Friday Night Lights Feature - Grand Oaks High School

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

September is coming to an end, but the field twirlers are still shining bright! Can you believe it will be October in only a few days? Speaking of Fall, let’s learn more about this amazing twirler and how much this season means to her!

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 season’s first Friday Night Lights Feature is the Grand Oaks High School Feature Twirler!

Grand Oaks High School, located in Spring, Texas, is the home of the Grizzlies, and is also one of the biggest high schools in Texas with over 4,000 students. It is also home to Team USA member and Grand Oaks High School Feature Twirler, Lily Easterwood!

With a school that huge, we wanted to know how Lily was able to earn her spot on the field. “If there is an athlete interested in the position, they reach out to the color guard director and she decides if they are fit for the spot.” Thankfully the colorguard director and band director at GOHS loved Lily and thought she was such a great fit for their program that she is actually incorporated into the band's competitive marching show! You know we love to see it! 

Being a big part of the band’s show and a very visible part of the High School’s spirit organizations, we asked Lily what her favorite part about attending GOHS was, and she said she loves all of it. “I love how supportive the students are and our campus is beautiful!”

Another thing Lily loves are all of the GOHS traditions, but she says the “parade of champions” is the best one. “Every few weeks we have a “parade of champions” during first period. It’s like a mini pep rally to recognize any sport’s/club’s recent success!” 

Even the band has its own traditions, and let’s just say when it is your birthday you get a special surprise. “When it’s someone’s birthday at rehearsal, we stay after and pour whatever water we have left on their head!”

Finally we wanted to know what Lily is looking forward to the most this season, and she told us the band competitions are the best. “I can’t wait to travel to band competitions and hear the crowds during performances!”

Now that we have learned more about twirling at Grand Oaks, let’s learn more about Lily!

Lily Easterwood, Sophomore
Lily is an Elite level competitor that has been twirling for eight years. She is a member of the Mickey's Majorettes and she is coached by Kayli Mickey-McIntosh and Patti Mickey. The competition placement she is the proudest of earning was being named the 2025 IBTF Junior A 3 baton silver medalist/ Her favorite twirling tricks are anything with 3 or 4 batons! In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Carissa Wolfe. After High School, she hopes to twirl for a university while studying medicine to become an anesthesiologist. 

Favorites!
Favorite Color – Orange
Favorite TV Show, Movie, and/or Book – Corpse Bride & Coraline (Movies), Grey’s Anatomy (Show), and “The Silent Patient” (Book)

Must have Game Day Snack and/or Drink…
“Built bars and a Ghost (Welches Grape) energy drink.”

Favorite Quote or the Life Motto…
“Losers focus on winners, winners focus on winning.”

When she is not twirling, she loves to… 
“Teach Sunday School, play sudoku, read, and do puzzles and diamond paintings!”

Something people might not know about her…
“I am ranked 3rd in my high school class out of over 1000 kids.”

The best life skill she has gained from baton twirling is… 
“Time management and work ethic.”

The most memorable advice from her coach…
“Breath, and trust your training.”

Advice to future high school twirlers…
“Don’t be afraid to perform with facials! It’s never embarrassing to have fun and it makes your performance more entertaining!”

Her funniest memory as a baton twirler…
“I love Autumn, so when I’m stressed during a routine, my coach yells out random fall words. I’ll be mid-trick and hear ‘pumpkin!’ ‘Flannel!’ ‘Football!’”

What will she miss the most when football/field season ends? 
“The adrenaline of performing in front of the student section!”

We want to thank Lily for sharing her Game Day with us. We hope she has an amazing time this season, and has an Autumn filled with all the pumpkins, flannel, and football! Go Grizzlies!

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.