Friday, November 11, 2022

Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - East Texas Baptist University Feature Twirlers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Can you believe competition season starts in just one week here in Texas?  We know today's spotlight twirlers are doing everything they can to get the most out of their football season during these final weeks. We loved following their Game Day experience on the Instastory Takeover, and we hope you did too!

This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the East Texas Baptist University Twirlers!


East Texas Baptist University, also known as ETBU, is located in Marshall, Texas, and is the home of the Tigers! It is also the home of an awesome twirling group known as the ETBU Tiger Twirlers! Led by their coach, Madison Burns, the Tiger Twirlers perform for ETBU events and football games, while also bringing baton twirling to the community. For the 2022-2023 season, the ETBU Twirlers include Jana Higgs (Feature Twirler), Courtney Smith (Head Twirler), Emma Coleman, Stefanie Bellar, Katie King, Kala Oliver, Salina Kilmer, and Taylor Buchanan. 

We asked the Tiger Twirlers why they chose to attend ETBU, and the overwhelming reason was because it felt like home. Feature Twirler, Jana, said she “really loved the atmosphere of a smaller school and that is what ETBU felt like when I had my first visit. I also was mainly looking for a great nursing program to attend and ETBU had one of the best facilities and friendliest nursing faculty I had met.” For Stefanie, she also chose ETBU “because of the “home-y” feeling I got when I came to campus the first time, I felt like I belonged here and that this is where God was calling me to.” For Courtney it was also close to home, and she got to attend with her best friend! Emma had the opportunity to attend a twirling camp at ETBU, and knew it was the right choice for her. “I felt like this is where The Lord wanted me to be.”

Additionally, Katie agreed, saying that “ETBU has a great community, grounded in Christian faith. There are so many people here who are excited to grow in their faith, and they are extremely welcoming to anyone who feels the same way.” Kala had a similar experience. “I chose this university because it reminded me of home. I’m from a small town in East Texas, so I love the small atmosphere and family feeling that ETBU has.” Same for Salina, who said, “When I came to visit, I fell in love with the community that I saw here. Everyone is so nice and outgoing.” Finally, Taylor had the same experience, but also loved how beautiful the campus was. “When I visited ETBU last spring on a preview day the atmosphere was so Godly, and the people were so welcoming. The campus is beautiful and close to home which was important to me.”

Earning a spot as a Tiger Twirler requires an important audition process that occurs every year. As Jana told us, “For the ETBU twirling line we do have to re-audition every year. Even the feature twirler and head twirler have to re-audition.” The audition process is worth it though, as all the twirlers do receive a scholarship for the fall and spring semesters. Salina summarized the process by saying “The audition process was the smoothest audition I have ever been to. Before we started, we prayed as a group in a circle. Then we went over the routine a few times and the instructor, Madison Burns, asked if we had any questions and then we got our numbers from a random selection. We first did the group routine in two different groups. Then the twirlers that were auditioning for head instructed us as part of their audition process. One by one we did our solos. While one girl was going there was the next one waiting in the little hallway. After all the solos were done, they had the interviews for Head Twirler and Feature Twirler. Once results were in, we all got into a circle and Madison gave us a letter which told us if we made it or not. After we found out she introduced us for all of the parents and people who came to support. Honestly the whole time the girls that were returning were really nice and accepting of us, which made it a lot easier and not stressful at all. The whole time I really wasn’t that nervous. The environment was very relaxed and encouraging.”

Now that we have learned how they became Tiger Twirlers, let’s learn more about them! 

Jana Higgs, Feature Twirler

Jana is a Junior from Henderson, Texas, that is majoring in nursing. At ETBU, in addition to being the Feature Twirler, she is also a part of the TNSA organization within their nursing school. Jana has been twirling for 12 years and has "taken lessons from Paige Keitt since I have been in the 5th grade. Kayli Mickey-McIntosh and Patti Mickey have also been a huge help in choreographing multiple routines throughout my twirling career.” The competition title she is the proudest of earning was when she won the Senior Grand Champion for Premier Performer in East Texas her junior year of high school. Her favorite field trick is three batons because while she finds it challenging sometimes, “the crowd loves it!” On the competition floor though, her favorite thing to do isn’t specifically a trick. “I really like showing more personality during competition routines and adding more cute sequences in the routines.” In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by the Baylor Golden Girls. “My family has always been Baylor fans, so I have grown up going to the games and watching the featured twirlers. They have really been an inspiration during my twirling career.” After college, she hopes to become a registered RN and maybe go into the labor and delivery specialty. 

