Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - Northwestern State University Twirlers!

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

That time of the year is here, and we are at our FINAL Collegiate Twirler Spotlight of the season! Don’t worry, we will still have takeovers as we go through Playoff and Bowl Season, but this will be our last Spotlight Interview. We have so enjoyed getting to know the many High School and College Twirlers we have been able to feature this season, and we can’t wait to follow everyone through to competition season!

Our final Collegiate Twirler Spotlight of the season is on the Northwestern State Feature Twirlers!

Northwestern State University, located in Natchitoches, Louisiana, is the home of the Demons, and some great twirlers! This year, NSU has two twirlers rocking the Purple & White (and orange!) on Game Days…Feature Twirler- Daynie Edwards and Demon Twirler- Ainslee Goutreaux!

To earn their positions, they went through the audition process. “We just messaged the head band director, Dr. Anthony Pursell, once we got accepted, and he set up an audition from there.” They do have a unique situation in that they do not have a coach or sponsor. “We actually write all of our own choreography!”

In selecting a school, NSU ended up being a great choice for both twirlers. As Daynie tells us, “I fell in love with the beautiful campus, amazing band, and the funniest alumni.” The decision to go to NSU meant an out of state move for this Texas girl, but it turned out to be a second home for her. “I was simply born to be a demon. Plus, the scholarships NSU had to offer helped.”

We wanted to know what their favorite parts of attending NSU were, and they said they love the Louisiana culture and diversity. This culture also helps feed the NSU traditions. There are lots of great moments to look forward to as a Demon, but Daynie told us her favorite traditions are all associated with her time with the band. “My favorite is when we get to sing the Alma Mater with the band after each Friday rehearsal”. 

They also get a laugh out of boo-ing the drumline. “For some reason, we boo the drumline as they enter the field for pre-game. I’m not sure why we do this, but I find it funny that no one else knows why this happens either.”

Finally with all the culture and tradition that comes with NSU, we wanted to know what event they were most excited for, and they are so excited for the Classic on the Cane. “We love watching all of the bands compete. Plus, we really enjoy getting to perform for other bands.”

Now that we have learned more about NSU let’s learn more about the twirlers!

Daynie Edwards, Sophomore
Competition Level: NBTA Advanced/Collegiate
Daynie has been twirling for 15 years and is coached by Janice Jackson Seamands. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was when she was named the 2024 Collegiate Miss Majorette of Louisiana. Her favorite field trick is her signature leg pop trick, but when it comes to competition tricks, “I am obsessed with any and all rolls!” After College she would love to be a high school twirl sponsor. 

Ainslee Goutreaux, Freshman
Competition Level: USTA Beginner
Ainslee has been twirling for 14 years. She is a member of Evolution Twirls and is coached by Ashley Roberson and Charlie Giddens with additional instruction from Amanda Guidroz. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was when she was named the 2024 USTA Senior Beginner Athlete of The Year. Her favorite competition trick is a one spin illusion, and her favorite field trick is a leap cartwheel. 

Fun Facts

• Favorite Color – PURPLE (Daynie), Yellow (Ainslee)
• Favorite TV Show or Movie – “Any and all musicals” (Daynie), FRIENDS (Ainslee)
• Favorite Book – “Shadow and Bone” (Daynie)

Must have Game Day Snack/Drink…

• Daynie - “Unsweet Tea and Chicken Nuggets.”

Favorite Quote or Life Motto…

• Daynie - “I am inimitable, I am an original.” 
• Ainslee - “Everything happens for a reason.”

When they are not twirling, they love to… 

• Daynie - “Read, hang out with my friends, go shopping.”

Something people might not know about them… 

• Daynie - “I was a camp counselor and golf instructor over the summer.”

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

• Daynie - “Leadership. When people look up to you and depend on you, you learn to be a reliable and hard worker.”

Advice to future Collegiate twirlers… 

• Daynie - “Find your balance! Hard work and fun are hard to achieve without each other.”
• Ainslee - “Don’t stress about the small things because you can always handle something for a short period of time. Always remember to have fun.”

