Saturday, October 31, 2020

Friday Night Lights Feature - Crawford High School

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We are back for week six of High School Football! This year may look a little different, but twirlers all over Texas are making it work, and we are so excited to be able to Feature many of them over the next couple of months. As those Friday Night Lights turn on in stadiums all over Texas, we hope to see many face masks and safety precautions being taken so that we can continue to enjoy the sights and sounds of football teams, marching bands, and our favorite, lots of talented baton twirlers. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!

This weekend’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Crawford High School Feature Twirler! 


Crawford High School is located in Crawford, Texas, which is a suburb of Waco. Crawford is the home of the pirates, as well as today’s FNL Feature Twirler, Molly Green! Molly has been competing in NBTA for many years and is the current 2020 Intermediate Junior Southwest Regional Pageant Winner.

Coming off such a big win at Regionals, and then going straight into the whole quarantine situation the next week, we asked Molly how she got through maintaining her motivation. “I actually tore my hamstring at Regionals, so I spent much of the Spring and Summer in physical therapy and strengthening my hamstring. After having time to recover, I practiced in the driveway and did virtual lessons with my Coach. This strange time has taught me to still find joy and not stress about things beyond my control.”

As this is Molly’s third year as the CHS Feature Twirler, yet probably the most unusual year, we wanted to know how this season has been affected by COVID for the Crawford community. “We were able to start school in person, but only could practice marching outside. This year we are only performing at home games, and hopefully will get to perform for the playoff games by the time those come.”

Many would wonder how she knows playoff games are coming, and it is because the Crawford Pirates are an amazing football team, which is a tradition in and of itself at CHS. “Our football team usually does very well, and it is so fun to twirl for playoff games and at Cowboy Stadium for State!” 

Now that we have learned a little about Crawford, lets learn more about Molly!

Molly Green

Junior Feature Twirler
Molly is an advanced level competitor that has been twirling for 8 years. She is coached by Vicki Ray of Vick’s Chicks. The competition title she is the proudest of was winning the 2020 Junior Intermediate Southwest Regional Pageant. Her favorite field tricks are three baton and anything that can be caught blind. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by former Vanderbilt Feature Twirler, Haylee Castagna. “Her speed and style are amazing, and now she is my mentor and friend.” After High School she is undecided on what school she wants to attend, but she does hope to twirl and major in physical therapy. 





Fun Facts!
Favorite Color - Purple 
Favorite Movie – “I Still Believe”
Favorite Book – The Bible
Favorite Quote – Hebrews 13:2 

When she is not twirling, she loves to…
“Spend time with friends and family, play tennis, shop, and nap!” 

Something people might not know about her is…
“I have 4 big very protective brothers!”

Best advice from her coach…
“Stop hesitating like a scared pony coming out of a stall!" :)




Favorite moment as a baton twirler…
“It is a tie between winning my pageant at Regionals 2020 and performing at Cowboy stadium!”

Funniest moment as a baton twirler…
“I was warming up to go on the field and fell flat doing an illusion. Hopefully not too many saw it!” 

Through her years of baton twirling, Molly has learned many life lessons. She says the most important lesson was to focus on what it most important. “To be successful, you have to work hard, keep God first, and smile!” 

Speaking of smiling, that is her vest advice for any twirlers that one day hope to be a High School twirler as well. As Molly tells us, “Make sure to SMILE! Your attitude and showmanship always make your performance more fun and entertaining.”

We want to say thank you to Molly for sharing her time with us, and we hope Crawford finishes off their football season safe and strong this year. Go Pirates!


We hope you have enjoyed this edition of our FNL Feature. Have a favorite HS or Collegiate Twirler that you would like to see interviewed? Please contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com with their name and email address so that we can reach out to them!

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Friday Night Lights Feature - Celina High School

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We are back for week five of High School Football! This year may look a little different, but twirlers all over Texas are making it work, and we are so excited to be able to Feature many of them over the next couple of months. As those Friday Night Lights turn on in stadiums all over Texas, we hope to see many face masks and safety precautions being taken so that we can continue to enjoy the sights and sounds of football teams, marching bands, and our favorite, lots of talented baton twirlers. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!

This weekend’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Celina High School Feature Twirler! 


Celina High School is located in Celina, TX, which is north of Dallas, and is the home of the Bobcats. CHS is also the home of the Celina High School Feature Twirler, Agnesa Dolomite! Agnesa is a USTA twirler that has competed Nationally as an individual and as a team member of KOS. 

Going into Celina High School for her sophomore, Agnesa was approached by the band directors and asked to bring twirling to their school, and she was incredibly happy to have the opportunity. Since then she has done her best to show her school pride as a representative for CHS and the sport of Baton Twirling in Celina. 