Courtney Smith, Head Twirler
Courtney is a Senior from Henderson, Texas, that is majoring in Behavioral Science with a minor in Counseling. She has been twirling for 10 years and has been coached by Paige Keitt. Her favorite competition trick is three baton juggles. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by ETBU Feature Twirler, Jana Higgs. After college, Courtney hopes to get a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and become a young adult LPC.
Emma Coleman
Emma is a sophomore from Henderson, Texas, that is majoring in Elementary Education. In addition to being a Tiger Twirler, at ETBU she is also a "Titus leader in the Women’s Ministry and loves going to campus events.” She has been twirling for 12 years and is coached by Paige Keitt. Her favorite competition trick is a toss leap, and her favorite field trick is golf swings. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by World Gold Medalist, Savannah Miller. After college, Emma hopes to be an elementary school teacher. 
Stefanie Bellar
Stefanie is a Sophomore from Lindale, Texas, that is majoring in Biology with a minor in Kinesiology. In addition to being a Tiger Twirler, she is in Thrive, which is a mentor program offered at ETBU. She has been twirling for 13 years and is coached by Abby Banko. The competition title she is the proudest of was when she won Premier Performer. Her favorite competition trick is a blind catch and her favorite field trick is a toss illusion. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Christan Patterson. After college, Stefanie would “love to go to medical school to become a pediatrician, and while in medical school I would like to be an athletic trainer.”
Katie King
Katie is a Junior from Henderson, Texas, that is majoring in Finance and Economics. She has been twirling for 8 years. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the Miss Twirl Productions Unlimited event. Her favorite competition trick is three baton horizontal boxes, and her favorite field trick is a toss illusion. After college, Katie hopes to work with the International Mission Board.
 

Kala Oliver
Kala is a Junior from Henderson, Texas, that is majoring in Biochemistry. In addition to being a Tiger Twirler, she is also a member of the Joyful Praise Choice. She has been twirling for around 14 years and is coached by Joan Bridges. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was being named “Best Showmanship.” Her favorite competition trick is any multiple baton trick, and her favorite field trick is anything involving high tosses. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her twirling instructor, Joan Bridges. After college, Kala hopes to finish her undergraduate degree and go to pharmacy school to get her Doctor of Pharmacy and Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences.”

Salina Kilmer
Salina is a Freshman from Nacogdoches, Texas, that is majoring in Speech Communication with a minor in business and speech pathology. In addition to being a Tiger Twirler, at ETBU she is involved in Thrive, Titus, and BSM. She has been twirling for 15 years and is coached by Crystal Kilmer with the Twirlerettes. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the SWTA State Twirler. Her favorite competition trick is a toss illusion one turn, and her favorite field trick is three baton juggles. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Caroline Carothers and Joel Claudio. After college, Salina hopes to have her own speech pathology business. 
Taylor Buchanan
Taylor is a Freshman from Hallsville, Texas, and is majoring in nursing. In addition to being a Tiger Twirler, she is also a part of the Baptist Student Ministry. She has been twirling for 8 years. Her favorite competition skills are toss jumps and any two baton tricks, and her favorite field tricks are the group tosses. After college, Taylor hopes to be a nurse practitioner in a small town near home.










Fun Facts! 
  • Favorite Color – Green (Jana), Blue (Courtney & Taylor), Seafoam Green (Emma), Pink (Stefanie), Forest Green (Katie), Coral Pink (Kala), Purple (Salina)
  • Favorite Movie or TV Show – The Proposal (Jana), Top Gun (Courtney), Boy Meets World (Emma), Greys Anatomy (Stefanie), Friends (Katie), Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Kala), Avengers & The Summer I Turned Pretty (Salina), The new Footloose (Taylor)
  • Favorite Book – “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover (Courtney), “The Live Original” series by Sadie Robertson (Emma), “Nothing to Prove” by Jennie Allen (Stefanie), “Pride and Prejudice” (Katie), “The Hate You Give” (Kala), “The Book Thief” (Salina), “28 Summers” (Taylor)
  • Favorite Food Item – “I love Italian food” (Jana), Sushi (Courtney), Mashed Potatoes (Emma), anything Mexican (Stefanie), Tortellini (Katie), Peanut Butter (Kala), Five cheese marinara rigatoni with meat balls (Salina), Chicken Spaghetti (Taylor)

Favorite Quote…
  • Jana – “The verse Matthew 28:20 has been my favorite verse for the longest time.”
  • Courtney – “Remember your why!”
  • Emma – “The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies are new each day.”
  • Stefanie – “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi
  • Katie – “aut viam inveniam aut faciam,” which means, “I will either find a way or I will make one.”
  • Kala – “I was built this way for a reason, so I’m going to use it!” – Simone Biles
  • Salina – “To be early is to be on time… to be on time is to be late.”

When they are not twirling, they love to… 
  • Jana – “Hang out with my family and friends and make the most memories I can with them.”
  • Courtney – “Spend time with friends and try new things.”
  • Emma – “Sing and hang out with friends.”
  • Stefanie – “Hang out with my family and friends.” 
  • Katie – “Curl up with coffee and a good book.”
  • Kala – “Watch YouTube videos.”
  • Salina – “Hang out with friends and watch movies with them.”
  • Taylor – “Hanging out with my boyfriend and spending time with family.”

Something most people might not know about them is… 
  • Jana – “I really enjoy hiking in the mountains.”
  • Courtney – “I almost changed my major to engineering.”
  • Emma – “I can say the alphabet backwards fast.”
  • Stefanie – “I have been to Canada.”
  • Katie – “I share a birthday with Mariah Carey.”
  • Kala – “I am really shy.”
  • Salina – “My favorite animal is a great white shark.”
  • Taylor – “I competed in my town pageant and won Miss Congeniality.”

