain 1, 2, and 3 baton technique! Girls trying out for an officer position also put together an audition binder that consists of answering multiple essays and short answer prompts. Then, they have an interview with the coach, BreiAnn Gee, and Head Band Director, Donnie Barrier. On Wednesday of tryouts, they are also responsible for cleaning and critiquing parts of the team routine. Girls trying out for Feature Twirler are asked to put together a 1.5-2-minute field routine to a classic military march of their choice.”

Once their twirling positions are set, they have so many fun things to look forward to. “Our favorites are Homecoming and all of the senior festivities! We host a pep rally in the street before homecoming! The whole downtown has to be blocked off. During senior week we host a Senior Bonfire where we burn pallets painted by the senior class members. Another great tradition is that during the school song at home games we light “the Flaming J” It signifies the burning spirit of JHS and has been touted as one of the top ten high school traditions in Texas!”

As a part of the band program, these twirlers also get the benefits of being a part of a state level military band. “There are many special things about being in the JHS band, which makes us really feel the impact when we all yell PRIDE when called to attention. Another great benefit is when you enter band as a freshman you are adopted by a senior and have a senior buddy to help guide you through your first year in high school. Also, every week the twirlers pick “Section of the Week” and award them for their hard work with candy at the football game!” 

Now that we have learned more about JHS, lets learn more about the twirlers!

Adriana Munoz, Senior & Feature Twirler
Competition Level: Intermediate
Adriana has been twirling for six years. She is coached by BreiAnn Gee with help from Patti Mickey. In baton twirling, she is the proudest of being a two time Grand Champion in the Twirl Productions competitions. Her favorite competition trick is a horizontal one spin illusion, and her favorite field trick is a toss front walkover. After High School, she hopes to twirl in college and work toward being an aesthetician. 

Logan Fontenot, Senior Drum Major

Competition Level: Emerald (TPU)
Logan has been twirling for 6 years and is coached by BreiAnn Gee. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was “winning top team because we all work so hard to be as good as we are”. Her favorite competition trick is a 3 turn, and her favorite field trick is when “we toss it, roll onto the ground, and catch it”. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by SFA Feature Twirler Kellen Coke. “She is so amazing at what she does, and I wish I could be like her.” After High School, Logan plans to go to college to become a speech pathologist. 

Juliana Salazar, Senior Captain
Competition Level: Novice
Juliana has been twirling for eight years. She is coached for school by Breiann Gee and is also a member of ZAP twirling coached by Shelby Cumbie. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was when they won the large team Grand Champions through Twirl Productions Unlimited with the team, and then held the title for 3 years. Her favorite competition trick is a two around the world reverse fishtail, and her favorite field trick is full team three baton boxes. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by World Champion, Joel Claudio. “I've seen him twirl in person and he amazes me.” After High School, Juliana plans to attend UT Austin or Baylor and majoring in Political Science/Government while on a pre-law track.

Angeles Grimaldo, Senior Lieutenant
Competition Level: Novice
Angeles has been twirling for 8 years. She is coached for school by Breiann Gee, and is also a member of ZAP twirling coached by Shelby Cumbie. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the Large team Grand Champion title at the Circle of Champions competition. “We have held that title for 3 straight years!” Her favorite competition trick is three baton boxes, and her favorite field trick is three baton juggles. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by National Champion Joel Claudio. After High School, Angeles plans to either go to UT Austin or University of Houston and major in Government or Political Science.

Jessica Sims, Senior
Competition Level: Novice
Jessica has been twirling for six years. She is coached by BreiAnn Gee. Her favorite competition trick is a toss cartwheel, and her favorite field trick is any partner passes. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her best friend Logan. After High School, Jessica plans to attend college for two years to become a vet tech. 

Alyssa Wright, Senior
Competition Level: Novice
Alyssa has been twirling for seven years. She is coached by BreiAnn Gee. The competition title she is the proudest of was when their team won the NBTA Southwest Regional Halftime Show HS Majorette Team event. Her favorite competition is anything with two batons, and her favorite field trick is a toss illusion. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her coach, BreiAnn Gee. After High School she plans to attend UT Tyler to major in nursing.  

