We are so sorry this post is coming to you Saturday evening instead of Friday evening. Yesterday our blogging site was down most of the night and we were unable to post. We wanted to make sure we still got in this one of kind interview with these amazing twirlers.
As we discussed in our Thursday Night Lights Feature post, there is a High School in East Texas with 35 twirlers! On Thursday we were able to meet the two Feature Twirlers, so today we get to meet the other 33 twirlers… Yes, today’s interview is with ALL thirty-three of them!
This week’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Henderson High School Twirling Line!
The Henderson High School twirlers are led by coach Paige Keitt. We just had to know how the HHS Line has developed to be as big as it is, so we asked coach Paige how it all came together. “I have been working with the Henderson HS and MS twirler lines for over 20 years! I have had the pleasure of watching both lines grow and become stronger during that time. I think that having 7th and 8th grade twirlers on the middle school line has been very helpful by giving girls two years to twirl in middle school before trying out for the high school line. There are currently 33 majorettes on the high school line and eighteen on the middle school line”. WOW!
We were also curious about the try out process and how that worked. Coach Paige told us, “our tryouts are held in March or April. Candidates learn a group routine and are responsible for having a prepared solo to do for the judge. Requiring girls to have a solo that is suitable for UIL is a great way to make sure they are prepared for UIL contest in the fall. The girls also learn the same group routine so this way the judge can see if they can blend with the others on the line. Candidates are then ranked in order by their performance at tryouts. This ranking is used to place twirlers in their lineup on the field and I also use their rank to determine UIL ensembles”.
You have to love the idea of using UIL ready routines for try outs! It has also paid off at the UIL level as last May Henderson High School had three ensembles and two soloists earn a One rating at the 2019 UIL Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest. What a great showing from this group at State UIL!
With that many girls on the line, there must be many challenges for Coach Paige. We asked her what she considers to be the biggest challenge facing the group. “Keeping so many girls informed and working as one group can be a challenge but I have found that letting the twirlers select their own leader is one way to keep things running smoothly! We do not select a Head Twirler at tryouts, but the group votes on a junior or senior who would like to be considered for the position. We call this position The Keeper instead of a head twirler. This system works great for us! I would much rather have the twirlers select their own leader instead of a judge who watches a 2 ½ minute routine at tryouts!”
Now that we heave learned more about how the 33 Member HHS Twirling Line came to be, let’s learn a little more about each of the twirlers!
Kiaya Appleton, Sophomore
“Fake it til you make it”
Her favorite trick is juggles.
When she is not twirling, she loves to fish.
After High School she hopes to attend Texas A&M.
When she is not twirling, she loves to fish.
After High School she hopes to attend Texas A&M.
Bailee Barnett, Junior
“You live for yourself”
When she is not twirling, she loves to sleep.
After High School she hopes to graduate college.
After High School she hopes to graduate college.
Sydney Bradley, Junior
“The fears we don’t face become our limits”
Her favorite trick is a three-baton box.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with her friends.
After High School she plans to go to college and become a nurse.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with her friends.
After High School she plans to go to college and become a nurse.
Alexis Brooks, Freshman
“More kindness, less judgement”
Her favorite field trick is fishtails.
When she is not twirling, she loves to volunteer and help out with her church.
After High School she hopes to study Animal Science at A&M or Texas Tech.
When she is not twirling, she loves to volunteer and help out with her church.
After High School she hopes to study Animal Science at A&M or Texas Tech.
Jolie Bryan, Junior
“No pain, no gain”
Her favorite trick is a toss front walkover.
When she is not twirling, she loves to ride around and jam with her friends.
After High School she plans to go to college and get a degree, and pursue a career, in nursing.
When she is not twirling, she loves to ride around and jam with her friends.
After High School she plans to go to college and get a degree, and pursue a career, in nursing.
Reese Cannon, Freshman
“Never give up!”
Her favorite trick is a toss back illusion.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends and family.
After High School, she plans to get her Doctorate degree in Nursing.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends and family.
After High School, she plans to get her Doctorate degree in Nursing.
Emma Coleman, Junior
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
Her favorite trick is a toss grand jete.
When she is not twirling, she loves to sing and worship in the Life Worship Praise Band.
After High School she plans to attend college at ETBU to become an elementary school teacher.
