The countdown is on! We are only a little over a week away from November, which means we are only 1.5 weeks away from the USTA Twirling Clinic and Compulsory Meet in Nederland, Texas, 2.5 weeks from the UT Twirler Day & Clinic, a month from the first Contest of the Season! Are you ready?
On Saturday you might have had a chance to see this week’s Feature Twirlers on our Instagram Story Takeover (@twirlingiscatchingtx). We got to see them twirl on and off the field while looking amazing rocking the orange and blue!
Today’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the Sam Houston State University Feature Twirlers!
Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, is the home of the Bearkats, and these two awesome Twirlers. Coached by Kelly McCormick, the SHSU Feature Twirlers Sara Wleczyk and Kasey Strouse, are a centerpiece on the field with the Famous Bearkat Marching Band (BMB).
We asked Sara and Kasey what brought them to SHSU, and they both said that family was a key factor in their decisions, but that they also felt like it was home. Sara told us, “When I toured the university with my mom and aunt, who both attended SHSU, I instantly felt comfortable with the campus. SHSU is not a big campus, but it’s just the perfect size for me, so it felt like home.” Kasey also felt the family connection. “For generations my family has attended and graduated from SHSU and I wanted to continue that tradition”.
With choosing to follow in the footsteps of their family members attending SHSU, we knew the school had to be rich in traditions, so we wanted to know which ones were their favorites. Kasey told us she just loves Fire Fest! “It is a huge bonfire and all SHSU Student come out to cheer on our team!” Sara’s favorite tradition has to do with how the spirit community comes together before each football game. “Twirling with my team members outside Bower’s Stadium with the Bearkat Marching Band, SHSU Cheerleaders, and the SHSU Orange Pride Dance Team is amazing. This is an awesome opportunity to be up close with our fans and get everyone in the spirit right before the football game.”
As a part of the SHSU Spirit Community, they spend a lot of time with the BMB (Bearkat Marching Band) at practices and events. All this time lends to some great traditions of their own. Sara told us that how they end each practice is something she will always enjoy. “During dismissal for practice, we all gather around the drum major podium listening to the announcements. Afterwards, the drum major gives a cue to the drum line to start a cadence. This signals everyone to shout the Bearkat Marching Band motto ‘Passion, Family, Excellence, BMB is in the house!’ This also ends practice on a good note!” Kasey is also a big fan of all the chants the band has. “My favorite is when the game is close to the end someone starts a chant of ‘Get on the bus’ and someone answers with ‘We wanna go home’.”
Now that we have learned about experiences at SHSU, let’s learn more about these twirlers!
Competition Level: Intermediate
Sara is a Senior from West Columbia, Texas, Majoring in Human Resource Management. At SHSU she is a member of the Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority and Sigma Alpha Pi -The National Society of Leadership and Success. She has been twirling for 18 years and is currently coached by Kelley McCormick and Heather Holland Mikel but sends special thanks to former coaches Jana Reid and Jenna Reid Navarro. The title she is the proudest of winning was the Miss Twirl Mania X-Strut. Her favorite competition trick is a toss reverse illusion, and her favorite field trick is a toss forward roll or any two baton trick. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by several twirlers including Former UH Feature Twirler Heather Holland, and Former UGA and FSU Feature Twirler, Karissa Wimberley. After College she plans to eventually attend graduate school, but her immediate goal is to become employed in a hospital or petrol chemical work environment utilizing her HR background to manage insurance benefits or company employee policies.
Competition Level: Intermediate
Kasey is a Junior from Needville, Texas, Majoring in Multiplatform Journalism and Minoring in Political Science. At SHSU she is the secretary, historian, and treasurer of NSMA (National Sports Media Association for SHSU), a Journalist for the Houstonian Newspaper, member of SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists), and a member of University Heights ministry. She has been twirling for 16 years and works with coaches Kelly McCormick and Cheyanne Forshee. Her favorite competition trick is a toss leap and her favorite field trick is a toss cartwheel. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by former SHSU Feature Twirler, Kayla Strouse. After College she hopes to become a professional journalist with a major newspaper.
Fun Facts!
Favorite Color – Pink (Sara), Blush (Kasey)
Favorite Movie – “Battleship” (Sara), “The Notebook” (Kasey)
Favorite Music – Country (Sara), Indie Pop (Kasey)
Favorite Food – Mexican Food (Sara)
Favorite Quote…
- Sara – In the words of Savvy Shields, “If it is in your destiny, it will be!”
- Sara – “Be yourself, because an original is worth more than a copy!”
- Kasey – “Prayer without work is dead”. We have to do our part to receive God’s greatest gifts.
- Sara – “Leave it all on the floor at competitions. Walk away knowing that you've done your best!”
- Kasey – “Make it big, make it flashy, and have fun while you do it.”
- Sara – “Spend time outdoors with my German Shepherd dog, Jethro, and my Cairn Terrier, Abby; and just taking time out with my family and friends. Also, I have a passion for cooking one of my many Pinterest recipes which I have perfected with the help of my dad.”
- Kasey – “Work on my next story for the Houstonian”.
- Sara – “I’m involved with our family’s cattle business. You may see me putting out hay during the winter months or bottling feeding a newborn calf. I take every opportunity to help when I can. It’s the type of work I truly enjoy doing.”
- Kasey – “I can change a tire”.
- Sara – “Honestly, making it as a Sam Houston State Feature Twirler because all of my hard work and determination had finally paid off.”
- Kasey – “Making Feature Twirler at SHSU! Just knowing all my hard work paid off.”
During the many hours these twirlers spend practicing and performing, they have had their fair share of funny moments. We asked them what they consider to be the funniest thing that has happened to them with a baton. Sara told us about a time her baton and her had a pretty bad run in. “A rather dramatic experience was when I did a toss illusion at a high school football game. The baton landed on my nose with a loud thump. Literally, I thought I broke my nose, but I kept on twirling through the pain with tears in my eyes. Turns out, I just had a really bad bruise the next day under my eye and a swollen nose.” Kasey’s funny experience had more with trying to share baton with someone special in her life. “Attempting to teach my boyfriend how to twirl was hilarious. He always said, 'it can’t be that hard'. He no longer feels that way!”
Baton twirling teaches many different skills, both those related to twirling and those applicable to real life. We wanted to know what skill these ladies felt was the most important. Kasey told us that it was learning that the work is worth it. “Keep pushing through the hard parts of life because there is always a much bigger reward for hard work.” Sara has gained a lot of confidence from her years of performing. “Baton twirling has made me more confident in myself as a person and it has taught me valuable people skills.”
Finally, we asked these ladies what advice they would pass along to a future Feature Twirler. Kasey said to love what you do. “Enjoy every last second of it. Time flies and you perform better when you are having fun!” Sara passed along some advice from one of the greats. “If you don’t succeed the first time, get back in the gym or studio. As Adaline Bebo said, ‘School auditions are all more about heart and less about talent than you might expect!! When you’re performing for your school, the crowd is more entertained by cool tricks done well and showmanship rather than big, hard tricks they don’t understand.’ That, and always believe in yourself."
We want to send a big thank you to Sara and Kasey and wish them a great rest of their season. Go Bearkats!
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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