Andrea Tavera, Junior 1st Lieutenant
Competition Level: Novice
Andrea has been twirling for five years. She is coached by BreiAnn Gee. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was receiving the title of Miss Twirl Productions. Her favorite competition trick is anything with three baton, and her favorite field trick is a toss illusion. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her coach and her family. “I wouldn’t be where I stand today if I didn’t have all of their support.” After High School, she hopes to twirl somewhere in college, and become a pediatrician.

 

Abbey Barrier, Junior Drum Major
Competition Level: Beginner
Abbey has been twirling for ten years. For school she is coached by BreiAnn Gee, but she is also a member of Twirl Revolutions where she is coached by Jeri Coke and Kellen Coke. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was when she won the Junior Miss Dallas Basic Skills pageant. Her favorite competition trick is a toss front angel, and her favorite field trick is any leap (Grand Jete , Tour Jete, Press Up, etc.). In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by twirling legend, Annetta Lucero. “She is so awesome! #twirlstrong”. After High School, she hopes to be a feature twirler at TJC, and then transfer to the University of Arkansas to become a pediatric psychiatrist specializing in medicine.

Sophie McNeill, Junior
Competition Level: Novice
Sophie has been twirling for six years. She is coached by BreiAnn Gee. In baton twirling, she is proudest of winning the title of Premiere Performer. Her favorite competition trick is anything three baton, and her favorite field trick is a toss kick catch behind the back. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her best friend Andrea. After High School, she hopes to attend Stephen F. Austin State University and audition to become a Twirl-o-jack. She also plans to pursue a career in early childhood education. 

Gisella Casas, Junior

Gisella has been twirling for four years. She is coached by BreiAnn Gee. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was when they won the Top Team competition three years in a row. Her favorite competition trick is a toss illusion and her favorite field trick is a two turn. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her teammate, Andrea Tavera. After High School she plans on working in the medical field as a registered nurse.

Malayla Travis, Sophomore
Competition Level: Novice
Malayla has been twirling for four years. She is coached by BreiAnn Gee. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was Miss Twirl Productions Unlimited. Her favorite competition tricks are any roll series, and her favorite field trick is a toss illusion. After High School, she hopes to attend a 4-year University to pursue a healthcare position.

Kenley Penn, Freshman
Competition Level: Novice
Kenley has been twirling for three years. She is coached by BreiAnn Gee. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was winning First Place team in the Circle of Champions in 7th grade. Her favorite competition trick is a two turn, and her favorite field tricks are partner tosses. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her teammates. After High School, she plans to go to a good college and eventually get into medical school to become a surgeon.

Emery Stephen, Freshman
Competition Level: Novice
Emery has been twirling for three years. She is coached by BreiAnn Gee. The competition title she is the proudest of earning is Miss Twirl Productions Unlimited. Her favorite competition trick is a toss illusion or toss cartwheel, and her favorite field trick is also a toss cartwheel. After High School, she would like to try and go to the University of Arkansas and audition to be a Razorback Twirler.

Fun Facts!

• Favorite color: Adriana (Green), Purple (Logan & Emery), Emerald Green (Juliana), Blue (Angeles, Jessica, Alyssa, & Kenley), Pink (Abbey, Sophie, & Gisella), Blue or Pink (Andrea), Light Purple or Blue (Malayla)
• Favorite Movie or TV Show: “All American” (Adriana), “Bruce Almighty” (Logan), “Abbot Elementary” (Juliana), “La La Land or Little Women” (Angeles), “Gilmore Girls” (Jessica, Sophie, & Kenley), “Big Brother” (Alyssa), “Reba” (Abbey), “Dance Moms” (Andrea), “Duck Dynasty” (Malayla), “The Hunger Games” (Emery)
• Favorite Book: “The Bird and The Sword” (Logan), “This is Where it Ends” (Juliana), “Better Than the Movies” by Lynn Painter (Angeles), “The Uglies” by Scott Westerfeld (Abbey), “We’ll Always Have Summer” by Jenny Han (Sophie), “The Little Prince” (Andrea), “The Darkest Minds” (Kenley), “Percy Jackson” (Emery)

Must have Game Day snack…

• Adriana - “Cheez Its and LOTS OF WATER.”
• Logan - “Sour punch straws.”
• Juliana - “Sweet Tea or Dr. Pepper.”
• Angeles - “Water.”
• Jessica - “Blue Sour Punch Straws.”
• Alyssa - “Airhead strips and a Gatorade from the concession stand.”
• Andrea - “I have to have an energy drink or trail mix!”
• Abbey - “Sweet Tea and chips.”
• Sophie - “Cheez Its!”
• Gisella - “Pretzels and water.”
• Malayla - “Green grapes
• Kenley - “Nerdy Gummy Clusters.”
• Emery - “Lay’s Chips”

