Hello Texas Twirl Fans!
It is amazing how fast this season is going. Band-Tober is halfway done, and we are only two weeks away from the entry deadline for the Fall Kick-Off Contest (visit the Fall Kick-Off Contest website for more details). In the meantime, we are super excited to be learning more about this awesome group of Collegiate Twirlers!
This week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is on the University of Texas, San Antonio Twirlers!
The University of Texas - San Antonio, also known as UTSA, is located in San Antonio, TX, and is the home of the "Spirit of San Antonio" - the Roadrunner Marching Band. The SOSA Auxiliary, coordinated by sponsor Mary Ann Srulowitz Pozzi, sparkles and shines in the Alamodome as they twirl and support their Roadrunners. This year the UTSA Twirlers include Feature Twirler Megan Garcia, and seven Line Twirlers - Maddie Brown, Baylee Brandin, Stephanie Garza, Delaney Laza, KayLynn Rieger, Kyra Bevill, and Lauren Gluck!
We asked the twirlers what the process was to become a UTSA Twirler, and they told us about the audition process. “Auditions take place in the Spring each year. Candidates fill out an application and submit a video of the fight song that they've learned through a video and a video of their solo, highlights from football/competition routines, and a brief introduction.” (BTW, all information for tryout requirements can be found at https://www.utsabands.org/sosa-twirlers for those interested!)
UTSA Twirlers get to have such a unique experience. What other band gets to perform in the amazing Alamodome almost every game and travels for bowl games as well? We wanted to know what their favorite thing about attending UTSA is and they told us that “UTSA is growing! There are so many new opportunities available to students. We love the community feel on campus and that we get to be part of something that is relatively new.”
We wanted to know more about what they meant by relatively new, and they told us, “The Spirit of San Antonio Band is only in its 13th season; it was formed after UTSA got a football team. This is our first year in the American Athletic Conference and we love our game days in the Alamodome.” Also, originally UTSA only had Feature options, but in the Fall of 2021, a twirling team was introduced in addition to the feature twirler role.
Finally, we wanted to know what they were looking forward to the most this season, and beside Midnight Lights (which is their favorite tradition), they were just looking forward to enjoying this season together. “This is the most twirlers UTSA has ever had! We are looking forward to finishing out football season (and hoping for a bowl game!) and competing this Spring and Summer!”
Now that we have learned more about twirling at UTSA, let’s learn about the twirlers!
Feature Twirler:
Megan Garcia
Megan is a freshman from Corpus Christi, Texas. She has been twirling for 15 (almost 16) years and is coached by Mary Ann and Keely Davis. Her favorite trick is a toss walkover. After college she hopes to attend med school to become an OBGYN.
Favorite Quote… “If you are not doing what you love, you are wasting your time.”
When she is not twirling, she loves to... “Hang out with friends.”
Something people might not know about her... “I love cows ”
Advice to future college twirlers... “Just have fun!”
Line Captain:
Maddie Brown
Maddie is a third-year student from New Braunfels, Texas. She has been twirling for 11 years and is coached by Pat Montgomery. Her favorite trick is a toss cartwheel. After college she hopes to attend medical school to become an oncologist.
Favorite Quote… “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” -Winnie the Pooh
When she is not twirling, she loves to… “Cook/bake, read, and watch Netflix.”
Something people might not know about her… “I don’t have an appendix.”
Advice to future collegiate twirlers or those in the audition process… “Remember to have fun when you perform and to choose a school that makes you happy both on the field and in the classroom.”
Baylee Brandin
Baylee is a junior from Port Neches, Texas. She has been twirling for 14 years and is coached by Erica Osgood Mitchell. Her favorite trick is a toss cartwheel. After college she hopes to become a wildlife biologist and work in conservation.
Favorite Quote… “Grow through what you go through”
When she is not twirling, she loves to… “Read, spend time with friends and family, and crocheting."
Advice to future collegiate twirlers… “Be yourself and have fun! Tryouts can be stressful, but if you are having fun it takes a ton of the stress away!!”
Stephanie Garza
Stephanie is a Junior from Corpus Christi, Texas. She has been twirling for 12 years. Her favorite field trick is a toss cartwheel. After college she hopes to work with a marketing firm.