#1 non-twirling life skill they have learned from baton twirling...
  • Jana – “I have learned that if you are persistent and show up, then all of your hard work will show.”
  • Courtney – “How to work as a team and communicate with others.”
  • Emma – “How to work as a team and how to not give up.”
  • Stefanie – “Never give up!”
  • Katie – “Romanticize your life. Enjoy the little things that you are doing because those are the ones you will remember far longer than the big things.”
  • Kala – “The longer you do something the easier it gets.”
  • Salina – “To keep persevering no matter what.”
  • Taylor – “There will always be things you struggle with but if you keep pushing eventually it becomes easier.”

Most Memorable Advice from their Coach…
  • Jana – “To really present yourself and show off during a performance and it really will make a difference in how people think about your performance.”
  • Courtney – “Practice performance.”
  • Emma – “Keep going!”
  • Stefanie – “Practice the way you want to perform.”
  • Katie – “Have fun with a routine. If you have fun with it, the audience will have fun watching it.”
  • Kala – “Always give your best effort even when you are not feeling it.”
  • Salina – “To keep your head up high.”

Advice to Future Twirlers…
  • Jana – “Try to make it fun. If you are not trying to make it fun, then it will become something you “have” to do and not something you enjoy doing.”
  • Courtney – “Practice is not meant to be perfect all the time. It is okay to make mistakes. That is just what comes with learning new things.”
  • Emma – “Always stretch really well.”
  • Stefanie – “Even when you are tired or overworked, take a little time to go out and practice. Also, take the time to get to know your teammates, you will be spending time with them and building that relationship is important.”
  • Katie – “If you ever think of quitting, stick it out for a little longer. I promise it is all worth it one day when you look back on the memories you gained with it.”
  • Kala – “Make sure you balance your practice time with schoolwork and social life.”
  • Salina – “To keep up with it. I know that twirling can be very frustrating, but you just have to get going, keep pushing, keep showing up to the gym. If you keep with twirling, it can be one of the most rewarding things you do. You learn so much throughout the years of twirling. Also twirling is supposed to be fun, sooo HAVE FUN!”
  • Taylor – “Do not let a trick defeat you it will come and always practice like you would perform.”


Favorite Memory as a Baton Twirler…
  • Jana – “Twirling with a line of 30 girls in high school is something I will never forget. Having that many girls that share the love of twirling with you is such a great support that you rarely get.”
  • Courtney – “Getting to lead the line with my best friend, Jana Higgs.”
  • Emma – Going out to dinner and hanging out with the team.”
  • Stefanie – “My very first high school football game as a twirler.”
  • Katie – “Going out to eat with the line this past semester.”
  • Kala – “My favorite memory would have to be my first twirling competition in 1st grade when we were honeybees.”
  • Salina – “The moment after you preform and you are out of breath, sweating but you are still smiling because you know you did your best and you rocked it! Getting to hearing the crowd cheering for you!”
  • Taylor – “My senior year of High School when I got to march in the Disney parade."

Funniest Memory as a Baton Twirler…
  • Jana – “One time when I was performing a solo, the baton hit my face and now I have a fake tooth.”
  • Emma – “All the laughs while playing games at our coach’s house.”
  • Stefanie – “Getting a concussion at practice.”
  • Katie – “Teaching the powder puff twirlers in high school who were all guys, and all wanted to do a routine on the field at the powder puff game.”
  • Kala – “Almost falling off of my box during our halftime performance in high school during our prop routine.”
  • Taylor – “In high school we were practicing our spins to get more turns, and someone complimented me on mine and then three seconds later I fell flat on my face, and it became a joke on the line.”

What advice would they give to a twirler about to go into college auditions…
  • Jana – “Just do your best and try to find things before you perform that will ease your nerves. I also find it very beneficial if you use those nerves to help you during your performance.”
  • Courtney – “Work hard but have fun! College where you meet your lifelong friends and make tons of memories. Twirling is a great outlet to get away from everything sometimes, especially during college.”
  • Emma – “Do not stress and take a deep breath!”
  • Stefanie – “Do not stress out, the less stressed you are the more fun you have.”
  • Katie – “Enjoy every performance, even the ones that terrify you. Perform the routine because you love twirling, not for the audience. They will enjoy the routine more when you get comfortable out on the floor.”
  • Kala – “The best advice I have is to not think too much about it. Just go out there and have fun, and I promise you will do great.”
  • Salina – “Be positive and be prepared.”
  • Taylor – “Have fun! Also, make friends with the other girls because they will be your support system during your freshman year.”

Their favorite thing about attending ETBU is...
  • Jana – “I really enjoy the small sized classes. This allows me to make connections with the people I have in my class and with my professors as well.”
  • Courtney – “My favorite thing about ETBU is how invested all the professors and coaches are in their students.”
  • Emma – “I love the Christian community I am a part of.”
  • Stefanie – “My favorite thing is how nice and welcoming everyone is here. You don’t feel out of place.”
  • Katie – “My favorite thing about my school is the community that we all have. I see someone I know everywhere I go during the day! It’s really nice going to a smaller school where everyone knows everyone.”
  • Kala – “My favorite thing about ETBU is the events that are held on campus. Almost every week there is something to do to keep you busy besides doing homework and studying all the time.”
  • Salina – “My favorite thing about my school is the community. You really get a sense of family here and it’s very rare anywhere else. It’s not like you just stay in one friend group. Even if you don’t know the person that you are passing, they still will greet you. Also, the faculty on this campus are exceptional. They all make sure to do everything in their power to help students. The cafeteria workers are also very nice and always ask how your day is going. You can just feel the presence of God on this campus.”
  • Taylor – “The professors, all my teachers have my best interest and because we are a smaller campus, we have one on one contact every day.”