Favorite Quote…

• Logan - "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
• Juliana - "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."
• Angeles - “Everything happens for a reason.”
• Jessica - “God is within her she will not fall.”
• Andrea - “Always strive to do your better, don’t just hope that you’ve done the best that you can.”
• Abbey - "The world is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalms 119,105)
• Gisella - "If anything is worth doing it's worth overdoing".
• Malayla - “Commit everything you do to the lord. Trust Him, and He will help you.” Psalm 37:5
• Kenley - Psalm 46:5 
• Emery - “Progress, not perfection.”

When they are not twirling, they love to…

• Adriana - “Take walks with my dog, Coco Chanel.”
• Logan - “Hang out with my friends.”
• Juliana - “Hang out with my friends and online shop.”
• Angeles - “Read.”
• Jessica & Alyssa - “Hangout with my friends.”
• Andrea - “Go out with my friends.”
• Abbey - “I love to craft! (ex. Making mums , floral arrangements, etc.)”
• Sophie - “Spend time with my family and friends.”
• Gisella - “I love to crochet.”
• Malayla - “Play soccer. I play for FC Dallas. I also love going to the lake with my friends.”
• Kenley - “Read or play volleyball.”
• Emery - “Read and draw.”

Something people might not know about them is…

• Adriana - “I have three sisters.”
• Logan - “I'm good at drawing.”
• Juliana - “I have a pet turkey whose name is Edgar.”
• Angeles - “I broke my wrist when I was in third grade by falling off the monkey bars.”
• Alyssa - “I'm terrified of frogs.”
• Andrea - “I am involved in FFA as well as many other organizations!”
• Abbey - “I started twirling when I was 7!”
• Sophie - “I used to be a theater kid!”
• Gisella - “I enjoy math.”
• Malayla - “I love to travel.”
• Kenley - “I am an animal lover.”
• Emery - “I love traveling. My favorite place is the Mountains!”

The best non twirling life skill they have learned from twirling is…

• Logan - “How to face my fears of going in front of large crowds.”
• Juliana - “I have learned to work with others and make close friendships with those that I collaborate with daily.”
• Angeles - “How to project to an audience.”
• Jessica - “Learning to not give up.”
• Alyssa - “Twirling has taught me to be confident in myself.”
• Andrea - “If I practice and work hard, it will eventually pay off.”
• Abbey - “Learning how to work with others.”
• Sophie - “I have to be somewhere 15 minutes before I'm supposed to be there all the time!”
• Gisella - “I have learned to be on time and to schedule events.”
• Kenley - “You can’t control what someone else does.”

The most memorable advice from their coach(es)…

• Adriana - “Stop being scared. JUST GO!”
• Logan - “Always go full out in practice because you perform how you practice.”
• Juliana - “To not let the little things affect me.”
• Angeles - “To not let drops ruin my performance. My coaches have told me that I can't show my frustration during a routine. Even if the performance is not going the way I wanted it to, having a negative attitude during the routine will not help my chances of performing well.”
• Alyssa - “One performance does not define who you are or how good of a twirler you are.”
• Andrea - “‘I can do it,’ even when I doubt myself. She believes that I can accomplish so many things and pushes me to grow as a twirler.”
• Abbey - “I'm going to consider my band director as a coach of sorts, but before every marching performance he tells us to "Take This Field," meaning that no matter where we are, the field is ours until we march off it.”
• Sophie -  "0.1 is better than 0.5!!"
• Malayla - “God would never give you a mountain that he knew you couldn’t move.”
• Kenley - “Effort speaks volumes.”