When she is not twirling, she loves to sing and worship in the Life Worship Praise Band.
After High School she plans to attend college at ETBU to become an elementary school teacher.
Carli Doerge, Sophomore
“Never give up!”
Her favorite trick is any type of rolls.
When she is not twirling, she likes to hangout with friends.
After High School she plans to go to college and start a family.
When she is not twirling, she likes to hangout with friends.
After High School she plans to go to college and start a family.
Chelsea Driver, Freshman
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them” –
Walt Disney
Her favorite trick is a double leg pass.
When she is not twirling, she likes to hang out with friends.
After High School she plans to pursue a career in neurology.
When she is not twirling, she likes to hang out with friends.
After High School she plans to pursue a career in neurology.
Trinatee Duncan, Freshman
Her favorite trick is a toss illusion.
When she is not twirling, she loves to spend time with friends.
When she is not twirling, she loves to spend time with friends.
Hannah Flowers, Freshman
“It may get worse before it gets better, but it will get better” – Mike
Rawlings
Her favorite trick is a toss illusion.
When she is not twirling, she loves to make bracelets, hang out with friends, and go to church.
After High School she plans to go to UT or North Texas to become a real estate agent.
When she is not twirling, she loves to make bracelets, hang out with friends, and go to church.
After High School she plans to go to UT or North Texas to become a real estate agent.
Riley Foster, Senior
“Take pride in how far you have come and have faith in how far you can
go”
Her favorite trick is a toss double grande jete.
When she is not twirling, she loves to read and watch Netflix.
After High School she hopes to attend UT Austin (Hook ‘Em) and pursue a career in media law.
When she is not twirling, she loves to read and watch Netflix.
After High School she hopes to attend UT Austin (Hook ‘Em) and pursue a career in media law.
Kennedy Foster, Sophomore
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or
imagine” – Ephesians 3:20
Her favorite tricks is a paper boy.
When she is not twirling, she loves to spend quality time with her friends.
After High School she hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin and become an architect.
When she is not twirling, she loves to spend quality time with her friends.
After High School she hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin and become an architect.
Megan Hairgrove, Senior
“Don’t do it until you get it right, do it until you don’t get it
wrong”
Her favorite trick is a two turn.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends.
After High School she hopes to go to college for nursing.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends.
After High School she hopes to go to college for nursing.
Maci Hale, Junior
“Treat others the way you would want to be treated”
Her favorite trick is 3 baton juggles.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang with friends.
After High School she hopes to attend Texas A&M.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang with friends.
After High School she hopes to attend Texas A&M.
JeriAnn Jones, Sophomore
“Always smile!”
Her favorite trick is three baton juggles.
When she not twirling, she loves to spend time with her family and play with her dogs.
After High School she hopes to go to college for twirling and become a veterinarian.
When she not twirling, she loves to spend time with her family and play with her dogs.
After High School she hopes to go to college for twirling and become a veterinarian.
Grace Jones, Sophomore
“Never give up on your dreams”
Her favorite trick is juggles.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with her friends.
After High School she hopes to twirl at Texas Tech.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with her friends.
After High School she hopes to twirl at Texas Tech.
Katie King, Junior
Phillipians 4:13
Her favorite trick is 3 baton bowling pins.
When she is not twirling, she loves to paint.
After High School she hopes to attend Texas A&M University.
When she is not twirling, she loves to paint.
After High School she hopes to attend Texas A&M University.
Kylie Mashburn, Junior
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
Her favorite trick is a Bow Arial.
When she is not twirling, she loves to spend time with family and friends.
After High School she hopes to be in the medical field and help make an impact on people’s lives.
When she is not twirling, she loves to spend time with family and friends.
After High School she hopes to be in the medical field and help make an impact on people’s lives.
Olivia Mtanous, Junior
“Heroes always get remembered but you know legends never die”
Her favorite trick is high lows.
When she is not twirling, she loves to spend time with her family.
After High School she hopes to become a veterinarian.
When she is not twirling, she loves to spend time with her family.
After High School she hopes to become a veterinarian.
Courtney Norris, Freshman
“It is a good day to have a good day if you want a good day”
Her favorite trick is a toss illusion.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends or play softball.
After High School she hopes to become a dentist.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends or play softball.