Funniest memory as a baton twirler… 

• Daynie - “Every time my colorguard friends and I practice together, I always love getting to learn to twirl each other's equipment.”

Favorite thing about marching season… 

• Daynie - “Going to rehearsals and getting to know the band.”

What will you miss most when marching season is over… 

• Daynie - “Rehearsals 100%!”

We want to thank Daynie for doing a great job with their Game Day takeover, and we wish her and Ainslee a great remainder of their football season. Fork Em Demons!

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 - LA Tech Feature Twirlers!

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Can you believe competition season starts in just a little over one week here in Texas?  We know all our #TeamTexas collegiate twirlers are doing everything they can to get the most out of their football season during these final weeks, especially these two! We loved following their Game Day experience on the Instastory Takeover, and we hope you did 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!

Our next Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is on the Louisiana Tech University Feature Twirlers!

Louisiana Tech University, located in Ruston, Louisiana, is the home of the Bulldogs. It is also the home of these two awesome twirlers and a great band program! Representing in the red, white, and blue this season are the 2024-25 LA Tech Feature Twirlers, Grace Jones & Tess Gardner!

While the details of this position may not be as well known to those in Texas, it is one that comes with some amazing benefits! “We are on a scholarship to represent our school with our marching band, and it also counts as a class. In addition to getting to perform with the band during football season, we also get to perform our own routines at halftime during basketball season. We also get to design all of our own costumes and have one provided for free by the band!”

In order to earn their spots, they had to go through the initial audition process. “Each applicant creates their own video that’s up to two and a half minutes, during which they show us their skills. There is a list of required tricks posted on our band’s website that is adjusted every year (we will post them when we open up auditions). It is highly recommended to include each of those tricks as well as expressive showmanship and performance qualities in your routine! Then, if you are offered a position, your spot is guaranteed all 4 years!”

As both of these twirlers are not from Louisiana, we wanted to know what brought them to LA Tech. Grace tells us, “I absolutely fell in love with the campus and environment. Ruston has become the best home away from home for me. The students, alumni, and faculty have the best hearts.” Tess had a similar feeling from the beginning. “As soon as I toured Louisiana Tech for the first time, I knew it was where I wanted to go to college. There’s something about this campus, you can ask anyone who goes here, and they’ll agree - it just feels like home! Tech is a very close-knit community and that immediately drew me in.”

With Grace being a Texas girl, and Tess hailing from Alabama, they both had to make the choice to go out of state, but the move to LA Tech wasn’t a tough one for either twirler. As Tess shared, “Ever since I was little, I knew that I wanted to go to a college that was out of state. I wanted to explore and meet new people! I also knew from my earliest days of twirling that I wanted to be a feature twirler. There aren’t many opportunities to be a feature twirler in my home state, so that was even more reason to explore out-of-state options!” Grace had a similar feeling growing up. “I personally chose to go out of state because I wanted to experience a new environment. I grew up in the same small town my entire life, and I wanted to break out of my comfort zone and create new friendships.”

Being at LA Tech has been a wonderful experience for Grace and Tess. Grace says that her favorite thing about Louisiana Tech is the student life and the community. “We have so many different student organizations to be a part of and we are each involved in different activities around campus and Ruston.” For Tess, there are so many things that she loves! “Our beautiful campus, the community, the positive atmosphere, I love everything about it!”

With so much love for their school, we can’t wait to hear about their traditions! Grace tells us that her favorite is their Bulldog Statue. “There is one on campus in one of our main areas and it is believed to have good luck if you rub its head when you walk by!” Tess also has her own favorite. “One of my favorite traditions here at Tech is the Lady of the Mist, which is a sculpture in the middle of a fountain in the quad on campus. In 1938, the Lady was funded by the sororities on campus. It was specifically placed in the quad so that the Lady could welcome all to campus with her outstretched arms. I am part of Alpha Chi Omega here at Tech, so I find the Lady very inspiring knowing that the Panhellenic System helped contribute to such a beautiful landmark.”