Their favorite Game Day tradition at ETBU is...
  • Jana – “I love the homecoming pep rally. Every performance team gets to perform a routine and they recognize the homecoming court. The best part is at the very end they do a firework show and everyone watches it on the football field.”
  • Courtney – “Halftime at football games.”
  • Emma – “I enjoy praying as a team before we twirl.”
  • Stefanie – “Homecoming pep rally the night before homecoming, they blackout the stadium and do fireworks.”
  • Katie – “My favorite game day tradition is hanging out with the other twirlers for the day. We meet at call time for morning practices, and we meet early at games to stretch and warmup. After that, we get to pray together, and kind of hype each other up.”
  • Kala – “My favorite school tradition would have to be Connexus. Connexus is a day filled with fun activities and a day off from classes to build community with faculty, staff, and students.”
  • Salina – “Getting ready!”
  • Taylor – “My favorite tradition is the Lampsato Ceremony. At ETBU we have a lamp that shines 24/7 to represent that we are the light on the hill and every freshman gathers around it during orientation and we worship The Lord together to start the year.”

We want to say thank you to these awesome twirlers for sharing their experiences with us, and we wish them a wonderful rest of their season. Go Tigers!



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. 

Contest Calendar Series: 2022 ATX Holiday Twirl Fest

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Now that we are well into November, the hints of the holidays are starting to show up everywhere. Music, lights, shopping... and even twirling contests! It is time to get ready to celebrate one of the best times of the year in the Austin, TX area with all your favorite twirling friends. We hope to see everyone in December!

Today our Contest Calendar Series is about the 2022 ATX Holiday Twirl Fest!


REGISTRATION DEADLINE NOVEMBER 15TH 
Please note that the registration deadline for this contest is Tuesday, November 15th. Only online registrations will be accepted. Visit www.twirlatx.com/atx-twirl-fest.html to register, or you can contact the contest directors at 512-848-7426 or email atxtwirlfest@gmail.com
 
PLAYOFF HOLDS - If your High Schooler wants to enter but may have a football play-offs conflict, please have them register online, but do not pay via PayPal! After registering online, hit submit, but close the pay screen when it opens. Then email atxtwirlfest@gmail.com to let them know you are needing a Playoff Hold. They will email you back on how to send in a check to hold your spot. Please do not pay via PayPal if you need a playoff hold!
 
Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Who – Directors Ashley Wood and Whitney Coons of Twirl ATX
What - 2022 ATX Holiday Twirl Fest
When - Saturday, December 3rd, 2022. Doors open at 7:45 am. Contest begins at 8:15 am.
Where - Hutto High School, 101 Chris Kelley Blvd, Hutto, TX 78634 (North East of Austin, TX)
 

Why - The ATX Holiday Twirl Fest is a fun holiday themed contest. Holiday music is played for modeling and solo, the decorations and awards are holiday themed (custom snowflake ornament medals, snowflake trophies, etc), and you get to compete for Miss Holiday Model or the Miss Twirling Snowflake title.
 
CONTEST HASHTAG! #atxtwirlfest2022
For this event we would love to see our Texas Twirlers to utilize the hashtag #atxtwirlfest2022 when posting photos of the competition weekend on social media. Use the hashtag and your photo could end up on this blog or the contest site! Don't forget to tag @twirlingiscatchingtx on Facebook or Instagram and we may share your pic on one of our pages.
 
The Candy Cane Cup Twirl Off!
Returning this year, the ATX Holiday Twirl Fest will be offering the Candy Cane Cup Twirl Off. The top two placing twirlers in each solo division will twirl again to determine the Candy Cane Cup Winner! A Candy Cane Cup “Cup” and sash will be awarded to one winner from each division (Novice, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced). Who will take home the “Cup” this year?

 Congrats to the 2021 Candy Cane Cup Winners: Lexi Kinney (Advanced),
Anna Lilie (Intermediate), Keira George (Beginner), and Joslyn Rodriguez (Novice)
 
Highlighted Event - Created to honor contest co-director, Ashley Wood's, mother, who fought and defeated Breast Cancer in 2015, and to celebrate all the women in our twirling community that have overcome so much, there is a special Best Costume event, unlike any Best Costume event you have seen before. The "Honorary Best Costume" competition puts all ages against each other on the floor at the same time to judge who has the "best costume". The entry fee for this event ($10) is a direct donation to Twirling to Fight Cancer. TTFC Founder, John 'Baton' Mitchell, will once again be judging at the contest, and will be there to accept the donation check. Last year this event raised $400.00 for TTFC... What will it be this year?
 
*Special for 2022* Both the Twirling to Fight Cancer Middle School & High School Ambassadors will be in attendance! Madi & Amber will be selling their T2FC Fundraising items, Amber’s Spirit Batons & Madi’s Mission Seats, as well as Twirling to Fight Cancer merchandise, and they will be available for photo ops as well. Make sure to come and say hi to these awesome National Ambassadors. 
 
