Hello Texas Twirl Fans!
It is amazing how fast this season has gone. We are only 10 days away from the entry deadline for the ATX Holiday Twirl Fest (visit ATX Holiday Twirl Fest for more details), and 11 days away from the first NBTA Texas contest of the season. We also cannot believe that today we are meeting one of our last few collegiate twirlers for this Fall, and the last line of the season.
This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the Kilgore College Twirlers!
Kilgore College, located in Kilgore, Texas, is the home of the Rangers, and a great history of baton twirling! The Kilgore College Twirlers, also known as the KCTs, have been entertaining the KC community for many, many years, and we love seeing this program continue to have such a strong presence in East Texas. This year the KCTs include one Feature Twirler – the Silver Starlette: Gracie Shellhorse, and five line twirlers – Emily Nix, Macy Maxwell, Sydney Knight, Laney Hearon, and Maggie Kroesche.
We asked these ladies what made them choose to attend Kilgore College, and the unanimous answer was to become a KCT! Gracie told us that it was the “Sweet sisterhood and close friendships within the Kilgore College Twirlers” that made her want to become a Ranger. Macy, Sydney, and Maggie all agreed. Emily was also interested in the KCTs, but was also attracted to how inexpensive it was for her to get her basics done. Laney, however, decided to join the team after choosing the school. “I actually was not going to twirl in college, but I saw the Kilgore College Twirlers performing at a competition and when I got home that day I signed up for tryouts!”
In order to fulfill their goals of becoming a KCT, they had to go through the audition process. As Gracie told us, “We learn the routine in the morning for line tryouts and tryout in the afternoon. For Feature Twirler tryouts, you also try out with a solo.” While the process seems standard, when you are chasing a dream, according to Macy and Sydney, it can be very stressful. Maggie also agreed, but said it gets better as you go. “It was nerve wracking the first year but now I enjoy it!”
As a KCT there are several traditions, but none is more memorable or more special than the KCT Little and Big Sisters! As Sydney told us, “The sister tradition is always my favorite, having them guess who they have in different ways. Like scavenger hunts or getting them a surprise gift.” They also have a tradition with the KC Ranger Band that they all find funny. Emily, Laney, and Sydney all said they enjoy the use of the word “With”. Anyone else curious about that one?
Now that we have learned more about why they became KCTs, let’s learn more about them.
Silver Starlette Feature Twirler
Gracie is from White Oak, Texas, and is a freshman Accounting Major. She has been twirling for fourteen years and has been coached by Michele Faulkner, Amanda Frazier, and Jordan Jenkins. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the 2021 National Senior 17-18 Dance Twirl Soloist Champion. Her favorite competition trick is three baton juggles and her favorite field trick is a toss cartwheel. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Anna White (Clemson Feature Twirler) and Savannah Miller (Former University of Arkansas Feature Twirler). After college Gracie hopes to travel, make lots of money, go to Hawaii, continue teaching twirling, and maybe start a business.
Emily is from Ore City, Texas, and is a sophomore majoring in Mathematics. She has been twirling for eight years and works with coach Jordan Jenkins. In addition to being a KCT, Emily is in Tri and Mu Something. Her favorite competition trick is a toss illusion and her favorite field trick is a toss back kick turn. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by former SMU Feature Twirler, Alex Bridges. After College she hopes to become a freelance statistician.
Macy is a from Chapel Hill, Texas, and a graduate of Arp HS, that is a freshman majoring in Psychology. In addition to being a KCT she is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. She has been twirling for nine years and has been fortunate to have had many coaches throughout her time twirling including Jordan Jenkins, Rachel Cheatham, Michele Faulkner, Tiffany Ellis, Mitzi Bowie and Paige Keitt. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was either the MA Outstanding Performer or Trick or Twirl Virtual Overall Winner. “I love Halloween, so the Halloween title meant alot to me!” Her favorite competition trick is three baton boxes and juggles, “basically anything three baton!”, and her favorite field trick is a press leap. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Karissa Wimberley. “She is most definitely my biggest inspiration and such an amazing twirler!” After College, Macy hopes to participate in the DCP (Disney College Program) as well as teach twirling. “I currently teach twirlers and would love to continue.”
Sydney is from Lindale, Texas, and is a sophomore Biology major. In addition to being a KCT she is also a Ranger Ambassador. Sydney has been twirling for nine years and has been coached by Abby Banko and Jordan Jenkins. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was Premier Performer. Her favorite competition trick is a toss illusion, and in baton twirling she has been most inspired by Savannah Miller. After college she hopes to become a marine biologist.
Laney is from Whitehouse, Texas, and is a sophomore majoring in Business Management. She has been twirling for ten years and works with coach Jordan Jenkins. Her favorite competition tricks are toss illusion one-turns, or toss cartwheels, and her favorite field trick is a toss illusion. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Savannah Miller and Alexa Tamburlin.