Even their band program has some fun traditions of their own. Tess’ favorite is the pregame jog. “Grace and I jazz run alongside one of the drum majors at the beginning of pregame. From there we go straight into the fight song down the field. The pregame jog kicks off pregame and everyone is watching… It feels electric!” In addition to the jog, Grace also likes to get her exercise in the form of the Louisiana Tech Jumping Jacks. “Before every practice and game, we spell out Louisiana Tech while doing jumping jacks to get everyone’s energy going.”

Finally, as their season is beginning to wrap up, we wanted to know what they had been looking forward to the most this year. “I am most excited about our homecoming game,” says Grace. “Our homecoming game is also with our alumni this year and we have some of the best twirling alumni. It is always so fun to visit with them and learn about their experiences.” Tess enjoys the atmosphere LA Tech provides. “Since we’re a smaller school from a small town, the locals are all diehard fans. They show up to every home game and tailgate and they are the best! The student body also is very supportive, the student section is always packed out. Between the students and the locals, every football game is always brimming with enthusiasm and excitement. Win or lose, everyone is always having a great time!”

Now that we have learned more about life at LA Tech, let’s learn more about the twirlers!

Grace Jones, Junior
Competition Level: Intermediate
Grace has been twirling for 9 years and is coached by Ashleigh Russell. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the Texas State 3 Baton in 2019. Her favorite competition trick is horizontal slaps, and her favorite field trick is a toss leap roll. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by World Gold Medalist, Joel Claudio. “He has always been such an inspiration of mine!” She is currently obtaining her degree in Human Development and Family Sciences, and after college, she hopes to one day become a Child Counselor, “and coach twirling wherever I land with my career.”

Tess Gardner, Sophomore

Competition Level: Intermediate

Tess has been twirling for 6 years and is coached by Kirsandra and Katiana Welsheimer. The competition titles she was the proudest to earn were when she won her state solo, X-strut, and 2-baton in 2022. Her favorite competition trick is anything involving illusions, and her favorite field trick is a toss leap walkover. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by her coaches. Currently she is working to complete her bachelor's degree in computer science, and after she graduates, she wants to start a family.

Fun Facts!

• Favorite Color: Pink (Grace & Tess) 
• Favorite TV Show or Movie: “Grey’s Anatomy” (Grace), “Legally Blonde” (Tess)
• Favorite Book: “It Ends With Us” (Grace), “The Harry Potter series” (Tess)

Must have Game Day Snack/Drink…

• Grace – “Liquid IV and egg bites from our local coffee shop.”
• Tess – “Starbucks Cappuccino or any Alani energy drink (I need my caffeine!!)”

Favorite Quote or Life Motto…

• Grace – “Work hard in silence, let your success be the noise.” 
• Tess – “She believed she could, so she did.”

When they are not twirling, they love to…

• Grace – “Be with friends and catch up with everyone.”
• Tess – “Take spontaneous trips or spend time with my family.”

Something people might not know about them… 

• Grace – “Tess and I are in the same sorority at Louisiana Tech, and she is actually my little! I am so thankful to have my best friend beside me.”
• Tess – “I’m a part of Alpha Chi Omega here at Tech, and the other feature twirler, Grace, is my big sister! Outside of twirling, we are very close friends, and I love our friendship.”

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

• Grace – “The best non-twirling life skill I have learned is interview skills. It has helped me tremendously in all aspects of life.”
• Tess – “Efficiently creating and achieving goals. Twirling has turned me into a very goal-oriented person, I’ve been able to translate pushing consistency for tricks and routines to my everyday life (specifically school)! It’s a skill I am grateful for every day.”

The most memorable advice from their coach(es)… 

• Grace – “To always have fun. If you ever find yourself performing for others rather than yourself, take a step back and practice your favorite tricks to be reminded that you love the sport.”
• Tess – “Put your mental health first! Your mental state is the priority! Also, the key to everything is confidence!”