While this past year has been a strange one, we asked Agnesa what the biggest challenge she had to face was, and she said twirling space. “Finding a place to practice was difficult and I was only able to practice outside.” With the changes, we wanted to what kept her motivated. “I learned that just because there is nothing to practice for, doesn't mean you should give up or take time off.” 

The changes coming with COVID have also affected Agnesa’s Fall season, but the CHS community has been able to push through and make the most of it. “So far, only one game was cancelled, but we do have reduced capacity, mask requirements, and some away games they take only a pep band or half the band.”

Now that we have been introduced to Celina High School, let’s learn more about Agnesa!

Agnesa Dolomite

Senior Feature Twirler
Agnesa is an Elite level competitor that has been twirling for 13 years. She is coaches by Lori Perkins. The twirling title she is the proudest of earning was the Texas State Artistic Twirl Grand Champion in 2019. Her favorite field trick is a leap walkover. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Emily Perkins and Savannah Miller. After High School she plans to go to college and study to be a social worker. 






Fun Facts: 
Favorite Color – Yellow

Favorite Movie – Mary Poppins

Favorite Quote – “When in doubt, eat Tacos!”

When she is not twirling she loves to… “Sleep!”

Something people might not know about her is… “I used to do karate”

Best Advice from her Coach… "Don't say I can't" 

Favorite Moment as a Baton Twirler “Twirling with my KOS Pre-Trials team at Nationals.”

Funniest Moment as a Baton Twirler… “Splitting open my eyebrow when doing a double illusion. Didn't even realize till the blood dripping down into my eye.”


Best Life Skill she has learned from Baton Twirling… “It's okay to have rough days!”

Advice for Future Twirlers… “Make a list of things you need to accomplish before you start practicing and check off as you complete.” 

After twirling for over a decade, Agnesa has had lots of great experiences thanks to baton twirling and being a part of the CHS Game Days is definitely a highlight. She has many favorites including participating in the Homecoming Parade each year on Town Square and performing at pep rallies. 

As this is Agnesa’s senior year, we wanted to know what she would miss the most when she graduates, and she said Friday Nights are going to be something she will never forget. She did mention that she loves the band tradition of “Friday Night Diner” and that the thing she will always remember is all the “Friday Night Lights and bus rides with the band.”

We want to thank Agnesa for her time, and we wish her an amazing rest of her Senior year. Go Bobcats!

We hope you have enjoyed this edition of our FNL Feature. Have a favorite HS or Collegiate Twirler that you would like to see interviewed? Please contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com with their name and email address so that we can reach out to them!

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Contest Calendar Series - 2020 Fall Twirling Festival

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

You know competition season is here when we are within a week of the first contest entry deadline. We are currently only a month away from the first in person contest of the season! Wow! Make sure you have www.texastwirl.com/contests.html bookmarked on your phone or computer so that you always know where to find the upcoming contest calendar and links to all the entry forms as they become available.

Today we have our first Contest Calendar Series of the new season, the 2020 Fall Twirling Festival!


Please note that the deadline for this competition is Monday, October 26th!
You must have your entries submitted online or postmarked by this date. Click here to download the entry form or you can visit the super easy to use Online Registration site. For more information, please contact the contest director at michele.pangrac@gmail.com.

Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Who: Contest Director Michele Pangrac & Co-Director Mary Ann Pozzi
What: 2020 Fall Twirling Festival
When: Saturday, November 21, 2020. Facility opens at 8:00 am. Contest begins at 8:30 am.
Where: Pickrell Park Pavilion, 703 Oak Street, Schertz, TX, 78154


Why: This is a great contest to jump start the competitive twirling season and put new routines and tricks on the floor! Casual atmosphere, outdoor facility with plenty of space to ensure social distancing, and qualified judges, makes for a wonderful event!

CONTEST HASHTAG: #falltwirlfest2020
For this event we would love to see our Texas twirlers utilize the hashtag #falltwirlfest2020 when posting photos of this competition on social media. Don't forget to tag @twirlingiscatchingtx on Instagram or Facebook and we may share your pic on one of our pages.

MUST KNOW CONTEST INFO!

Outdoor Venue: Due to COVID-19, this year’s Fall Twirling Festival will be held outdoors at the Pickrell Park Pavilion. This space allows for plenty of distancing while still offering a high ceiling. 

One Costume: To keep things simple, and to prevent bathroom crowding/lines, each twirler should only wear one costume for all events. Plan ahead for which costume you will use. Also, all modeling events will be in this costume, even for Advanced pageant. 

