Welcome to the last weekend of September. We hope everyone has plans to enjoy their weekend before the crazy busy start of “Band-Tober”. Twirlers all over the State are preparing for band competitions and another month of those Friday Night Lights.
Each season this blog likes to get to know some of these awesome twirlers a little better by learning about them and their experiences. We will be meeting a new High School twirler each Friday through the season with the Friday Night Lights Features, and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights during the week. Make sure to follow us at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx or on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx for lots of live content and Insta-story take overs by some of your favorites
This week’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Franklin High School Twirlers!
Named for the nearby Franklin Mountains, Franklin High School in El Paso, Texas, is the home of these four awesome twirlers – Maddy Chapa (Captain), Sidney Vallejo, Eleanor Shoenbrun, and Emmy Chapa. Coached by Dawn Menchaca, these twirlers rock the purple and black each Friday in support of their Cougars.
We asked them what the process was to become an FHS Twirler and they told us, “At the end of your eighth-grade year, you prepare a UIL style routine, a competition solo, and an x-strut. The directors view each of these routines and make a decision immediately after about who will twirl”.
As Franklin High School Twirlers, they get to enjoy being a part of the FHS Marching Band. They have many things they enjoy about the band program, but they said their favorite things is when at the end of every game, the band plays the school’s Alma Mater. During the playing of the school song, the football team raises their helmets and gathers around the band to join in. Such a great moment of school unity.
They also get to laugh a lot. They told us their favorite inside joke is their Assistant Band Director’s calves. They call it “the wrath of the calf”.
The experiences they are gaining on the field are like no other, and that is something they will never forget. They told us, “there is nothing like twirling to live music and looking back at all our accomplishments”. We know that is an amazing feeling! We also asked them what they will miss the most when the season is over. “We will miss the first moments before a show. It is so quiet and still, it feels like a dream”.
Now that we have learned what it is like to be a part of the FHS Band, let’s learn about the twirlers!
Maddy Chapa, Senior
Competition Level: Beginner
Maddy has been twirling since she was three years old but started competing when she was 12. She is coached by Dawn Menchaca. The competition title she is the proudest of winning was the 2018 Southwest Regional Basic Skills Pageant. Her favorite field tricks are toss turn arounds and group tosses. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by her sister. “My sister and I have always twirler together, and I think she has always motivated me to be better”. After High School she would like to twirl in college and hopes to become an early childhood education teacher.
Competition Level: Novice
Sidney has been twirling for five years with Coach Dawn Menchaca. The twirling title she is the proudest of winning was when the Franklin High School twirlers won the Senior Half Time Show Team at the 2018 Texas State Championship. Her favorite field trick is little joe flips. “They are simple, yet the crowd loves them”. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her Captain, Maddy Chapa. After High School she hopes to twirl in college while learning to do what she loves.
Competition Level: Beginner
Eleanor has been twirling for eight years with Coach Dawn Menchaca. She is the proudest of winning with her team at the Texas State Championship and taking first in the 2019 Texas State 15 year Old Novice Two Baton and Beginner Basic Marching. Her favorite field tricks are rolls, especially fishtails. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by University of Texas Feature Twirler, Caroline Carothers. After High School she hopes to twirl in college and become a dermatologist.
Competition Level: Novice
Emmy has been twirling since for nine years but has been competing for three years. She is coached by Dawn Menchaca. The competition title she is the proudest of winning was the 14 year old Novice Open Solo at the 2019 Texas State Championship. Her favorite field trick is a cartwheel toss. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by her sister, Maddy Chapa, who also happens to be her Captain. After High School she hopes to go to college to twirl and find something other than twirling that she is passionate about to make a living out of it.
Fun Facts!
Favorite Color – Blue (Maddy), Pink (Sidney & Eleanor), Yellow (Emmy)
Favorite Music – Alternative/Indie Music (Maddy & Sidney), “Music is a big part of my life. I listen to Alternative/Indie music. I grew up listening to it and I love it” (Emmy)
Favorite Movie – “Steel Magnolias” (Eleanor), “Sixteen Candles” (Emmy)
Favorite Quote…
Maddy – “Act or accept”
Sidney – “Trust the process”
Eleanor – “Do something that scares you every day!” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Emmy – “Do it with passion or not at all”
When they are not twirling, they love to…
Maddy – “Listen to music or spend time with friends and family”
Sidney – “Get a good night’s rest”
Eleanor – “Be involved at school as the Student Body Secretary”
Emmy – “Spend time with my friends and my family”
Something people might not know about them is…
Maddy – “I am left-handed. I also love to take pictures and drink coffee”
Sidney – “I am interested in criminal psychology”
Eleanor – “I founded the service projects Pennies FUR Pets and Kans for Kids in my community”
Emmy – “I love to paint”
Most memorable advice from their coach…
Maddy & Sidney – “Like water off a duck’s back!”
Eleanor – “Stay calm and be solid”
Emmy – “Be flexible not only with your body but with whatever life throws at you”
Together they have a great time twirling on the field, and consider their group tricks to be what they love the most. “Our favorite moment twirling together is when we catch group tosses during performances”. They also have lots of funny moments as well, including when they had to lift Emmy through a spider web prop. Yikes!
Finally, we asked them what advice they have for future High School twirlers, and they said to make sure to practice and be prepared. “Twirling isn’t something you learn over-night, so keep it up, and get ready for band camp”. So true!
Thank you so much ladies for being our Friday Feature, and we wish y'all a great season! Go Cougars!
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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