Advice to future Collegiate Twirlers…

• Grace – “Always stick with your dream! Whether you want to be on a line or be a feature twirler, stay positive and motivated throughout tryouts.”
• Tess – “HAVE FUN!! Twirling at games is less about throwing difficult tricks and more about putting on an entertaining performance that you feel confident in.”

 
Funniest memory as a baton twirler…

• Grace – “My funniest memory has to be when I threw two batons in the opposite direction from each other in a three-baton routine during competition season!”
• Tess – “I have had 4 black eyes and they’re all from twirling.”

Favorite thing about marching season…

• Grace – “The energy! Our band brings so much energy at all points throughout the season.”
• Tess – “PREGAME: I love the energy!”

What they will miss most when marching season is over…

• Grace – “Getting to spend every day with Tess!”
• Tess – “Getting to spend weekends in the football stadium. Our football games are so much fun, and every time I get to perform at games, I’m reminded that all my hard work pays off in the best way possible. I am so grateful every day that I get to be a feature twirler!”

We want to thank the LA Tech Feature Twirlers for their wonderful takeover. We loved learning more about this great school and all the fun they have, and we know they will finish the season strong! 

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 - Hallsville High School

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Wow! Can you believe we have already completed the last weekend of regular season high school football? The past couple months went by so fast, and we are sad to say this is the final Friday Night Lights Feature of the season! Don’t worry, we will still have more takeovers through playoffs, but for our last HS interview of the season we get to meet a great group of auxillary members!

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 Hallsville High School Majorettes & Flags!

Hallsville High School, located in Hallsville, Texas, is the home of the Bobcats, and our biggest group of the season! Wearing the purple and white each Friday Night, these baton and flag twirlers are also all musicians! “We all have to play instruments in our band all year round!” This year, the HHS Auxiliary has an outstanding TWENTY members including - Seniors Evey LaBay (Twirler Captain), Semaya Smith (Flag Captain), Kendall Goulden, Karsyn Niblett, Cailey Cox, and Madi Smelley; Juniors Lucy Avedikian, Zalea Brazzell, & Mia Nichols; Sophomores Riley Fincher, Mia Williams, Jaidin Loud, & Andrhea Kelley; and Freshmen Ella Dunin, Jayden Hatch, Sophia Beecham, Kaydence Frank, Violet Dolive, Lyla Upchurch, & Faith Madewell.

To earn their spot, they had to follow the annual audition process. “We always tryout in May, and we normally learn a tryout routine about a week before tryouts then perform it in groups for 3 judges! Captains also have to create their own tryout solo, teach the fight song in front of judges, and go through an interview.”

There are many things to love about Hallsville, but the twirlers say it is the students that really make it special. “Our student body is very supportive! All students love to get involved and all support our band, drill team, cheer, and all sports.”

With such a great student base, the traditions have to be the best! “Our best tradition in Hallsville is our Western Days! We have an annual festival called Western Days, with a Parade, a Pageant called “Miss Hallsville” where senior girls can participate, street dances, and lots of western themes! We also always enjoy our Band Senior Night where we crown a “Band Sweetheart and Beau.” They are voted on by the band and ride on a float in our Christmas parade!”

As football season has wrapped up, they are already looking forward to the holidays. “We will be having our 3rd annual Auxiliary and Twirl Cats Christmas show this year! This year's theme is The Polar Express!”

Now that we have learned more about being a Bobcat, let’s learn more about the Twirlers!

Evey LaBay, Senior - Captain (Twirler)
Evey has been twirling for 9 years. She is coached by Shannon Johnson and Janice Jackson Seamands. Her favorite field trick is anything with 3 batons, and she has been most inspired by former University of Tennessee Feature Twirler, Laney Puhalla. “She is so inspirational to me! I took a private lesson with her and she is so encouraging and talented!” After High School, she hopes to attend the University of Arkansas next fall to pursue a degree in nursing! “I hope to try out for the Razorback twirling line in the spring!”

