Welcome to October. This is
the month of band competitions, more football, and watching those collegiate
twirlers rock it on Saturdays. We know today's featured twirlers did just that
this weekend.
Our Collegiate Twirler
Spotlight this week is on the two ladies representing the Horned Frogs up in Fort
Worth. Let's meet the Texas Christian University (TCU) Feature
Twirlers, Ashlyn Therkelsen and Emma Kate Wichman!
These two not only love their sport, but they also love their University! We asked them why they chose TCU. Ashlyn told us that the school having a great pre-med program, a beautiful campus, and awesome resources for students were all motivating factors in her decision. Emma Kate actually originally didn't consider TCU, but is now so glad she did. “I
had applied and been accepted into multiple universities around the country, none of which being TCU. My aunt lives in Fort Worth and always joked about me
coming here. One day, late February, I decided to apply to TCU. The next month
I found out I was accepted, went down to visit TCU the next week, and absolutely
fell in love with it. There are so many opportunities here for me in school and
post graduation.”
As the Feature Twirlers, they are very involved in the football game days. Ashlyn says her favorite part of the game day hype is getting to do the "Riff Ram Bah Zoo Chant" that the band, spirit squads,
twirlers, and whole student section does each game. Emma Kate loves starting the experience with the 'Frog Walk'. "I love doing Frog Walk before the game and seeing
all the fans that have come out line up for us to walk into the stadium. It's
so cool to see the fan base and fun to perform for them!”
Of course the band has it's own traditions to keep everyone excited. Both of them agree that the band chant is the best! As Ashlyn tells us, "Each practice when the drum majors dismiss us we always yell 'Go Frogs, ____' followed by a funny saying about the
other team we are playing that week”. Emma Kate adds that "I always look forward to hear what it (the funny saying) will be each week.”
While being a part of the band and getting in to the Frog spirit is fun, nothing can match the feeling they get when they twirl for the fans. Emma Kate tells us that "the first moment I stepped on the field was so surreal. The dream I had since I was a little girl had finally come true!!” This dream came from her biggest twirling inspiration, 2008 Iowa Golden Girl, Diana Reed. Ashlyn also names a Golden Girl as her biggest inspiration, but hers is 2016 Miss Texas, Caroline Carothers. Both amazing role models for sure!
Now that we have learned a little about TCU and its traditions/experiences, lets learn a little more about the two ladies that rock the purple and white each week...
Ashlyn
Therkelsen, Competition Level: Advanced
Ashlyn
is a Sophomore at TCU where she is on the Pre-Med track doing a Biology Major
and Chemisty Minor. She is from Omaha, Nebraska, and has been twirling for 15
years working with many awesome coaches including Vicki Ray, Joanne
Schlueter, Kim Evans, Jami Baustert, and Rachel Foehlinger. She is
the most proud of winning is the Region 10 Miss Majorette title. Her favorite
competition trick is “SPINS, SPINS, SPINS”, and her favorite field trick is a
toss cartwheel. Outside of twirling, Ashlyn is also involved in the John V. Roach Honors College, the Alpha Epsilon Delta –
Pre-Health Society, the Chemistry Club, the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority
as the Safety and Wellness Chair, the St. Jude’s ‘Up ‘til Dawn’ Executive
Board, and is a TCU Pre-Health Program Ambassador. After she graduates
from TCU, Ashlyn plans to go to medical school.
Emma
Kate Wichman, Competition Level: Advanced
Fun
Facts!
Favorite
Color – Purple *duh, wink* (Ashlyn), Pink (Emma Kate)
Favorite
Movie – “The Blind Side” (Ashlyn), “Mama Mia” (Emma Kate)
Favorite
Music – Country (Ashlyn), Anything 80’s (Emma Kate)
When
they are not twirling, they love to…
Ashlyn
– “Get my nails done, read, lay out at the pool, and shop”
Emma
Kate – “Relax and watch Netflix (specifically “The Office”). I rarely get to
relax, so when I do, that’s my go-to”.
Something
people may not know about them…
Aslyn
– “I had scoliosis surgery in high school, so I have two metal rods and 20
screws in my back”.
Emma
Kate – “I am Harry Potter obsessed!!! I am always channeling my inner Hermione
Granger”.
Most memorable advice from their coach:
Ashlyn – “Smile with your mouth open”
Emma Kate – “Battery Pack Up”
Favorite
Quote –
- Ashlyn – “Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently”.
- Emma Kate – "Something my parents have told me from a young age, 'You have two choices. You can throw in the towel, or you can wipe the sweat of your brow and keep going'."
Funniest twirling moment on the field…
- Ashlyn – “Last year at a rainy game, I slipped and fell on the field. I tried to make it look like it was on purpose, but I don’t think anyone fell for it”
- Emma Kate – “Last game, I was doing a front walkover (without a toss), this is a trick I have been able to do since I was eight (so easy), and I am not sure what I was thinking but I accidentally did it with the wrong leg. I knew I was going to fall, so mid-trick I was just trying to think of how to make this fall that is about to happen look graceful. Well TCU has real grass and it was kind of slippery so my fall wasn't too graceful, but it was definitely funny. I had to laugh myself because I don't know how I managed to fall on a trick I have been doing for so long.”
A new experience this season for Ashlyn, as the returning Feature Twirler, has been holding down the role as the veteran twirler, instead of being the rookie. Ashlyn told us that "it has been a little bit of an adjustment because, instead of following the lead of Julie and Kristen (the other two 2016 TCU Feature Twirlers), now I have to remember all of the ins and outs to help Emma Kate". With that kind of adjustment, it is super important to be able to work well with your co-feature, so we asked Ashlyn how it has been working with Emma Kate so far. "It's been a blast to twirl with Emma Kate this year. Since we're the same age, we were friends before we started twirling together, so we have been having a great time".
As for Emma Kate coming in as the new rookie, we wondered what that experience has been like. "I can only describe my experiences as amazing and surreal", said Emma Kate. "I have dreamt about that first moment that I step on the field since I was six years old. I am so thankful for this opportunity that God has given me".
Per tradition, our main question for these ladies was what advice would you give to a future Collegiate Twirler. Ashlyn gave some practical advice on routine construction... “If you twirl fast, the crowd thinks anything is cool!” So true! Emma Kate gave a little different perspective, "My advice to any future college twirlers is to never give up on your dream of being one. I ended up choosing the school I want to go to over a feature twirler position so that left me off the field my freshman year of college. I stayed persistent throughout my freshman year, remembering the goal I had since age 6, and now I get to be on the field at my dream school and I love every second of it!” Wise words! The subject of choosing a school to twirl or choosing it because of the school comes up frequently.
While we appreciated her advice, we wanted to know what Emma Kate would specifically say to a new rookie collegiate twirler about the perform in their first game, and she said "Soak up every second. Live it up, perform your best, and have fun!! If you drop the baton it is OK. The crowd already thinks all that you're doing is amazing. So breathe, take a look at the stadium around you, soak in the atmosphere and take that first step on the field with confidence." Love it!
A big thanks to Ashlyn and Emma Kate for taking the time to answer our question. We wish the both of them a great rest of the football season, and we look forward to seeing them back out on the field next year as well. Go Frogs!
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.
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