Congrats to Briley Harrell, the recipient of the 2021 Best Costume Award
 
Interested in attending this event? Visit www.twirlatx.com/atx-twirl-fest.html for the online registration link. Have any questions? Contact atxtwirlfest@gmail.com or call /text Ashley at 512-848-7426. 
 
Also, don't forget to check out www.texastwirl.com/contests.html for information and entry forms for many upcoming contests in and around the State of Texas. There are so many great contests heading our way, and we don't want anyone to miss out!
 

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

Thursday, November 10, 2022

Friday Night Lights Feature - Central Catholic High School Twirler

 Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Wow! Can you believe we have already completed the last weekend of regular season high school football? The past couple months went by so fast, and we are sad to say this is the final Friday Night Lights Feature of the season, but to end it off with a bang, we are meeting a twirler that represents not one, but TWO high schools!

This week’s Friday Night Lights Feature is Central Catholic High School and Providence Catholic School Feature Twirler!


In San Antonio, Texas you can find two different schools that are associated with each other. This is the Central Catholic High School (an all-boys school) and next door is the Providence Catholic School (an all-girls school). Twirlers that attend the Providence School, have the chance to earn the amazing opportunity to twirl at events for both of the schools! This year the CCHS/PCS Feature Twirler is Careum Faughtenbery!

With such a unique situation, we asked Careum how the audition process worked. “The Audition process is determined by the band director. It includes teacher recommendations, a performance video, and the ability to perform skills determined by the band director which includes reading a field drill chart, counting music, marching an 8-5 step, multiple batons, blind catches, close body work, one spin illusion, double illusion, fire batons, etc.”


Getting this opportunity has been a lot of fun for Careum. There are many things she loves about her school’s Game Day, but her favorite is “Section R” (section rowdy). “They are very supportive, and always are cheering me on no matter what we are doing. Their spirit is contagious to me. I try harder to be better to help them build spirit in our audiences.” She also really enjoys the other year-round school traditions, including their Christmas Eve Mass. “It is so beautiful and so inspirational spiritually! It has been a tradition since the school opened in the 1850’s.”

With the football season coming to a close, we wanted to know what she most enjoyed this year and looks forward to doing again next year, and she talked about many of the band’s activities. “I really love going to the band competitions, the Fiesta Band Bowl, and the bus rides to the away games. Anytime there is a big groups of band members it is always the most fun. We all love music and being that part of a school.”

Now that we have learned more about her time at CCHS, let’s learn more about Careum!

Careum Faughtenbery,
Sophomore
Competition Level: Intermediate

Careum has been twirling for nine years and is coached by Major Margaret Mann and Heather Harmer Hayden. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the 2022 Beginner Junior Texas State X-Strut Winner. Her favorite field trick is a toss leap catch back hand and toss cartwheel catch. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by former CMMOA & Baylor Golden Girl, Adaline Bebo, and current Collegiate National Champion & ASU Feature Twirler, Kylie Cates. After High School, Careum hopes to join The Goin’ Band as a twirler for Texas Tech University while earning her bachelor’s degree, and then attend medical school. 



Fun Facts!
  • Favorite Color – “HOT pink!”
  • Favorite Movie – “Frozen 2”
  • Favorite Book – “Something Wicked this Way Comes” by Ray Bradbury 
  • Favorite Food – “Steak, medium rare!”

Favorite Quote…
“There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.” – Derek Jeter
 
When she is not twirling, she loves to…
“Hang out with my friends, swim, and golf.”


Something most people might not know about her is… 
“I raise and show registered Hereford cattle. I have my own herd now.”

The best non-twirling life skill she has gained from baton twirling is…
“To portray confidence even if you are not all that confident. I have learned to ‘fake it till you make it’ in that area. This year at AYOP I believed I could do good and was confident in everything I did. I presented and did a lot better. I learned this particular skill from my coach Major Margaret Mann. She MADE me have confidence in myself!”

We want to thank Careum for sharing a game day with us, and we hope she has a great rest of her school year and start to her competition season! Go Buttons!


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. 

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - Tyler Junior College Feature Twirlers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

It is amazing how fast this season has gone. We are only 12 days away from the entry deadline for the ATX Holiday Twirl Fest (visit ATX Holiday Twirl Fest for more details), and 16 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.

This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the Tyler Junior College Feature Twirlers!


Tyler Junior College, also known at TJC, is located in Tyler, Texas, and is the home of the Apaches. It also home of the TJC Touch of Gold, and a great history of wonderful Feature Twirlers! This year there are two Feature Twirlers rocking the black and gold at TJC - Avery Prnka and Jacquline Weisinger!

We asked what brought them to TJC, and Avery told us it felt like the right fit. “I chose this college because from my very first game day experience I fell in love with the atmosphere the band provides and the how wonderful the directors were!” Jacqueline also mentioned the benefits of attending TJC were an added bonus. “They offered a great scholarship opportunity, and they have a great campus life.”

In order to audition for the position, Jacquline told us, “The audition process included a video submission, followed by an in person solo performance, an improvised performance, and an interview.” But the process was worth, as Avery told us, because “Once you make it the spot is yours, and there is a scholarship that comes with the position.”