2019 Turkey Trick Winners

Bring Your Own Chairs: As there are not bleachers at the facility, and to allow for more spacing between groups, please bring your own chairs/seats. 

Event Food Options: There will not be a traditional concession stand, but they will have a food truck available for meals. It is suggested that attendees pack their own snacks and drinks as well. The park is huge and great for picnics between events!

COVID-19 Precautions: Masks are to be worn by all attendees, including twirlers, unless they are actively twirling. Please utilize hand sanitizer and maintain social distance wherever possible. 

Highlighted Event: 
The headline events for this contest will be the Fall Festival Majorette pageant and the Fall Festival Model Pageant. The contest is also offering first contest basic strut and first contest solo events.

Want to attend this event? 
Please visit the Contest Online Registration Page, download the 2020 Fall Twirling Festival entry form, or contact the director at michele.pangrac@gmail.com with any questions!


We hope you found this edition of the Contest Calendar Series useful. We are always looking for new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some info we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more!

Friday, October 16, 2020

Friday Night Lights Feature - Gonzales High School

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We are back for week five of High School Football! This year may look a little different, but twirlers all over Texas are making it work, and we are so excited to be able to Feature many of them over the next couple of months. As those Friday Night Lights turn on in stadiums all over Texas, we hope to see many face masks and safety precautions being taken so that we can continue to enjoy the sights and sounds of football teams, marching bands, and our favorite, lots of talented baton twirlers. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!

This weekend’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Gonzales High School Feature Twirler! 


Gonzales, Texas is located east of San Antonio, and is home of the Apaches. Gonzales is also the home of a group of twirlers that have kept batons on the field at GHS games for over a decade! While some years there are multiple twirlers, and sometimes even a line, for Fall 2020, Gonzales High School only has one Feature Twirler, Ava Medellin! Many in #teamtexas may know Ava, as she has represented Texas at AYOP for several years as a solo competitor, pageant qualifier, and team member. 

This is Ava’s third year twirling for GHS, but it is definitely different from any other year. We asked Ava how she handled the quarantine and what she got out of it. “During the spring and summer, I tried to make the best of the quarantine by practicing what I could. Having to practice at home gave me the opportunity to work on things I often skipped over in the past such as modeling, rolls, and flexibility. Although I missed attending state and nationals this year, it was nice to have time to prepare for football season.”


As football season is always an exciting time of the year for the Apache community, we wanted to know what the best part is for Ava. “My favorite thing about marching season is getting to perform with the band at halftime and incorporating my skills into the halftime show! I am very grateful that our band gave me the opportunity to twirl in the marching show this year.”

Being a GHS Feature Twirler comes with a lot of exposure, which is a responsibility Ava doesn’t take lightly. Many of the previous GHS twirlers began twirling due to seeing another twirler performing at football games, and Ava knows that during each performance she might be inspiring the next GHS Feature. She told us, “There are two younger girls who watch and cheer me on at every home game and it makes me so happy knowing that I make a positive influence on them.”

Now that we have learned a little more about the GHS Community, let’s learn more about Ava!

Ava Medellin

Junior Feature Twirler
Ava is an advanced level twirler that is coached by Pat Montgomery and Michael Lopez of the Alamo City Strutters. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the 2019 Texas Junior Intermediate Pageant Winner. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by current Texas Tech Feature Twirler, Abby Morgan. Her favorite field tricks are elbow pops and back neck rolls. After High School she hopes to attend a University and perform as a Feature Twirler. 






Fun Facts!
Favorite Color – Purple
Favorite Movie – “Pitch Perfect 3”
Favorite TV Show – “Vampire Diaries” & “Gossip Girl”
Favorite Music – Taylor Swift
Favorite Book – “Maybe One Day”

Favorite Quote… 
“She believed she could, so she did!”

Best advice from her coach… 
“Rolls rolls rolls!”

Favorite Moment as a Baton Twirler…
“My favorite so far was getting to perform my solo in the advanced solo-offs at regionals this year. It was scary at first, but once I got out there it was such an amazing feeling to be performing in front of everyone.”


Funniest Moment as a Baton Twirler… 
“I was twirling fire during halftime and two of the batons wouldn’t light! In the moment it wasn’t very fun but looking back it was funny and it made the audience laugh!”


Baton Twirling has been a major part of Ava’s life and has really prepared her for her future. In addition to learning how to be a good role model, she feels baton twirling has also made her more sure of herself. “Twirling has helped me become more confident and it has shown me how to break out of my shell!”