Semaya Smith, Senior - Captain (Flag)
Semaya has been twirling for 7 years. She is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is any type of floor work, and she has been most inspired by their former Captain, Maddie Shirley. “She inspired me so much in my early High School years to try out for captain and make twirling a priority of mine.” After High School she is attending the University of New Mexico to pursue a degree in nursing.

Kendall Goulden, Senior
Kendall has been twirling for 5 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is a back catch, and she has been most inspired by her coach, Shannon. After High School she plans to attend SFA to get a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders to become a Speech Pathologist.

Karsyn Niblett, Senior
Karsyn has been twirling for 7 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is a silk toss, and she has been most inspired by her sister. After High School, she hopes to go to Kilgore College to become a real estate agent and investor.

Cailey Cox, Senior
Cailey has been twirling for 7 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is an Ariel toss, and she has been most inspired by her Captain, Semaya. After High School, she plans to go to Louisiana Tech University to major in electrical engineering.

Madi Smelley, Senior
Madi has been twirling for 13 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is 3 Juggles into a one turn, and she has been most inspired by her aunt. After High School, she hopes to go to a university and get her doctorate in medicine.

Lucy Avedikian, Junior
Lucy has been twirling for 4 years and is coach by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is a meltdown, and she has been most inspired by her captains, Semaya Smith and Evey LaBay. After High School, she hopes to attend college and become a flight nurse for the Air Force.

Zalea Brazzell, Junior
Zalea has been twirling for 5 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is a meltdown, and she has been most inspired by her Captain, Semaya, and herself “because I know that I am capable of doing anything I put my mind to”. After High School, she plans to go to a college and get a degree in nursing.

Mia Nichols, Junior
Mia has been twirling for 10 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson in addition to being a member of Michele’s All-Star Twirlers. Her favorite field trick is 3 baton boxes, she has been most inspired by the Alabama Crimsonettes, Razorback Twirlers, and her Captain Evey LaBay. After High School she hopes to go to the University of Arkansas and study Business. “I also hope to try out for the Razorback Twirling Line.

Riley Fincher, Sophomore
Riley has been twirling for 3 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is a 1 turn, and she has been most inspired by her teammates. After High School, she plans to graduate with her associate's degree, then go to a college to obtain her Bachelors, then attend Vet school. 

Mia Williams, Sophomore
Mia has been twirling for 3 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is a back catch, and she has been most inspired by her teammates, Mia Nichols. After High School, she plans to go to college to become a teacher.

Jaidin Loud, Sophomore
Jaidin has been twirling for 6 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is a meltdown, and she has been most inspired by the University of Texas Feature Twirler, Aidyn Mentry. After High School, she hopes to attend UT Austin to become a pharmacist. “I would also love to march in the band!”

Andrhea Kelley, Sophomore
Andrhea has been twirling for 1 year and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is partner tosses, and she has been most inspired by her sister. After High School, she plans to go to college to become a Registered Nurse.

Ella Dunin, Freshman
Ella has been twirling for 4 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is a 1 turn, and she has been most inspired by the younger girls in twirling. “Having fun inspires me and being able to help them.” After High School, she hopes to continue to college and then go to medical school.

Jayden Hatch, Freshman
Jayden has been twirling for 3 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is a one turn, and she has been most inspired by her Captain, Semaya. After High School, she hopes to go to college for nursing.

Sophia Beecham, Freshman
Sophia has been twirling for 3 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is when they get to do partner tosses, and she has been most inspired by her teammates. After High School, she hopes to go to college and prepare to be a Physical Therapist.

Kaydence Frank, Freshman
Kaydence has been twirling for 3 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is a silk toss, and she has been most inspired by her family. “They support me and build my confidence.” After High School, she hopes to become a cosmetologist.

Violet Dolive, Freshman
Violet has been twirling for 5 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field tricks are fishtails, and she has been most inspired by her teammates. “They inspire me at every practice to become a better twirler!” After High School, she hopes to become an FBI agent!