Maggie is from New Braunfels, Texas, and is an education major. She has been twirling for twelve years and is coached by Jordan Jenkins. Her favorite competition tricks are partner skills, and her favorite field trick is a toss illusion. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by Haille Stephenson. After college, Maggie hopes to become a teacher.
Fun Facts!
- Favorite Color – Green (Emily), Blue (Gracie & Macy), Yellow (Sydney), Pink & Lavender (Laney)
- Favorite Movie – “The Fault In Our Stars” (Gracie), “The Last Holiday” (Emily), “Anything Disney” (Macy), “Beauty & The Beast” (Sydney),
- Favorite Music – “Anything Taylor Swift” (Gracie), Christian Pop (Emily), “I LOVE Panic! at the Disco” (Macy), Country (Sydney), “I like any and all types of music” (Laney)
Favorite Quote…
- Gracie – “Life is like a twirling routine. If you mess up just keep smiling.”
- Emily – “Everything will be alright!”
- Macy – “Venture outside your comfort zone. The rewards are worth it.” – Rapunzel
- Maggie – “'Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?’ ~ Stardust”
When they are not twirling, they love to…
- Gracie – “Spend time with my dogs and drink coffee!”
- Emily – “Be outdoors doing anything.”
- Macy – “Watch tv, play on my switch, hangout with my boyfriend, and play with my cats Gaston and Gilbert!”
- Sydney – “Sleep.”
- Laney – “Hang out with friends and family.”
- Maggie – “Hang out with my friends.”
Something people might not know about them is…
- Gracie – “I love broccoli and brussel sprouts.”
- Emily – “I have never had goosebumps.”
- Macy – “I love Halloween- I work at a Haunted House and love to dabble with special effects makeup.”
- Maggie – “My high school mascot is a unicorn.”
Best moment as a baton twirler…
- Gracie – “Best moment was my no drop routine at Nationals my senior year performing my last time there after competing at Nationals and MA Dance for 10 years.”
- Emily – “Qualifying for state as a freshman in high school.”
- Macy – “The first time I earned a sash at a competition! I worked and wanted a sash!”
- Sydney – “Seeing all the girls come to the camps just watching us, or when people bring their child to the games because they want to watch us.”
- Maggie – “Having a no-drop routine and my parents supporting me.”
Funniest moment as a baton twirler…
- Gracie – “When the drum major at my high school hit me in the face at a pep rally with juggles.”
- Emily – “I once was performing on a muddy field and slid into my splits.”
- Macy – “Looking for anything at stores to twirl- I have twirled water launchers, wrapping paper, and pvc pipe to name a few. I may or may not have been caught by employees before.”
- Sydney – “We were at a game a few weeks ago and we were tired after hosting the Vicki Bowden Mobbs Line Classic Competition (for local high school and junior high twirling lines) all day before the game. So, after halftime we just danced, made jokes, and had fun the rest of the game.”
- Maggie – “All the inside jokes and dancing in the stands.”
- Gracie – “If you ever forget your routine or mess up just improv!”
- Emily – “Smile so big they forget your mistakes.”
- Macy – “When you are a KCT you don't just get teammates, you get sisters for life.”
#1 non-twirling life skill they have learned from baton twirling…
- Gracie – “Determination, hard work, and never giving up.”
- Emily – “How to manage my time well.”
- Macy – “Presentation.”
- Sydney – “Not everyone is the same so don’t compare them like they are.”
- Maggie – “Memorization.”
Advice to future baton twirlers…
- Gracie – “Stretch every day and practice often! If you don’t achieve a goal the first time, try a second and never give up!”
- Emily – “Always be stretching.”
- Macy – “Don’t overthink.”
- Sydney – “It’s always the little things that will mean the most to you.”
- Maggie – “Practice and don’t give up when it gets hard!”
- Gracie – “Make sure you are stretching and practicing every day, and don’t be nervous!”
- Emily – “Put your all into the practice, and when you are let go for break, make sure to rest and do not spend your whole break practicing. Then give all your energy into your tryout.”
- Macy – “Just smile :)”
- Sydney – “Give the tryout the best you can and if you don’t make it this year you always have next year, just keep trying. Because you never know what can happen in a year of work.”
- Laney – “Don’t be nervous. Everyone is going through the same thing as you are!”
- Maggie – “Don’t get into your head about it and breathe! You’ll do amazing!”
We want to thank the KCTs for sharing their Game Day and their advice with us. We wish them a wonderful remainder of their season and we can't wait to see them at upcoming competitions! Go Rangers!
Each season this blog likes to get to know many of our awesome Texas twirlers a little better by learning about their experiences. We will be meeting many HS twirlers on Fridays throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights during the week. We will also be having many of our HS and Collegiate twirlers take over our Social Media Story for their Game Days. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!
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