Advice to future high school twirlers…

• Adriana - “Make lots of memories while you can!”
• Logan - “Enjoy it while it lasts because it doesn't last long and you'll miss the things you didn't think you would.”
• Juliana - “Enjoy it as much as you can and don't ever become discouraged, you will get it.”
• Angeles - “Know that freshman year is not easy. It can be a stressful year but do not let it bring you down. You are just starting to learn the new normal and after freshman year everything gets a lot easier.”
• Jessica - “It’s going to be hard and frustrating sometimes, but keep going! You’ll be glad in the end.”
• Alyssa - “High school goes by very fast! Enjoy it!”
• Andrea - “Always practice and have a positive attitude! It will get you very far.”
• Abbey - “Keep continuing to learn and grow in your abilities, you will be so shocked on the progress you will make, so take those private lessons and work for it because it will be so rewarding.”
• Sophie - “PRACTICE!! You might not see it now, but the progress will show!”
• Gisella - “I would tell incoming high school twirlers to stay on top of things and do their part.”
• Kenley - “Be prepared because it’s a lot and it’s okay if you make mistakes here and there. Just correct yourself and learn from it!”
• Emery - “Always bring water!”

Funniest memory as a twirler…

• Logan - “When we were just learning how to march, and our captain would say ‘WHAT ARE WE NOT GONNA LEAVE?!’ and we had to yell back ‘CRUMBS!!!’”
• Juliana - “At the UTSA game when Sophie, my fellow team member, got her bag stuck in the stands and was panicking.”
• Angeles - “When my coach's daughter, Caroline Gee, called me the "Big Bad Wolf" because of my curly hair. That nickname has stuck with me since then.”
• Alyssa - “Staying in a haunted hotel when we went to San Antonio to twirl at the UTSA game.”
• Andrea - “Definitely when we pass around a pink wig during pink out!”
• Abbey - “Anytime I hang out with the other juniors Sophie and Andrea. You cannot possibly hold a straight face when we all get together. They definitely keep it fun.”
• Sophie - “The Southwest Regionals trip when we would take photos of each other and pretend it was chain mail!”
• Gisella - “Performing every Friday.”
• Kenley - “The time we all went wakeboarding.”
• Emery - “All the things that happen at SFA twirling camp.”

Favorite thing about marching season…

• Adriana - “Learning new drill and getting to be our first Feature Twirler in 50 years!”
• Logan - “All the dancing we do, and especially singing Hey Baby with the band.”
• Juliana - “Going to Baylor when we qualify for state.”
• Angeles - “Being able to perform at the Baylor Stadium.”
• Alyssa - “Going to state and marching at Mclane Stadium.”
• Andrea - “I love getting to know the sections and all the neat things they do during marching season!”
• Abbey - “Getting to learn and perform the drill.”
• Sophie - “The bonds you form with the people around you in the drill.”
• Gisella - “I will miss being around friends more often when marching season is over.”
• Malayla -  “Going to all the football games and losing my voice from yelling!”
• Kenley - “Seeing everyone excited.”
• Emery - “Learning all the marching patterns.”

What are they going to miss the most once marching season is over…

• Adriana - “Being able to march with the twirlers one more time.”
• Logan - “I'm going to miss the excitement and nerves and adrenaline and dancing with all of my 
• friends and seeing everyone together, happy.”’
• Juliana - “The bus rides to events and being extremely pleased with our results in the past years.”
• Angeles - “Doing sideline chants with my best friends.”
• Alyssa - “Football games and dancing in the stand with the band.”
• Andrea - “I will most definitely miss all of the seniors graduating, because they have been with me throughout my whole high school journey. I wish them the best of luck once this season ends because we have grown a very strong bond and I hope to keep it for as long as we can!”
• Abbey - “Friday Night Lights!”
• Sophie - “I'll miss singing "Hey Baby" with my friends at the top of our lungs.”
• Malayla - “All the late-night bus rides home with my teammates.”
• Kenley - “I will miss Friday night games the most.”
• Emery - “All the football games!”

We have enjoyed learning more about these wonderful Jacksonville Twirlers, and we hope you did too. We wish them all an amazing rest of their season. Once an Indian, always an Indian. J’s Up!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Feature Twirlers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

What a great weekend of College Football. Many great moments, including some awesome field twirling. We loved getting to follow along with these Cru Twirlers as they took over our Instastory on Saturday, and now we are excited to have them as this week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight.

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 High School twirlers throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights. We will also be having many of our High School 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!

Our next Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Feature Twirlers!

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is located in Belton, Texas, and is the home of the Crusaders, and is especially known for its top-of-the-line nursing program and the new high tech special education building. It is also the home of UMHB Feature Twirlers, Rachel Buck & Marin Lindsey!