There are so many wonderful aspects to being an Apache. Avery loves the tight knit community. "My favorite thing about our school is the close connections you are able to develop with everyone. I also love how all the staff and professors are genuine.” Jacqueline felt the same connection, and added, that she "loves how many clubs and organizations TJC has. There is a place for everyone!"

Earning their twirling position has been everything they hoped it would be, and Avery especially enjoys the difference in college vs high school twirling. “I love getting to showcase myself and show what kind of twirler I am on the college field. In college you get the opportunity to showcase your skills and what kind of twirler you are. I love having fun and making the audience see my joy and that’s exactly what I’m getting to do!” 

Now that we have learned more about becoming a TJC Apache, lets learn more about the twirlers!
 
Avery Prnka
Avery is a freshman from Joaquin, Texas, that is majoring in Dental Hygiene. She has been twirling for 8 years and competes at the Intermediate level. Avery is coached individually by Beth Maddox from Heart of Texas Twirling and is instructed at TJC by their director Jenna Hamill. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was when she was named Outstanding Performance of the Day at SWTA. Her favorite competition trick is a toss illusion, and her favorite field trick is a toss layback or toss leaps. In baton twirling, Avery has been most inspired by former Baylor & UT Feature Twirler Caroline Carothers, and current Ole Miss Feature Twirler, Alexa Tamburlin. After college, Avery hopes to land a good job in her career field closer to home.



Jacquline Weisinger
Jacquline is a freshman from Van, Texas, that is majoring in Elementary Education. She has been twirling for seven years, and currently works with TJC coach, Jenna Hamill. Her favorite competition routine is three baton, and her favorite field trick is a leap forward roll and one spin illusions. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by former Baylor & UT Feature Twirler, Caroline Carothers. At TJC, in addition to being a Feature Twirler, she is also a TJC ambassador and gives campus tours. After college, Jacquline hopes to teach kindergarten children.

 



Fun Facts!
  • Favorite Color – Pink (Avery & Jacquline)
  • Favorite TV Show – “Dancing with the Stars” (Avery), “Pretty Little Liars” (Jacquline)
  • Favorite Book – “Reminders of Him” by Colleen Hoover (Avery)
  • Favorite Food – Chicken Parmesan (Avery), Cheese Pizza (Jacquline)

Favorite Quote/Life Motto…
  • Avery - “Perhaps this is the moment for which you were created for.” Esther 4:14

When they are not twirling, they love to…
  • Avery – “Spend time with family and friends, read, travel a lot!”
  • Jacquline – “Watch movies and eat popcorn!”

Something people might not know about them is…
  • Avery – “I am obsessed with everything Disney related!”
  • Jacquline – “I am a vegetarian.”


The best non-twirling life skill she has gained from baton twirling is…
  • Avery – “Persevere through everything in life no matter what the challenge may be.”
  • Jacquline – “To not give up no matter how hard it may seem in the moment.”

Most Memorable Advice from your Coach…
  • Avery – “The most memorable advice I have received is it’s not about what you do it’s how you do it. It’s supposed to be fun and make the crowd enjoy what you’re doing!”
  • Jacquline – “Practice even when you don’t want to.”

Advice to Future Twirlers…
  • Avery – “Focus on a skill until you get it don’t give up because it definitely will come the more you work for it. Give yourself mental breaks because they are needed but keep working hard!”

Favorite Memory as a Baton Twirler…
  • Avery – “I think my favorite memory is taking the field for the first time as a college feature twirler. I had the joy of my dream coming true and seeing my families faces light up in the stands watching me made my heart so so happy!”
  • Jacquline – “All my football games and dancing in the stands.”



Funniest Memory as a Baton Twirler…
  • Avery – “I think the funniest memory is in high school I was on the field and I started my show and as the band members would pass they would be like “Is that Avery?” as I was twirling and I couldn’t help but laugh.”
  • Jacquline – “In junior high I chunked my baton way too far!”

Best advice for a twirler about to go into college auditions…
  • Avery – “Stay calm and remember that you’ve worked so hard for this moment and that you are so capable of what you’re about to do. I think keep a positive attitude and know that if this doesn’t work out there’s a bigger door ahead of you that you haven’t seen yet.”
  • Jacquline – “Just smile and have fun! This is what you have practiced for!”

Why they chose to attend school in state...
  • Avery – “I stayed in Texas for college because I come from a very close-knit family and I knew I couldn’t step away from that completely. I also loved my college and knew this was home for me. The best part is still having all the things Texas offers. I get to go home about every weekend which I’m super thankful for. If I have a game my family is always there so it all works out wonderfully!” 



Favorite School Wide or Game Day Tradition…
  • Avery – “I am excited to experience all the homecoming traditions coming soon!”
  • Jacquline – “My favorite school tradition is beating the drum for homecoming.”

Favorite Tradition within the band program…
  • Avery – “One of my favorite jokes was when me and the other feature got placed in the trumpet circle before pregame and we were their sacrifice. As silly as it sounds it was so funny!”
  • Jacquline – “My favorite band tradition is rim march where the band and belles march around the stadium.”

Thi year, they are most looking forward to…
  • Avery – “I am looking forward to getting to experience homecoming here at TJC.”
  • Jacquline – “I’m looking forward to the Christmas parade this year.” 

