Hello Texas Twirl Fans!
What a fun weekend of field twirling! It never gets old! This past Friday we had fun watching this awesome twirler during her Instastory Takeover and are now super excited to learn more about this current Miss Majorette of the Southwest title holder!
This week’s Friday Night Lights Feature is The Woodlands College Park High School Twirler!
The Woodlands College Park High School, located in The Woodlands, Texas, is the home of the Cavaliers. It is also a school that many NBTA twirlers from Texas should be familiar with, as it is the location of the Annual Twirl in the Woods contest (check out the Twirl in the Woods Website for more info about the 2023 event that will be held on January 14th & 15th!). TWCPHS has a wonderful band program and awesome facilities, which has helped promote a great history of baton twirlers over the past decade, and we love seeing that continue with the current Feature Twirler, Sophia Dinubilo!
The Cavalier Marching Band Community is very supportive of their twirlers, and of twirling in general. Did you know that the TWCPHS Band Director’s Daughter was the 2019 Southwest Regional Beginner Juvenile Pageant Winner? Nothing like having a band director that is also a twirl dad! With such a great appreciation for twirlers, the audition process is relatively simple. As Sophia told us, “I try out in front of the band director and junior high band director every year to keep my position as the feature twirler.”
TWCPHS is the kind of school that breaks the mold when it comes to support for their students, which is what Sophia loves most about being a Cavalier. “At my high school, students really value the pursuit of academic success just as much as other students at other schools value the pursuit of athletics, extracurriculars, and social lives.”
While the school does put a lot of support behind the academic side, there is no shortage of school pride for the different organizations. Sophia says this really comes together at her favorite event of the year, the Homecoming Parade in Market Street. “The kids from out elementary and intermediate feeder schools join the high school students in a parade of floats accompanied by music, dancing, cheering, and twirling.”
As this is Sophia’s senior year, after four seasons in the TWCPHS Marching Band, we know the season starting to wrap up must be bittersweet. We asked her what she will miss most after marching season is over. “I will be sad when I am not longer able to be outside practicing with the band. I am always captivated when I hear them play music and watch them march. I will also miss being the feature twirler for my high school, as I love being able to represent my school on the football and competition field.”
However, every journey’s end is the beginning of the next, and while her time at TWCPHS might be in the final year, we know there is still a lot ahead for Sophia. We asked her what she is looking forward to the most in the upcoming months, and she told us it is “finally figuring out at what University will spend the next 4 years of my academic and twirling career!”
Now that we have learned more about her experiences, lets learn more about Sophia!
Competition Level: Advanced
Sophia has been twirling for nine years and is coached by Patti Mickey and Kayli Mickey-McIntosh of the Mickey’s Majorettes. The competition title she is the proudest of was winning 2022 Miss Majorette of the Southwest. Her favorite field tricks are a leap walkover and elbow pops into the splits. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by former SHSU Feature Twirler, Madison Frantzen. “I twirled with her my freshman year of high school. She taught me many important tips on how to navigate band, twirling, high school, and life! I am forever grateful for our friendship.” After she graduates this spring, Sophia hopes to twirl at a 4-year university while pursuing a career in the business field of advertising or marketing!
Fun Facts!
- Favorite Color – Pink
- Favorite Movie or TV Show – “Anything with Timothée Chalamet in it!”
- Favorite Book – “The Crucible” and “Cinder”.
- Favorite Food – Spaghetti with just butter and cheese! “My Italian dad is always sad when I order this!”
Favorite Quote…
“Life doesn’t happen TO you; it happens FOR you.” - Jim Carrey
“Life doesn’t happen TO you; it happens FOR you.” - Jim Carrey
When she is not twirling, she loves to…
“Do really normal teenage girl things! I love to hang out with my friends, spend my parents' money without them knowing (AKA shop) and get any extra sleep I can!”
Something most people might not know about her is…
“I am a very adventurous person! I am very open to explore new areas, take on opportunities, and meet new people!”
The best non-twirling life skill she has gained from baton twirling is…
“There will be highs and lows. There will be years that everything is clicking into place, and there will be years that things don’t really seem to be falling into place. I have learnt how to navigate through the ups and downs, as well as know how to look forward during a low period or point.”
“There will be highs and lows. There will be years that everything is clicking into place, and there will be years that things don’t really seem to be falling into place. I have learnt how to navigate through the ups and downs, as well as know how to look forward during a low period or point.”
The Most Memorable Advice from her Coach…
“Highlight what you do well, and don’t show off what you can’t do well. We all have good things and not so good things about us, highlighting and showing off what you are good at is important in life, just like a twirling routine.”
Advice To Future High School Twirlers…
“Make a firm schedule and stick to it!”
Favorite Memory as a Baton Twirler…
“I have had many good memories in my twirling career, but my most recent highlight was when I won Miss Majorette of the Southwest US at Regionals in 2022, and then got to crown my student for winning her novice pageant immediately after I was crowned. I was still so shocked that someone had to remind me that I was about to crown my very own student.”
Funniest Memory as a Baton Twirler…
“My freshman year of high school, the other CP twirler, Madison, and I had to do a lift in the band show. I was so scared about getting on her shoulders that I held on so tight to the point that I accidentally choked her. She almost fell on the band lot from coughing so much. I felt really terrible after, but we still laugh about it to this day.”
“My freshman year of high school, the other CP twirler, Madison, and I had to do a lift in the band show. I was so scared about getting on her shoulders that I held on so tight to the point that I accidentally choked her. She almost fell on the band lot from coughing so much. I felt really terrible after, but we still laugh about it to this day.”
Favorite thing about marching season…
“Spending long days with my best friends. as well as the feeling when all of your countless hours of grueling work pays off at competitions.”
Favorite Tradition within the band program…
“Every home pre-game at Woodforest Bank Stadium, a video Advertisement for Memorial Herman hospital plays. The video shows a man who had a knee injury recover with the help of the hospital, so he is able to get back to doing fun activities. Every time the ad shows the man swimming or making a basketball goal, the CP band starts screaming and goes crazy. It makes me laugh every single time they do it, and it’s even funnier when you look at our opposing teams confused faces.”
We really enjoyed learning more about Sophia, and she had some great advice to share. We wish Sophia a great rest of her Senior Season and we can't wait to see what is next for her! Go Cavaliers!
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
No comments:
Post a Comment