We asked Rachel and Marin was the process was like to earn their positions. “Our audition process is all online. You submit letters of recommendation and a video of you doing a routine. Our auditions are in the spring and are announced on our instagram @umhb_twirlers.”

When looking at schools, it is important to find your niche, and the small Christian college experience at UMHB was a huge draw for both Rachel and Marin. “Also, the campus is so modern and beautiful!”

Having a small college environment, they had to have some fun traditions, and they told us that Play Day is the best! “During the week before finals we get that Thursday off from classes and our school holds a carnival to help with finals stress. Also pancake supper, during the first night finals week our school serves us pancake for free and has a raffle night as a good luck for finals”. 

Now that we have learned a little more about UMHB, it is time to learn more about Rachel & Marin!

Rachel Buck, Junior
Rachel has been twirling for 12 years. She is a member of the Tide Baton Twirling team and is coached by Catherine Lattimore. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the 2017 1st place Novice 10-12 solo. “It was my first state win and something that I strived for and achieved.” Her favorite competition trick is her elbow roll series, and her favorite field trick is any kind of exchange. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her coach, and former University of Washington Feature Twirler, Catherine Lattimore. After college Rachel hopes to become a graphic designer. 

Marin Lindsey, Sophomore
Marin has been twirling for 10 years and is coached by Tammy Wasson. Her favorite field trick is anything with two batons. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her coach, Tammy Wasson. After college, Marin hopes to become an elementary school teacher. 


Fun Facts!

• Favorite Color - Orange (Rachel), Yellow (Marin)
• Favorite TV Show or Movie - “Crazy Rich Asians (Rachel), “I Love Lucy & Pride and Prejudice.” (Marin)
• Favorite Book - “The Art of Turning Red” (Rachel), the Bible (Marin)

Must have Game Day Snack/Drink…

• Rachel - “Dr. Pepper.”
• Marin - “Caffeine.”

 
Favorite Quote or Life Motto…

• Rachel - “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”- Alexandra privet from Barbie Princess Charm School 
• Marin - “Fake it till you make it!”

When they are not twirling, they love to…

• Rachel - “Draw.”
• Marin - “Be with my people.”

Something people might not know about them…

• Rachel - “I am an artist.”
• Marin - “My first language was French. (no I cannot speak french).”

The best non twirling life skill they have gained from baton twirling is… 

• Rachel - “Concentration and interviewing skills.”
• Marin - “Being productive and proactive.”

 
The most memorable advice from their coach…

• Rachel - “Stand up straight.”
• Marin - “Being productive and proactive.”

 
Advice to future Collegiate twirlers… 

• Rachel - “Don’t forget to enjoy college because time flies!”
• Marin - “Have fun!”

Funniest memory as a baton twirler… 

• Rachel - “When I was 10 my flag baton flew off the staff and hit the judge.”
• Marin - “Face planting in the field sophomore year of high school.”

Favorite thing about marching season… 

• Rachel - “Half time!”
• Marin - “Cold games.”

 
What will you miss most when marching season is over… 

• Rachel - “Everything! I love the game day hype!”
• Marin - “Team spirit.”

 
We really enjoyed following these two UMHB Feature Twirlers on their Game Day adventure, and we wish Karianne and Marin a wonderful rest of their football season. Go Cru!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

Friday Night Lights Feature - Highland Park High School

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Another great weekend of twirling all over Texas, and we could not love it more! That also means it is time for another Friday Night Lights Feature Interview with some of our fabulous Texas High School twirlers. 

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 High School twirlers throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights. We will also be having many of our High School 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!

Our next Friday Night Lights Feature is the Highland Park High School Feature Twirlers!

Highland Park High School, located in Dallas, Texas, is the home of the Fighting Scots, and these two awesome twirlers! HPHS Feature Twirlers, Karianne Grove and Mimi Tafel, love getting to rock the navy and gold and support their team. 

A fun fact about Highland Park is that there have only been seven Fighting Scot Feature Twirlers, and they are two of them! We asked them what the audition process was to get themselves on this short list. “We don’t really have an audition process. Karianne got in contact with the band director before her freshman year and Mimi emailed him before hers. Since there haven't been many twirlers, it just depends on what the band director wants!”

Highland Park has a ton of school spirit that really brings them together. “We love the close knitted community at Highland Park! Whether there’s a football game or a lacrosse match there are always HP students out there support!” 