We want to thank Avery and Jacquline for sharing their Game Day with us! It was so much fun to see what their experience is like at TJC, and we wish them a great rest of their season! Go Apaches!


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. 
 

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Friday Night Lights Feature - Trinity Valley School Twirler

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Happy November! How are we already here? The football season is winding down, and the competition season is about to start. Just a few more twirlers left to feature, including this excellent young lady! 

This week’s Friday Night Lights Feature is the Trinity Valley School Twirler!

Trinity Valley School is a PK-12 co-ed independent school in Fort Worth, Texas. It is also the home of Trojans, and today’s featured twirler, Chelsea Morrow!


Twirling is something special for TVS as they don’t have a typical band program, so her process to twirl there wasn’t typical as well. As Chelsea told us, “There really isn’t an audition process at TVS because this is still a somewhat new program to them, and I am the only twirler.”

There are many great things about attending school at TVS, but Chelsea says it is definitely the staff that makes it what it is. “My favorite thing about TVS is our administration. They are very inclusive and willing to make accommodations for sports/travel.” 


Game Days are always super fun and Chelsea loves cheering on her Trojans, but her favorite school tradition is called Gump Day. “Gump day is our Halloween celebration named after Mrs. Gump, who loved Halloween. We have a costume parade and a party.”

Junior year is an important one at TVS, and Chelsea has been looking forward to the Junior TOE trip for years! “A TOE trip is a trojan outdoor experience. For juniors, this is a 3-day retreat to prepare us for the college application process.”

Now that we have learned more about life at TVS, let’s learn more about Chelsea! 

Chelsea Morrow,
Junior
Competition Level: Advanced

Chelsea has been twirling for 13 years and is coached by Vicki Ray of the Vick’s Chicks. The competition title she is the proudest of was when she won All American Girl Modeling at AYOP one year. Her favorite field trick is anything with fire baton or a firebird leap. In baton twirling, she has been inspired most by former Vanderbilt University Feature Twirler, and Vick’s Chick’s teammate, Haylee Castagna. After High School, Chelsea plans to attend nursing school and hopefully travel. 





Fun Facts!
  • Favorite Color – Blue
  • Favorite TV Show – “Doctor Who”
  • Favorite Book – “Turtles All The Way Down” by John Green
  • Favorite Food – Ramen noodles 

Favorite Quote…
“I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.” - Kurt Cobain

When she is not twirling, she loves to… 

“Participate in technical theater, specifically set design.”

Something people might not know about her is…
“I occasionally go hunting on the weekends with my dad.”


The best non-twirling life skill she has gained from baton twirling is…
“Twirling taught me kindness and appreciation goes over everything.”

Most Memorable Advice from her Coach…
“I am an example for many younger kids and my attitude matters. I never really saw this until I started twirling at football games. After performances, little girls run up to me and ask me a ton of questions like ‘How do you do it?’ and ‘Where did you learn that?’. My answer is almost always the same, ‘I learned it with a good coach and a lot of practice.’”

Advice To Future Twirlers…

“Come up with a practice system that you like and try your best to stick to it.” 

Favorite Memory as a Baton Twirler…
“My favorite twirling memory is nationals with Diana Garcia (another feature twirler). Mrs. Vicki decided to take us to nationals together, and we had an absolute blast. From getting dip and dots to watching twilight and eating fries on collegiate day, we did it all.”


Funniest Memory as a Baton Twirler…

“My all-time funniest twirling memory is from twirling camp last year. Mrs. Vicki decided we were going to have a reward system for camp and the prizes were these little stuffed worms. All weekend I tried so hard to get my stuffed worm. Finally, in the last hour of camp we did awards and Mrs. Vicki gave me my worm. She leaned over to me and whispered, ‘I think I know how to keep you motivated’.”
 
Favorite thing about marching season… 
“My school actually doesn’t have a band, but we have a great drumline.”
 
Favorite Tradition with the drumline… 

“Our drumline loves to dance to cotton eye joe basically every game, but they will dance to pretty much anything!”

What she will miss the most when football season is over…

“I’ll miss the sense of community that our school builds every season.” 

We want to thank Chelsea for sharing what she could of a TVS Game Day, and we wish her a great rest of the season, as well as a great time on her Junior trip! 


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.

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - University of Missouri Feature Twirler

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

The final week of October means we are almost into competition time, and football season is starting to wrap up. It also means our senior twirlers are beginning to have their “lasts” of their final football seasons in their current positions. If you were following the @twirlingiscatchingtx Insta-story on Saturday you got to see this week’s Featured Collegian as she experienced her last homecoming Game Day as a Feature Twirler in CoMO, and we know she had an amazing time!

This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is the University of Missouri Feature Twirler!


The University of Missouri, also known as MIZZOU, is located in Columbia, Missouri, and is the home of the Tigers, and a long legacy of amazing baton twirlers. Wrapping up her fourth year of rocking the gold and black in Faurot Field is Texas girl, and University of Missouri Feature Twirler, Josie Linson! 

Four years ago this spring, Josie got the call to audition at Mizzou, and left her audition with a twirling position that would change her life in all the best ways. We asked Josie what made her choose Mizzou, and she told us it just felt like home. “I chose Mizzou because they have an awesome Pre-Physical Therapy program, and I knew I wanted to go out of state. My audition was the cherry on top though, and when I met Band Director Dr. Knopps and my co-features, I knew that I had found my home away from home!”