Lyla Upchurch, Freshman
Lyla has been twirling for 8 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is 3 baton juggles, and she has been most inspired by her mom, aunt, and grandma. After High School, she hopes to go to a college and pursue a degree in Hippotherapy. “I would also like to continue my twirling career in college.”

Faith Madewell, Freshman
Faith has been twirling for 3 years and is coached by Shannon Johnson. Her favorite field trick is juggles, and she has been most inspired by God. After High School, she hopes to go to Kilgore College for 2 years then attend UT medical school to become a Cardiothoracic Surgeon.

When they are not twirling, they love to…

• Evey - “I love to spend time with my family!”
• Semaya - “I love to work with my coworkers at a retail store in my town and also listen to music.”
• Kendall - “I love to play percussion and hang out with my friends.”
• Karsyn - “I love to hang out with friends and family and go shopping.”
• Cailey - “I love to read.”
• Madi - “Go to church and hang out with my friends.”
• Lucy - “I love to sleep, eat, and hang out with my friends.”
• Zalea - “I love to go out to eat with some of the girls on the team and learn new tricks.”
• Mia N. - “I love to hang out with my friends and listen to music.”
• Riley - “I love to spend time with my friends.”
• Mia W. - “I love to spend time with my friends and skate.”
• Jaidin - “I love to draw and play video games.”
• Andrhea - “I love to play my trumpet in band.”
• Ella - “I love to play with all of my animals, read, and talk to my friends.”
• Jayden - “I love to work out and hang out with my friends.”
• Sophia - “I love to read.”
• Kaydence - “I love to spend time with my family and draw or do arts and crafts.”
• Violet - “I love to read and listen to music.”
• Lyla - “I love to ride and train horses.”
• Faith - “I love to dance and sleep.”

Something people might not know about them is…

• Evey - “I played soccer for 4 years and I miss it a lot!”
• Semaya - “I chipped my tooth at practice my freshman year at our dress rehearsal for our spring show.”
• Kendall - “I am deathly afraid of frogs!”
• Karsyn - “I set up a Christmas village in my room every year.”
• Cailey - “My favorite color is green.”
• Madi - “I have read the Harry Potter series completely through 5 times.”
• Lucy - “I drive a yellow jeep.”
• Zalea - “I really do cherish all the small things.” 
• Mia N. - “I actually started band freshman year of High School.”
• Riley - “I am a twin.”
• Mia W. - “I am left handed and dyslexic.”
• Jaidin - “I have done gymnastics, boxing, and karate. I also have a pet bird!”
• Andrhea - “I love painting.”
• Ella - “I cried at my very first twirling lesson and that I collect mini objects.”
• Jayden - “I can hold handstands for a very long time.”
• Sophia - “I am terrified of spiders.”
• Kaydence - “I love to fish.”
• Violet - “I play the piano.”
• Lyla - “I go to summer camp for a whole month during the summer.”
• Faith - “I love pickles.”

Favorite thing about marching season…

• Evey - “Traveling to Baylor every year to compete in the State Military Marching Contest!”
• Semaya - “Getting ready with my best friends in our locker room before games and competitions.”
• Kendall - “Performing under the Friday Night Lights!”
• Karsyn - “Going to the games with some of my best friends.”
• Cailey - “When it’s over and we get to relax.”
• Madi - “Getting to play my piccolo in the band.”
• Lucy - “The memories we make together during practices and performances.”
• Zalea - “Getting to do what I love on the football field.”
• Mia N. - “Getting to do what I love with all my friends and twirling under the Friday night lights!”
• Riley - “Getting to spend it with some of my closest friends.”
• Mia W. - “The bus rides to and from games.”
• Jaidin - “Being able to talk to different bands at competitions and meet new people!”
• Andrhea - “The bus rides with my friend.”
• Ella - “The adrenaline rush I get during game days and getting to play call out in the stands during games!”
• Jayden - “Traveling for marching contests.”
• Sophia - “The halftime performances.”
• Kaydence - “When we perform on Fridays.”
• Violet - “The bus rides to and from football games!”
• Lyla - “Traveling to football games and working together as an Auxiliary Line.”
• Faith - “When we go to contests, and we all cheer because we made all 1’s!”