That amount of school spirit has to lead to some great traditions, so we asked Karianne and Mimi to tell us about their favorites! “We have some really great ones! We do hoco spirit week but only seniors get to dress up, people plan it all throughout high school and it’s always so fun to see all the great ideas! A kind of funny one is that our head football coach wears a fedora, and football's motto has kind of become “fear the fedora”…all the senior football players wear one on game days!”

Even the band has their own set of traditions! “There are a lot of great band traditions, but one everyone loves is the kilts! Seniors get to wear kilts that we’ve had for decades to football games and on senior night they all wear them and participate in a drum dance where one senior gets to dance on a drum! Hey Jordan, is also a fun song that the band came up with! We sing a song that goes like “Heyyyy Jordan…” and at the end someone “proposes” to him with a random object! Last year, Karianne “proposed” to him with her airpods!”

With all the fun and excitement, we wanted to know what Karianne and Mimi look forward to the most, and they said it is of course the Blacklight Pep Rally! “It’s a yearly tradition that falls on the week of Halloween!  Our cheer team, dance team, colorguard, drumline and the twirlers perform at it and do Halloween-themed performances! We use light-up batons and wear white while performing so we light up in the dark!”

Now that we have learned more about life at HPHS, let’s learn more about Karianne and Mimi!

Karianne Grove, Senior
Competition Level: Intermediate Senior
Karianne has been twirling for 6 years. She is a member of the Texas Touch of Class and is coached by Sheila Payne Rigelsky. The competition title Karianne is the proudest of earning was the 2023 Beginner 16+ Southwest Regional Solo Winner. Her favorite competition trick is the head roll in her solo, and her favorite field trick is anything with two batons. In baton twirling, she was most inspired by TTOC Matriarch, Shirley Payne. “Miss Shirley always knew what her twirlers needed, she was strict but if someone was struggling she was there to give them a motivating speech and tell them to keep working!” After high school, Karianne hopes to be able to twirl in college, but mostly she just hopes to find a college that she loves with a great community!

Mimi Tafel, Sophomore
Competition Level: Beginner Junior
Mimi has been twirling for 6 years. She is a member of the Texas Touch of Class and is coached by Sheila Payne Rigelsky. The competition title Mimi is the proudest of earning was the Novice Basic Skills Pageant at Regionals when she was in 6th grade. Her favorite competition trick is a two spin catch back hand in an illusion. “I just think it’s super fun!” Her favorite field trick is a “cartwheel for sure! I love incorporating a little gymnastics into twirling!” In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her co-feature, Karianne. “She has an insane work ethic and I’ll for sure miss her when she graduates.” After High School, her dream school is Boston College and “I would love to start a twirling position there if possible!”

Fun Facts!

• Favorite Color – Purple (Karianne), Neon Sparkly Pink (Mimi)
• Favorite TV Show or Movie – Criminal Minds (Karianne), Suits (Mimi)
• Favorite Book – The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Karianne), Little Women (Mimi)

Must have Game Day drink…

• Karianne - “Shirley Temples.”
• Mimi - “Celsius mixed with pink lemonade.”

Favorite Quote or Life Motto…

• Karianne - “Everything to achieve, nothing to prove.”
• Mimi - “One moment doesn’t define you.”

When they are not twirling, they love to… 

• Karianne - “Go to concerts, hang out with friends, and decorate my room.”
• Mimi - “I love to row on White Rock Lake and read!”

Something people might not know about them… 

• Karianne - “I’ve stoned all of my field costumes except one of them myself!”
• Mimi - “I’m obsessed with Starbucks!”

The best non twirling life skill they have gained from baton twirling is… 

• Karianne - “The ability to bounce back from mistakes, it’s easy to get discouraged after a bad performance/outcome but learning to move on and use those moments to motivate yourself is a great skill in both life and twirling!”
• Mimi - “I’ve learned resilience! Through the many performances where I’ve dropped in front of large audiences or made a little mistake, I’ve learned you have to stay strong, and that life goes on!"

The most memorable advice from their coach(es)…

• Karianne - “It’s ok to have bad contests/performances. Not everything is going to go your way sometimes and the best thing you can do is handle it with grace and have a short-term memory.”
• Mimi - “Early is on time, on time is late, and late is just unacceptable.”