Knowing the confidence she has gained through baton twirling, we asked Ava what advice she would pass along to any future twirlers, and she told us that always giving her best effort has really paid off. “Practice as if you are performing, always time your routines, and go full out no matter what.”

We want to thank Ava for great advice and we wish her an amazing rest of the season. Go Apaches!


We hope you have enjoyed this edition of our FNL Feature. Have a favorite HS or Collegiate Twirler that you would like to see interviewed? Please contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com with their name and email address so that we can reach out to them!

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - Baylor University Golden Girls

 Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We are excited to celebrate this #TwirlerTuesday with our first Collegiate Twirler Spotlight of the season. This year may look a little different, but twirlers all over Texas are making it work, and we are so excited to be able to Feature many of them over the next couple months. As those Collegiate Stadiums all over Texas start to come alive with the sounds of Game Days, we hope to see many face masks and safety precautions being taken so that we can continue to enjoy the sights and sounds of football teams, marching bands, and our favorite, lots of talented baton twirlers. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!

Today’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the Baylor University Golden Girls! 


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! While many in Texas are familiar with returning Head Twirler Jillian Taylor, originally from California, there are two new faces on the McLane Stadium field this year. Coming all the way from the North (Canada and Wisconsin respectively), Baylor is excited to have Danielle Skinner and Mallory Remm join the Golden Girls lineage. 

With such an exciting combination of twirlers, we asked the Golden Girls what they had to do to secure these coveted positions, and they told us that in order to be a Golden Girl you have to audition and compete for your first two years, but after that, the position is yours as long as you are at Baylor. During these auditions, the judges look for the all-around abilities of the twirler. Bodywork, big tricks, competition status, showmanship, and multiple baton skills. 

As you probably noticed, all three of the 2020-2021 Golden Girls are from out of state. All of us in #TeamTexas know that Texas is a great place to be but making the decision to go out of state is a difficult one for many soon to be collegians. We wanted to know what brought these talented twirlers to the Lone Star State. Mallory told us her decision was about taking on a new adventure. “I wanted to go out of state because I love traveling and exploring new places. I think college is the perfect opportunity to experience living in a different state.” 

Jillian had a similar response and said seeing Texas in person sealed the deal. “Once I visited Baylor for the first time, I was sold. I already had a sibling at Baylor, which helped. I knew I would miss California, but that Texas would be an incredible place to establish myself more. Texas has been amazing so far and I have still never regretted my decision to move out of state!” 

Making the decision to go out of state can be stressful, but Baylor seemed to be an obvious choice for all three of them. We asked what advice they would give to other twirlers thinking about twirling out of state, and “go for it” was the overwhelming theme. As Jillian told us, “Going out of state can definitely be scary, but I would encourage every high school twirler considering that decision to go and visit the schools if possible. I liked Baylor’s website, but when I came here, I knew it was my home.” Mallory said to be certain to weigh your choices and feel confident in whatever you choose. “Make sure it is the right decision for you and that you know why you want to go out of state.” 


While all three twirlers have loved their decision, as Mallory and Danielle told us, it isn’t easy being away from family. Jillian agreed. “The hardest part of being out of state is being apart from my family in case something goes wrong or I get the flu or something. Sometimes you just need your parents! However, I know that I have grown much more from moving out of state than I ever would have if I had stayed in California. It was hard, but the growth and independence were well worth it!”

Baylor University is always a great choice to attend for any in state or out of state twirler. The school has many rich traditions and tons of school pride. One of the best traditions, as any Baylor student will always tell you, is the Baylor Line. “The Baylor Line is a very special tradition to Baylor. For every home football game, the entire Freshman class lines up in one of the tunnels and runs across the field to create a huge human tunnel to welcome the football team onto the field.” If you have ever been to a game, it is quite a sight to see, and if you have ever been a part of the Baylor Line, you know it is an experience like no other. 

Another great part of the Baylor experience is being a part of the Golden Wave Marching Band. Working with twirling coordinator, Lynn Dell Harrell, the Golden Girls get the opportunity to perform in McLane Stadium and be featured amongst the GWMB. Sadly, due to COVID-19 concerns this Fall, the GWMB is not performing during the Game Day halftime, but they have been putting together some great shows which they record during the week before the game and show on the Big Screen during the actual Halftime. During the games, the band has been sitting distanced in the stadium while the Golden Girls and the Colorguard perform on the sidelines in the end zone area. 

Being in the GWMB provides many fun moments. According to Jillian, rehearsals always bring the band together. “There are so many traditions in the Golden Wave Band that mean a lot to me, but I think that my favorite is at the end of every Friday rehearsal, the entire band circles up and we sing the Alma Mater together.” The band also has their share of jokes, including the Golden Girls meme page (OK Danielle… we need more details on that one!), and Mallory loves when they sing 'That Good Old Baylor Line' together. 