Favorite Quote… “We have a choice of what we put into the world every single day that we wake, and we should choose love every single time.”
When she is not twirling, she loves to... “Read and make tiktoks.”
Something people might not know about her… “I have a podcast with my best friend Christa!”
Advice to future collegiate twirlers... “Trust the process.”
Delaney Laza
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Delaney is a freshman from Corpus Christi, Texas. She has been twirling for 15 years and is coached by Mary Ann Pozzi and Keely Davis. Her favorite trick is a one turn back. After college she wants to go to law school and become a lawyer.
Favorite Quote… “The only thing you control is your effort, that’s all and that’s everything.”
When she is not twirling, she loves to… “Play with my dog, Tucker.”
Something people might not know about me… “I love clothes. :)”
Advice to future college twirlers… “Don’t give up even when it gets difficult, you’re capable of more than you may think.”
KayLynn Rieger
KayLynn is a freshman from Needville, Texas. She has been twirling for 16 years, and is coached by Amanda Warncke, Madison Frantzen, Trenton Haltom. Her favorite trick is a toss layback. After college she hopes to become a 2nd grade teacher.
Favorite Quote… “You have nothing to fear but fear itself.”
When she is not twirling, she loves to… “Spend time with friends and family.”
Something people might not know about her... “I was supposed to be born on Christmas.”
Advice to future college twirlers… “Always believe in yourself and never tell yourself you can’t.”
Kyra Bevill
Kyra is a freshman from Buda, Texas. She has been twirling for six years and is coached by Kristen Tate and Mary Ann Pozzi. Her favorite trick is a toss illusion. After college she hopes to become a Registered Nurse and work in Kyle, Texas.
Favorite Quote… “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain”
When she is not twirling, she loves to… “Hang out with friends, Play Video Games, and watch Grey’s Anatomy.”
Something people might not know about her… “I have Scoliosis and have had many different doctors and chiropractors for it throughout my life.”
Advice to future college twirlers… “Keep working on those hard tricks and persevere!”
Lauren Gluck
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Lauren is a freshman from Jacksonville, Texas. She has been twirling for 8 years and is coached by Mrs. Breiann Gee and Mrs. Jeri Coke. Her favorite trick is a two-spin catch blind. After college, she plans to attend graduate school to be an occupational therapist!
Favorite Quote… “If you never bleed, you’re never gonna grow.” - Taylor Swift
When she is not twirling, she loves to... “I love to read, listen to music, and hang with friends/family.”
Something people might not know about her… “I love cottage cheese!”
Advice to future college twirlers... “If you want it, really just chase after your dream! It’s a lot of work to get there but performing for your school is the best feeling ever!”
Some of their favorite memories as a UTSA Twirler…
“Any time I look up and see my mom in the stands is my favorite, I love her so much!”
“Marching out of the tunnel for pregame my very first game!”
“Being on the field when we have won both the conference championship games.”
A few of their funniest moments twirling for UTSA…
“With the girls there is never not a funny moment. We are always cracking up at practices and games!!
“When Maddie and Baylee made a tiktok about Stephanie missing a practice to go to a Harry Styles concert.”
"When Maddie accidentally hit a trumpet player with a baton during pregame and then they later direct messaged her on Instagram asking for her phone number!” (Wow!)
Some of their favorite things about marching season...
“Fall weather!”
“Football games!”
“Watching our Roadrunners get the win!”
Their favorite traditions and inside jokes with the SOSA Band…
“Tuba 6!!!! There was a game where a tuba was accidentally tackled and destroyed. They then had a burial service equipped with a youtube video of my band director crying and paying his respects.” (Hilarious!)
“When we sing our alma mater before we march out of the tunnel for pregame!”
“Microphones.”
To wrap up our interview, we asked these twirlers what they will miss the most after the marching season is over, and they said everything! “We love SOSA! Getting to perform on the field with this group is something that we love to do- when it's over we will be counting the days until football season next year!”
We want to thank these wonderful twirlers for sharing their Game Day with us, and we wish them an amazing rest of their football season, and a successful contest season! Go Runners!
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