After High School she hopes to become a dentist.
Kala Oliver, Junior
“No one is born ugly, were just born in a judgmental society” – Kim
Namjoon
Her favorite trick is a two turn.
When she is not twirling, she loves to be with her family.
After High School she hopes to become a Pharmacist.
When she is not twirling, she loves to be with her family.
After High School she hopes to become a Pharmacist.
Makayla Oliver, Sophomore
“Don’t stress till you have to”
Her favorite trick is a one turn split.
When she is not twirling, she loves to express herself by singing.
After High School she hopes to get into special effects makeup for movies.
When she is not twirling, she loves to express herself by singing.
After High School she hopes to get into special effects makeup for movies.
Amanda Pollard, Freshman
“There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a
miracle”
Her favorite trick is “big trick”.
When she is not twirling, she loves to play tennis AND run track.
After High School she hopes to graduate college and become an engineer.
When she is not twirling, she loves to play tennis AND run track.
After High School she hopes to graduate college and become an engineer.
Kylie Prior, Freshman
“Live life to the fullest”
Her favorite trick is a back hand one turn.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends.
After High School she plans to go to college.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends.
After High School she plans to go to college.
Jamie Scott, Freshman
“I’m not sweating, I’m glistening”
Her favorite trick is a toss illusion.
When she is not twirling, she loves to work on school work.
After High School she hopes to become a therapist.
When she is not twirling, she loves to work on school work.
After High School she hopes to become a therapist.
Courtney Smith, Senior
1 John 5:4
Her favorite trick is a two turn.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends.
After High School she hopes to go to TCU to study Pre-Med and become an Orthopedic Surgeon.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends.
After High School she hopes to go to TCU to study Pre-Med and become an Orthopedic Surgeon.
Melanie Thorton, Freshman
“keep looking up. That’s the secret of life”
Her favorite trick is a Bow Arial.
When she is not twirling, she loves to play with her nephew.
After High School she hopes to go to school to be a lawyer.
When she is not twirling, she loves to play with her nephew.
After High School she hopes to go to school to be a lawyer.
Lilly Turlington, Junior
“Have courage and be kind”
Her favorite trick is anything three baton.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends.
After High School she hopes to go to college.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with friends.
After High School she hopes to go to college.
Victoria Vietzke, Freshman
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” – Philippians
4:13
Her favorite trick is a back-hand illusion.
When she is not twirling, she loves to draw.
After High School she hopes to become a Feature Twirler at TJC while studying art, then continue onto Art School and become an Artist.
When she is not twirling, she loves to draw.
After High School she hopes to become a Feature Twirler at TJC while studying art, then continue onto Art School and become an Artist.
Sadie Watson, Junior
“When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine”
Her favorite trick is a toss illusion.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with her friends.
After High School she hopes to graduate college and become an interior designer.
When she is not twirling, she loves to hang out with her friends.
After High School she hopes to graduate college and become an interior designer.
Whew! That is a lot of girls, but some fun information! We asked the
girls to tell us a little more about their experiences together. First, we
wanted to know what they consider to be the best part of twirling on the HHS
line. “The best part of field twirling for us is the crowd’s reaction to our
routines. It’s always nice to hear the crowd cheer as we hit our ending pose”.
Speaking of crowd reactions, their favorite school tradition is their
black light pep rally, which always means a ton of great responses from the HHS
community. “Putting together a routine for it is always fun”. They also love
getting to do their stand dances. The seniors say that moments like these and the
people they get to share these wonderful experiences with are what they will
miss the most when they graduate.
This group gets to share many special moments with each other. One of
their favorite traditions as a twirling group is when, “On Friday nights the
twirlers hold hands in a circle and pray for the halftime performers right
before we go on”. They also have a lot of funny moments! The funniest moment
they have experienced was when their announcer announced the wrong song right
before they performed! Oops! That’s OK! We know they handled the situation with
grace and poise!
Finally, we asked the Henderson High School twirlers for what advice
they have for any future members. “Our advice for future high school
twirlers is to be prepared, pack your twirling bags the night before, never
forget your red lipstick, and always smile!”
We want to thank the HHS Features and Twirling Line for giving us a
glimpse into the twirling legacy they are building in Henderson, Texas, and we
wish them a fantastic rest of the season!
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