Now that we have learned about the Golden Wave Band and why these Golden Girls came all the way to Baylor, let’s learn more about Jillian, Danielle, and Mallory!

Jillian Taylor

Jillian is a Senior from Tustin, California, and is Double Majoring in Entrepreneurship & Corporate Innovation, and Marketing. At Baylor, in addition to twirling, Jillian is also a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority where she serves as the All University Sing Chair. She has been twirling for 12 years and is coached by Beverley Johnson, Liane Aramaki, and Lynn Dell Harrell. The title she is the proudest of earning is Miss Majorette of California in 2016, “because winning that title was one of my first goals I decided to go for when I began competing.” Her favorite things to do in competition are full hand material and two baton, and her favorite field trick is a high toss double walkover. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Adaline Bebo. “She inspired me before I came to Baylor and twirled by her side, and we are still best friends to this day. She inspires and encourages me as a twirler and as a friend daily.” After graduation she hopes to get a job in business development and marketing in or around Texas! 

Danielle Skinner

Danielle is from Regina Saskatchewan, Canada, and is Majoring in Journalism and Pre-Law, with a Minor in History. In addition to twirling, Danielle is planning to join a sorority and has joined a life group at her church in Waco. She has been twirling for 13 years and is coached by Maureen Johnson and Lynn Dell Harrell. The title she is the proudest of earning was being named the Overall Senior Athlete of the Year in Canada. Her favorite competition trick is a double illusion cartwheel, and her favorite field trick is a double walkover. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Adaline Bebo. After graduation, Danielle plans to become a legal correspondent, as well as travel the world and teach baton. 
Mallory Remm

Mallory is a Freshman from Sussex, Wisconsin that is Majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Minoring in American Sign Language Interpreting. At Baylor, in addition to twirling, she is a member of the Nation Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She has been twirling for 12 years and is coached by Anna Spiers, Aryn Swan, and Lynn Dell Harrell. Her favorite competition trick is a double illusion, and her favorite field trick is a toss leap walkover illusion. The title she is the proudest of earning was Miss Badger State. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Jameson Kenerly, Kylene Spanbauer, and Adaline Bebo. After completing her Undergrad degree, Mallory plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. 





Fun Facts!
  • Favorite Color – Gold (Jillian), Blue & Purple (Danielle), Yellow (Mallory)
  • Favorite Movie – “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (Jillian), “Jurassic Park” (Danielle), “Crazy Rich Asians” (Mallory)
  • Favorite Music – “I love country” (Danielle), “Country and pop music, or really anything I can dance to!” (Jillian)

Favorite Quote…
  • Jillian – “People don’t remember the things you do, say, or accomplish, but they do remember how you made them feel.”
  • Danielle – “Making a living is not the same as making a life.” - Maya Angelou
  • Mallory – Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

When they are not twirling, they love to…
  • Jillian – “Spend time with my friends and family! Doing basically anything. I really enjoy spending quality time with all of my loved ones.”
  • Danielle – “Go out with my friends and going to coffee shops. I also love watching movies and going shopping.”
  • Mallory – “Be active and go hiking or kayaking.”

Something people might not know about them is…
  • Jillian – “I am also an advanced level snow skier and have been skiing at Mammoth Mountain back in California since I was 3 years old.”
  • Danielle – “I love watching sports, especially hockey, and in the summer, I like to go wakeboarding and tubing.”
  • Mallory – “I played varsity tennis in high school.”

Most Memorable Tip/Advice from their Coaches…
  • Jillian – “Twirl for yourself.”
  • Danielle – “Don’t ever let the people around you determine your future, you are the only person who gets to do that.”
  • Mallory – “Do not worry about things you cannot control.”

Favorite Moment as a Baton Twirler…
  • Jillian – “Last year we had College Gameday host one of our home games, so the stadium was filled to capacity, the energy was unreal, and I ended up having all no drops throughout that game! That felt amazing and for me, it was one of the moments of my career as a Golden Girl, when I realized that I truly accomplished my biggest twirling goal of being a feature twirler for a college that I love.”
  • Danielle – “I have so many! I loved my first Worlds experience in Sweden in 2016 and I have loved every international and World experience since then, because I get to see so much talent from around the world. I think my favorite was at Pan Pacific when I won elite artistic twirl.”
  • Mallory – “Experiencing my first Baylor Gameday with the Golden Wave Band.”