Advice to future high school twirlers… 

• Karianne - “Have fun! Twirling in front of your peers can be stressful but take risks and don’t take yourself too seriously, there will be good and bad performances but in the end, you’ll look back and only remember the good, school twirling is what you make it!”
• Mimi - “Be confident! Just go for it, at the end of the day no one in the audience could do what you do! You are so awesome!”

Funniest memory as a baton twirler… 

• Karianne - “My jazz shoe came off during a pep rally performance and I had to finish and try to spin on tights!”
• Mimi - “One time on the field, I slipped out of my illusion, and I landed back down on the field!”

Favorite thing about marching season… 

• Karianne - “Being able to meet all the little kids at games! They’re always the absolute sweetest and being able to make an impression on the next generation is such an amazing feeling!”
• Mimi - “I love being able to perform to large audiences! I love the hype crowd and lively stands!”

What will they miss most when marching season is over… 

• Karianne - “Everything! I’ve had the best 4 years at Highland Park, and I’m so sad it’s going to be over! From the environment at games and pep rallies, the support from students, faculty, and the community, and being able to twirl with Mimi, I couldn’t have asked for a better high school twirling experience!”
• Mimi - “Karianne! She’s a senior and this is our last season together!”

Thank you to Karianne and Mimi for sharing their Game Day with us. We wish these two a wonderful remainder of their field season, and a great year of twirling. Go Fighting Scots!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it.

Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - Oklahoma State University

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We just love that College Football is back in full swing. The past few weekends have included some awesome field twirling. We loved getting to follow along with a #TeamTexas Twirler turned OSU Feature Twirler as her and her co-feature took over our Instastory on Saturday, and now we are excited to have them as this week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight.

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 High School twirlers throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights. We will also be having many of our High School 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!

Our first Collegiate Twirler Spotlight of the season is the Oklahoma State University Feature Twirlers!

Oklahoma State University, located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, is the home of the Cowboys, and as of this August, it is also the home of Feature Twirlers Jaidyn Poole and Callan Hall! 

This season, Jaidyn and Callan have brought twirling back to Boone Pickens Stadium with style and flair. “We haven’t had twirlers here in two years, so we are so excited to bring it back this year!” In order to earn the honor of wearing the orange and black, they had to go through an extensive audition process. “Our audition process is two rounds consisting of a virtual round and an in-person audition. For our virtual round we had to submit videos of us twirling and our resume, and for the in person round we performed three routines to set music, a one baton, two baton, and combined 1, 2, and 3 baton routine. We also go through an interview portion.”

Both Jaidyn and Callan have come to OSU from out of State. Jaidyn is from Texas, and Callan is from Kansas. We asked both of them what encouraged them to look at, and ultimately commit to, OSU. Callan told us, “I came here because they have a brand new nursing program and it isn’t too far of a drive from my hometown. I loved the campus, and because I made it as a twirler!” Jaidyn also loved the campus. “I came here because the campus is beautiful, it's the perfect size of school, they have a great fashion merchandising program, and because I made it as a twirler!”

Making the decision to go out of state is always a big one, but it was an easy choice for both of them. “We are both from out of state, and we wanted to try something new, and meet new people, but we were so glad that we get to go through it all together!”

Being new to the OSU campus, these two twirlers have been able to have many amazing experiences. We wanted to know what has been the most exciting part of their first month in Still water. “We love all of the school spirit and how nice everyone is here on campus! We are also both a part of Greek life and love being involved! We love the game day traditions and taking the field with the Cowboy Marching Band.”

Speaking of Game Day traditions, we asked Jaidyn and Callan what their favorite has been so far, and they already have many! They said they love doing the walk into the stadium on game days, but they are also super excited for their first OSU homecoming and the parades! They also love what they call “Orange Friday”, which is when they all wear orange on the Fridays before game days.

Now that we have learned more about life at OSU, let’s learn more about Jaidyn & Callan!

 

Jaidyn Poole, Freshman
Competition Level: Advanced
Jaidyn has been twirling for 10 years. She is a member of the Mickey’s Majorettes and is coached by Patti Mickey and Kayli Mickey-McIntosh. The competition titles Jaidyn is the proudest of earning was when she placed Top 10 in the 2024 Miss Majorette of America competition, and holding the titles of 2023 Miss Majorette of the Southwest and 2024 Miss Majorette of Texas. Her favorite competition tricks are any sort of back neck combination or her toss stationary leap, catch in the split, and her favorite field tricks are toss walkovers or toss aerials. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her coaches and the other collegiate twirlers on her team. After college, Jaidyn hopes to work in Fashion Merchandising for a designer brand.