We want to thank the Hallsville twirlers for being our very last Friday Night Lights Feature of the season, and we just know they all had such a great time together this fall. Go Bobcats!

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 - Baylor University Golden Girls

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

It is amazing how fast this season has gone. We are only a couple weeks away from the entry deadline for the TX Holiday Twirl Fest (visit TX Holiday Twirl Fest for more details), and 10 days away from the Fall Kick Off Contest, which is 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.

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 on the Baylor Golden Girl Feature Twirlers!

Baylor University, located in Waco, Texas, is the home of the Bears, and some amazing baton twirling talent. The Feature Twirlers at Baylor are referred to as the Golden Girls, and they carry on a legacy that has previously included not one, but two Miss Texas winners, World Team Members, and a former Collegiate Miss Majorette of America. Wow! Rocking the Green and Gold in McLane Stadium, the 2024-2025 Baylor Golden Girls include Josie D’Acquisto, Mallory Reynier, and Maggie Churdimsky!

To earn their spot as a Golden Girl, these twirlers had to go through an extensive audition process. “To audition for a spot as a Baylor feature twirler, you must email an audition packet by January 3rd. There is more information about what that packet needs to include online. From there, select applicants will be invited to Baylor for an in-person audition and an interview!” 

Choosing a college can be a complicated choice for some, but not for these three! Josie chose to attend Baylor because she always looked up to the Baylor Golden Girls and knew it would be a great match. Maggie chose Baylor because she grew up with her coach taking her to all the games, and just loved being on that field. Mallory chose Baylor because it has a great PT school that she wanted to be a part of, and the twirling spot was a great bonus. 

While Maggie is a Texas girl, Josie and Mallory both came to Baylor from out of state. “We decided to go out of state to experience a new place. College is the easiest time to explore new States!”

Baylor has so much to offer its students, and the twirlers had a hard time pinning down their favorites, but they all agree that the people make it great! Josie’s favorite thing about Baylor is its atmosphere. “It is very intimate and intentional”. Mallory’s favorite thing about Baylor is their band director, Dr. Odajima. Maggie’s favorite thing about Baylor is being able to twirl with her best friends, with the most amazing band.

Being in Waco, the home of Dr. Pepper, Baylor really leans into their love for the soda. “Every Tuesday, our school hosts ‘Dr. Pepper Hour’. This is an hour where all students can get free Dr. Pepper Floats.” This is just one of the amazing traditions the Baylor students enjoy, but there are many others. “The best tradition at Baylor is Homecoming. There is a massive pep rally and bonfire, followed the next day by a parade and football game! Baylor also has freshmen “run the line” at every home game, which is where they run on the football field before the players!” They also can’t forget their band traditions. “Within our band program, we always play “Word Up” and there is a fun dance that the entire band does during it!”

With both Mallory and Josie in their senior year, as the season starts to wrap up they are really looking forward to getting the most out of every moment. “We are really looking forward to enjoying some of our favorite moments on campus. We have like All University Thanksgiving, where the whole school sits at Fountain Mall and has Thanksgiving dinner together, and Christmas on Fifth, where all of Fifth Street through the middle of campus is full of horse carriages and ice-skating rinks. Besides that, we always look forward to watching as much Baylor football as possible!”

Now that we have learned more about life at Baylor, let’s learn more about the Golden Girls.

Josie D’Acquisto, Senior
Competition Level: Elite
Josie has been twirling for 18 years. She is a member of the team Revolution, and is coached by Kelli Perelman. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was this past summer, when her team won the EsTEAMed cup at USTA Nationals! “We were also chosen to be on Team USA as the Elite Team!” Her favorite competition trick is a leap double walkover, and her field trick is an illusion walkover! In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her coach, Kellie Perelman, as well as her team at home and the other Baylor Golden Girls. After College she plans to attend Grad School for engineering!