Funniest Moment as a Baton Twirler… 
  • Jillian – “We had the coldest game in our stadium’s history last year (about 20 degrees) and it was also Halloween night. We all thought that it would be a hard game to get through, but every section of the band dressed up in costume, including us. We wore all gold head to toe and were “trophies”. We twirled fire baton, we were freezing, and it was an absolute blast! We still laugh about that game to this day.”
  • Danielle – “When ants got in my baton bag and ate my cookie!"
  • Mallory – “During a recording session with the Golden Wave Band, the clasp holding together my costume broke while I was twirling! We held it together with bobby pins and tied it together with a lanyard. At that moment, it was very stressful, but a funny memory looking back!"

Through their more than a decade each of experience, these Golden Girls have learned a lot from the sport of baton twirling. Danielle tells us the main thing she has gained from being a twirler is knowing that the work is worth it. “Hard work pays off and it’s not always the people with the most talent who succeed, but the people with the hardest work ethic.” Jillian has really used her time as a twirling athlete to learn to be her own person. “As my twirling career is soon coming to an end after graduation, I think that the best non-twirling life skills that I’ve learned from baton twirling would have to be to believe in myself, to create my own goals, and to stand firm in what means the most to me in my life.” Mallory has learned that she needs to not only trust herself, but also trust in a higher power. “The thing I gained from baton is learning to trust the Lord. Letting go of what I cannot control and leaning into the Lord and his strength has been one of the biggest blessings I have learned through baton twirling.”

Having successfully achieved many twirler’s dream of getting to twirl in college, we asked the Golden Girls what advice they would pass on to twirlers wanting to one day follow in their footsteps. Mallory advised current twirlers to look to the future. “It is never too early to start preparing for college auditions. Make sure to record performances and competition routines. Also, be yourself and you will end up where you are meant to be.” Jillian told us that her main suggestion is to really find a school that is your home. “The advice I give every high school twirler looking to twirl in college is to choose the school over the twirling position! I knew that I wanted to go to Baylor whether I was twirling or not. Though I would have been disappointed, I knew that Baylor would be a home for me through the good days and the bad and it was where I could grow the most in my faith, my academics, and as a person. Twirling has been one of the biggest highlights of my time at Baylor, but there are so many things surrounding my time as a Golden Girl that I couldn’t have gotten at any other school!” Finally, Danielle shared with us her key to success… “Follow your dreams! If you love baton and want to continue it, do it! Don’t let anyone hold you back, because life is to short not to make the best of your experiences.”

We want to give a big thank you to Jillian, Danielle, and Mallory for taking us along on their first Game Day of the season with the @twirlingiscatchingtx Instastory Takeover, and for sharing their experiences with us. Such amazing advice and important words of wisdom for those hoping to follow the Collegiate twirling path. We wish these Golden Girls the best of luck, and of course, Sic 'Em Bears!


We hope you have enjoyed this edition of our Collegiate Twirler Spotlight. Have a favorite Twirler that you would like to see interviewed? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com with their name and email address so that we can reach out to them!

Friday, October 9, 2020

Friday Night Lights Feature - Rockwall-Heath High School

 Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We are back for week five of High School Football! This year may look a little different, but twirlers all over Texas are making it work, and we are so excited to be able to Feature many of them over the next couple of months. As those Friday Night Lights turn on in stadiums all over Texas, we hope to see many face masks and safety precautions being taken so that we can continue to enjoy the sights and sounds of football teams, marching bands, and our favorite, lots of talented baton twirlers. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!

This weekend’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Rockwall-Heath High School Feature Twirler! 


Rockwall-Heath High School is located in Heath, TX, which is a suburb East of Dallas. Rockwall-Heath High School is also the home of the Hawks, and today’s FNL Feature Twirler, Alexandra (Lexi) Kinney! We hope you all enjoyed following along with Lexi on Friday evening as she took over the @twirlingiscatchingtx Instagram Story. It was so much fun to watch her share what a RHHS Game Day looks like as both a Varsity Cheerleader and Feature Twirler. 

We asked Lexi what she had to do to be named the Rockwall-Heath Feature Twirler and she told us, “The audition process for my school is very simple. I gave my twirling background, such as titles that I’ve won, what level I’m in, etc. I also had to send in videos of me twirling with one, two, and three batons so they knew I had experience. I have not had to try out since freshman year, as long as I keep up my skills.”

The past seven months have made it difficult for many to keep their skills up, so we asked how Lexi made sure she was Game Day ready even with the challenges of the quarantine. “To keep myself ready to twirl I stretched every day, and I bought a linoleum floor to practice with outside while the gyms were closed.”  Being flexible with practice space has definitely been key for those twirlers that pushed through the gym closures, which is something Lexi faced during this time. “The take away from this experience for me was learning to practice anywhere and everywhere.”