Making the choice to go out of state is always a difficult one for many incoming collegians, but for Josie it was a choice she will never regret. “I believe that going out of state was the best choice I ever made for myself. I knew that I wanted to go farther away from home to be able to meet new people and experience a different environment, and I also just wanted to live in a completely new state! The first few weeks were hard and I struggled with homesickness, and it can be hard sometimes when you need help and your parents aren't close by, but the friends I have helped me through it! I will say that I miss Tex Mex food and I miss the warm weather, but Missouri autumns are beautiful! If you are considering going out of state, my advice for you is to do it! Take the leap and experience a new place. You will find your people and it will truly be the best four years of your life!”


At Mizzou, Josie gets twirls alongside some amazing co-features including Carlee Fenton, Ella Earnest, and Courtney Detwiler. The ability to twirl well with the co-features is a big part of the selection process. We asked Josie how that all worked, and she told us, “At first, you submit a video that is due at the end of January, and if you are invited for a live audition, you come to Mizzou in March and try out for a judging panel. You will perform individual routines as well as a group routine with current feature twirlers to make sure that you work well together.” Luckily Josie instantly found a connection with the other Mizzou twirlers and has felt right at home since. 

Being a part of a great program like the Mizzou Marching Band, there have also been some benefits to the position. “There is a $1,000 scholarship that each twirler receives as well as the band paying for new pregame costumes as needed and some game day essentials such as a backpack, jazz shoes, new batons, etc.” In order to earn a spot at Mizzou, we wanted to know if once offered the position, the twirler has it all four years or if they have to re-audition each year, and Josie told us, “We actually have just changed the process, so now the Mizzou Feature Twirlers have to re-audition annually.”


In addition to making memories that she will always cherish as a Feature Twirler, just being a student at the University of Missouri has been a great opportunity for Josie. “My favorite thing about Mizzou is how beautiful the campus is as well as the friendships I have been able to make through Marching Mizzou and my academic classes through the School of Health Professions.” 

Being a part of the Mizzou community, there are many great traditions, but there is one particular tradition that goes all the way back to 1911! “My favorite Game Day Tradition is marching Pregame, but school wide, I think it is amazing that we invented homecoming! The homecoming parade is so fun every year, and I am glad I got to share it with everyone with my takeover on Saturday!”

Finally, as Josie is experiencing all the “lasts” that come with Senior Season, we wanted to know what she is the most excited about, and she told us that she can’t wait for Thanksgiving Break! “I am really looking forward to marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the Mizzou Band and my co-features!” What a great way to wrap up a wonderful four years with the Marching Mizzou!

Now that we have learned more about Mizzou and Josie’s experiences, let’s learn more about her!

Josie Linson

Josie is a Senior from Austin, Texas, that is majoring in Health Science with an emphasis in Pre Physical Therapy and a Minor in Spanish. She is an advanced competitor that has been twirling for 14 years as a member of Twirl ATX and “my wonderful coaches are Whitney King Coons and Ashley Wood!” Her favorite competition trick is her horizontal leg pop trick, and her favorite field trick is anything with fire baton. In baton twirling, Josie has been most inspired by former University of Texas Feature Twirler, Erica Kuntz, and Former Mizzou Feature Twirlers, Halie Hart and Lindsey McCormick. After graduating this May, Josie has plans to move on to graduate school. “I will be attending physical therapy school and getting my Doctor of Physical Therapy.”
 



Fun Facts!
  • Favorite Color – Turquoise
  • Favorite TV Show – “Right now, I’m watching ‘Grey’s Anatomy’!”
  • Favorite Food Item – Chicken Nuggets

Favorite Quote… 
“Well behaved women rarely make history” – Eleanor Roosevelt 

When she is not twirling, she loves to…
“Listen to podcasts and go to coffee shops.”

The best non-twirling life skill she has gained from baton twirling is…
“Time management! All those hours of juggling schoolwork on top of band/individual/team practice really helps with time management and organization skills, and I am stronger in that aspect of life because of it.” 

Most Memorable Advice from her Coach…
“You’ve worked so hard to get to this moment, so go out there and just have fun!”


Advice to Future Twirlers…
“For me, practice is more fun when I listen to music that energizes me. When you find a way to have fun when twirling (even in practice), it makes your twirling all the better!”

Favorite Memory as a Baton Twirler… 
“My favorite memory is when I got to travel as a United States Twirling Ambassador to Peru in 2018. I met some wonderful friends on that trip and it truly changed my life.”

Favorite Band Tradition…
“During band camp week, we play a ton of spirit games and hold a “Spirit Cup” competition. My favorite part is the skits that each section puts together for the competition, and the twirlers and drum majors actually won the skit contest this year!”

Advice for any twirlers going in to college auditions…
“Breathe, and remember that you have prepared so long for this. At the end of the day, it is about having fun. The best college twirlers are the ones who look like they are having the time of their lives on the field!”

We enjoyed learning more about Mizzou and Josie! We wish Josie an amazing rest of her senior season, and we can't wait to see what is next for her after this year. Mizzou-Rah! Go Tigers!

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.