Callan Hall, Freshman
Competition Level: Advanced
Callan has been twirling for 14 years. She is a member of Shannon’s Stars and is coached by Shannon Meis and Lauren Cox. The competition placement Callan is the proudest of earning was either when she placed 6th in the NBTA Collegiate Solo Finals as a freshman this past summer, or when she won her first national title. Her favorite competition trick is a horizontal toss with a toe roll to stand up from the floor, and her favorite field trick is a leg bounce with a “Go Pokes” under it! In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her coaches. “I grew up watching one of them compete and I always remember how watching her do what she loves made me feel!” After college, Callan hopes to work as a labor and delivery nurse.

Fun Facts!
• Favorite Color – Pink (Jaidyn & Callan)
• Favorite TV Show – Grey’s Anatomy (Jaidyn & Callan) 
• Favorite Book – “Any mystery series” (Jaidyn), The Bible :) (Callan) 

Must have Game Day Snack/Drink…

• Both - "Peach rings, watermelon sour patch kids, and WATERRRR!" 
• PLUS - Celsius for Jaidyn and coffee for Callan!

Favorite Quote or Life Motto…

• Jaidyn - “I always remind myself that I get out what I put in for everything I do. Do everything for yourself and set your own goals. Getting caught up in comparing yourself to others will not help you succeed.”
• Callan - Psalm 34:4-5 “I sought the lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all of my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant their faces are never covered with shame.” or Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

When they are not twirling, they love to…

• Jaidyn - “Hang out with my friends, family, and especially my dogs. Try new restaurants and go shopping!”
• Callan - “Go to church, hang with my friends and family, and play sports!”

Something people might not know about them…

• Jaidyn - “I was captain of my dance team in high school and have four dogs!” 
• Callan - “I played 3 sports in High school (not including baton).”

The best non twirling life skill they have gained from baton twirling is… 

• Jaidyn - “Confidence and determination. I have learned so much about how important mentality is going into a competition. Through the years I had grown to believe in myself and all the work i put in at the gym. Twirling has taught me how to be accountable and put in those extra hours of practice in order to be my best.”
• Callan - “Leadership and determination! I always looked up to the older girls and it is important for me to be a good role model for the younger girls on my team. And determination is obvious because twirling can be frustrating but remember to never give up!!”

The most memorable advice from their coach(es)… 

• Jaidyn - “My coach Patti has always told me to yawn whenever I get nervous. It may seem funny, but it really works!”
• Callan - “‘Competitions are a performance!! Don’t think of it as competing!’ My coaches are the best and always give me pep talks. I can't even pick my favorite thing!” 

Advice to future Collegiate twirlers… 

• Jaidyn - “I would say to just always be flexible and keep an open mind. You never know where you will end up and college twirling is such an amazing opportunity. Don’t take anything for granted and say yes to any opportunities that come your way!”
• Callan - “When you are looking for a college, pay close attention to the people and how the environment makes you feel!! Enjoy every moment. I will never forget my first game!”

Funniest memory as a baton twirler… 

• Jaidyn - “All of the fun inside jokes I have made with my teammates and coaches while spending time together in the gym.”
• Callan - “My baton teacher cutting my hair at nationals before modeling!”

Favorite thing about marching season… 

• Jaidyn - “Having the opportunity to really bond with the Cowboy Marching band has been amazing. Me and Callan have gotten close with the drum majors and have made so many friends in the band. It’s great to be a part of such an amazing group of musicians and get to experience game-day alongside them.”
• Callan - “I loved band camp and getting to hang out with our coaches!! And I love making memories with Jaidyn and getting closer with the drum majors.”

What will they miss most when marching season is over… 

• Jaidyn - “I will miss doing the walk into the stadium. The fans at Oklahoma State are amazing and I will miss all the pictures I get to take with aspiring twirlers.”
• Callan - “I will miss taking the field and miss spending time with my coaches, Jaidyn, and the drum majors.”

Thanks to Jaidyn & Callan for sharing their awesome takeover. We really enjoyed learning more about OSU Game Days and seeing these two wonderful twirlers in action. Congrats ladies, and we wish you both a fantastic remainder of your season. Go Pokes!

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.