With everyone being affected by the pandemic, we wanted to know how it changed the season at RHHS. “COVID affected our football season by pushing it back a couple weeks. It also pushed back the start of school. We got the choice of doing a hybrid schedule or all online. The band met about a week before the start of school to work on marching techniques. The changes being made for football games is capacity in the stadium, tickets being pre purchased. More importantly, as a twirler the band is not allowed to attend away games, they can only perform at home games.”

Despite these changes, the Rockwall-Heath community has done their best to keep their traditions alive. According to Lexi, one of her favorite traditions is their ‘Battle Cry’. “The best tradition at my high school is during our pep rallies we do something called battle cry. It’s a competition between each grade to see who is the loudest/most spirited. However, the inside joke is that everyone boo’s the freshman as a rite of passage.” 

Now that we have learned a little about Rockwall-Heath HS, let’s learn more about Lexi!

Alexandra (Lexi) Kinney

Junior Feature Twirler
Lexi is an advanced level competitor that has been twirling for 12 years and is coached by Ashley Moss. She has also twirled with Angel Dunlap and Candy Kimble, with some assistance by Whitney Coons. The competition placement she is the proudest of achieving was being 2019 & 2020 Southwest Regional Junior Pageant Royalty. Her favorite field tricks are high toss front walkovers, double illusions, and rolls. “They always get the crowd excited!” In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Caroline Carothers. “I absolutely love the way she presents herself at any occasion, and I also love the way she twirls at football games.” After High School, Lexi is still undecided on what her academic goals are, but right now she plans to major in business and minor in dance. “Whatever University I go to, I hope to twirl as a feature or on a line.”


Fun Facts!

Favorite Color
– Red
Favorite Movie – “I love all types of movies!”
Favorite Music – The Indie Genre
Favorite Book – “The Things They Carried” by Tim O'Brien

Life Motto – “I like to go by, ‘Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry!’ I tend to worry a lot, so when I start to worry about anything, I remember this saying.”

When she is not twirling, she loves to… 
“Cheer and hang out with my friends!”


Something people might not know about her is… 
“I was born in my family’s minivan on the way to the hospital.”

Most memorable advice from her coach… 
“ 'It’s not over until you salute.' This advice is the most memorable to me because when I first started baton I would start to give up if my routine did not go the way I wanted it to.”

Favorite time of the year as a baton twirler… 
“Every year at nationals. It gives a great rush of excitement to see friends from around the country and compete in the arenas.”

Funniest moments as a baton twirler… 
“Getting black eyes! Of course, at the time it is painful. However, at nationals I always get a black eye, whether I give it to myself or another flying baton hits me by accident. It always happens.”


Lexi has learned many things from baton twirling over the last twelve years, but she says the work ethic she has developed has been the most valuable. “Sometimes I may not want to practice but I push myself through and try my best to make it perfect!” This persistence has been a key to her success, and is something she wants to share with future twirlers. Her best piece of advice to them is to, “Never say the word can’t. There are so many tricks that I said I could not do, but I kept working hard and eventually got it.”

High School has been a lot of fun for Lexi, but between being a Varsity Cheerleader and the Feature Twirler, she is often very busy. She has to put in a lot of time to be in both activities, so her favorite days would have to be the football games, where she gets to bring both of her activities together. “The games are so full of energy from the crowd and the band. The whole environment is amazing.”

While it does take a lot of work, being a part of the RHHS Hawk marching band has been a great experience for Lexi. As a member of the band, she has further developed her time management skills. She tells us that she loves marching season and the rehearsals. “I always miss the practices when the season is over because it always gives me something else to do and be a part of instead of always doing homework.” 

One part of the practices Lexi loves to take part in is the dismissal that the Hawk Marching Band does after rehearsals. “At the end of practice we all say a little chant that the drum major starts. It is powerful.”

We want to thank Lexi for sharing her Game Day and wish her a great rest of her season! Go Hawks!


We hope you have enjoyed this edition of our FNL Feature. Have a favorite HS or Collegiate Twirler that you would like to see interviewed? Please contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com with their name and email address so that we can reach out to them!

Sunday, October 4, 2020

Friday Night Lights Feature - Hutto High School

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We are back for week four of High School Football! This year may look a little different, but twirlers all over Texas are making it work, and we are so excited to be able to Feature many of them over the next couple of months. As those Friday Night Lights turn on in stadiums all over Texas, we hope to see many face masks and safety precautions being taken so that we can continue to enjoy the sights and sounds of football teams, marching bands, and our favorite, lots of talented baton twirlers! 