Mallory Reynier, Senior
Competition Level: Elite
Mallory has been twirling for 11 years. She started competing as a member of the Eastern Shore Twirlers, coached by Stacy Forbess. Then she twirled on Intrepid, coached by Jackie Stewart, Karissa Wimberly, and Cheryl Wimberly. The competition title she is the proudest of was when her team won the USTA Elite Team Grand Champion and made Team USA. Her favorite competition tricks are a spin-illusion walkover or leap double-walkover, and her favorite field tricks are leap walkovers and floor tricks. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her twirling friends and her late coach Mrs. Stacy. After college she plans to pursue a Doctorate in Physical Therapy.

Maggie Chrudimsky, Junior

Competition Level: Elite
Maggie has been twirling for 18 years. She is a member of both the Ambition Baton Club and Lynndell’s Twirl and Dance, and is coached by Lynndell Harrell and Lori Perkins. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was when she was named the 2023 Senior Women’s A 3 baton Gold Medalist at the Nation’s Cup in Liverpool, England. Her favorite competition trick or field trick is always anything three baton. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by former Baylor Golden Girl, Adaline Bebo. After college, she plans to go back to school for her master’s degree in athletic training.

Fun Facts!

• Favorite Color – Green and Gold (Josie), Pink! (Mallory), Purple (Maggie)
• Favorite TV Show or Movie – “Dancing with the Stars” (Josie & Maggie), “Grey’s Anatomy” (Mallory)
• Favorite Book – “1984” (Josie), “Fourth Wing series” (Mallory), “It Ends With Us” (Maggie)

Must have Game Day Snack/Drink…

• Josie – “A crisp Diet Coke.”
• Maggie – “Dr Pepper.”

Favorite Quote or Life Motto…

• Josie - “Fake it till ya make it!”
• Mallory – “It is what it is”
• Maggie – “Everything happens for a reason.”

When they are not twirling, they love to… 

• Josie – “Hang out with my friends!” 
• Maggie – “Hang out with my friends!”

Something people might not know about them is…

• Josie – “I am in a club called BAJA where I help build the electrical system for a car.”
• Mallory – “I love volunteering at the humane society and walking the dogs.”
• Maggie – “I know how to wake surf.”

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

• Josie – “How to work well with a team.”
• Mallory – “Discipline, creativity, and teamwork skills.”
• Maggie – “Perseverance.”

The most memorable advice from their coach(es)… 

• Josie – “Be confident. You know your routine, they don’t.”
• Mallory – “Don’t lose the love!”
• Maggie – “Point your toes!”

Advice to future Collegiate twirlers… 

• Josie – “Twirl big and have fun, you will never experience anything else like college twirling.”
• Mallory – “Soak in all in! It’ll be over before you know it.”

Funniest memory as a baton twirler… 

• Josie – “Mallory’s toenails fell off after the first football game!”
• Mallory – “I was so bored waiting for awards that some of my Eastern Shore Twirlers teammates and I started doing our mom’s makeup in the locker room to match us.”
• Maggie – “Any of my competition team practices, they hold some of the funniest memories ever.”

Favorite thing about marching season… 

• Josie – “I love the first football game when the band is in full uniform, it is amazing to see all our hard work come together!”
• Mallory – “Getting to see Josie and Maggie three times a week!”
• Maggie – “Taking the field every game day for pregame.”

What will they miss most when marching season is over… 

• Josie – “Seeing the band three times a week (four when there is a game!)”
• Mallory – “Being that it is my last marching season, I will miss the band and being able to twirl at the football stadium with my fellow Golden Girls.”
• Maggie – “Being able to twirl in front of all the amazing fans at McLane Stadium.”

We want to thank the Baylor Golden Girls for sharing their Game Day with us, and we hope they all have a great remainder of the Baylor Football Season. Sic Em Bears!

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.