Each season this blog likes to get to know many of our awesome TX twirlers a little better by learning about their experiences. We will be meeting many HS twirlers on Fridays through the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our TX Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights. We will also be having many of our HS and Collegiate twirlers take over our Social Media Story for their Game Days and may even have some special Live moments! Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!

This weekend’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Hutto High School Feature Twirler! 


Hutto High School is located in Hutto, Texas, which is a suburb north east of Austin. Many of you may be familiar with Hutto High School as it is the location of the Annual ATX Holiday Twirling Festival. Hutto is also the home of the legendary Hippos! A fun fact is that Hutto is the only High School in the whole country with a Hippo as their mascot, a fact that Hutto Nation is extremely proud of! If you travel to Hutto, you will be greeted with Hippo statues at almost every single business, and many of the houses, in the city.

Not only is Hutto proud of their Hippo mascot, they are also very proud of their Feature Twirler, Maggie Chrudimsky! On Friday evening we got to follow along with Maggie as she shared what a Hutto Game Day looks like with her @twirlingiscatchingtx Insta-Story takeover. Today, we get to learn more about being the Hutto Feature Twirler!

We asked Maggie how the audition process works to be named the Hutto Feature Twirler, and she told us it was pretty standard. “For the audition process, we have to get two teacher recommendations, write an essay about why we would be a good fit, fill out an application, and perform a routine for the Colorguard coach and band directors or other person at the audition.” Maggie was named the Feature Twirler starting her Freshman year, and Friday was her first game as Junior.


With this being a very strange year for many, we asked how COVID-19 has affected the Fall for Hutto. “First, our season was adjusted by pushing back the first football game. They also made it so that the band cannot go to away games, and they are not letting as many people into the games as they normally do. School wise, the year started virtual for the first five weeks and then we went back in person.”

Beyond the serious obsession with Hippos, Hutto has many traditions and shows a ton of pride in their school/city. One of the biggest inside jokes for the Marching Band is also a display of that pride. “At the beginning of every football game, the Band marches into the stadium together and we walk around the track on the away side to show off how big our band is to the visiting team.”  

Another great tradition for the whole school is the pep rallies before every home game. All the spirit organizations get to perform, and it really hypes up the entire school to cheer on the football team that night. Maggie performs each year, and last year was even on the morning news when Hutto was the Game of the Week for a local news station. Sadly due to COVID, they are not able to hold in person pep rallies this year, but are working on some virtual options. 
 
Now that we learned a little more about Hutto, let’s learn about Maggie!

Maggie Chrudimsky

Junior Feature Twirler
Maggie has been twirling for 14 years and is coached by Lynn Dell Harrell. Her favorite field trick is a toss roundoff back handspring. The competition placement she is the proudest of was when she earned 6th place in Two Baton at the International Cup. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Adaline Bebo. After High School she hopes to become a Feature Twirler at Baylor University. 




Fun Facts!
Favorite Color – Blue
Favorite Music – Country Music
Favorite Quote – “Everything happens for a reason.”

When she is not twirling, she loves to… “Hangout with friends or cook.”

Most memorable advice from her coach… “Point your toes!”

Favorite Twirling Experience... “When I got to go to France to compete in the International Cup.”

Funniest Twirling Memory… “When I was practicing, and my baton landed in a trash can!”


We asked her when marching season is over, what she will miss the most, and she told us, “being with friends and making memories at the games and marching competitions.” While sadly there are no competitions for the Hutto Band this season, Maggie still gets to enjoy her favorite part of the season, which is the football games! “I really enjoy going to all of the football games and supporting the team.”
 
With all the changes due to the quarantine, and having many events cancelled, we wanted to know how Maggie moved forward and what difficulties she faced. “Even though we weren't having competitions, I still continued to practice. Some of the biggest challenges though were not having my team to practice with and my twirling sisters there to support me, and also finding somewhere with a high enough ceiling since everything was closed.”

Finally, we asked Maggie for her best advice to share with any twirlers hoping to one day twirl for their High School, and she told us that perseverance is key. “Never give up even when you think you can’t do a trick or something. Keep trying and you will get it!” In fact, Maggie feels that learning to really push for the things you want is the best life skill she has learned from being a baton twirler. “When you really want something, work hard for it.”

We want to thank Maggie for sharing her Game Day, and we wish her a great season! Hippos fight!

We hope you have enjoyed this edition of our FNL Feature. Have a favorite HS or Collegiate Twirler that you would like to see interviewed? Please contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com with their name and email address so that we can reach out to them!