Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - LA Tech Feature Twirlers!

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

Can you believe competition season starts in just a little over one week here in Texas?  We know all our #TeamTexas collegiate twirlers are doing everything they can to get the most out of their football season during these final weeks, especially these two! We loved following their Game Day experience on the Instastory Takeover, and we hope you did too!

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 High School twirlers throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights. We will also be having many of our High School 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!

Our next Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is on the Louisiana Tech University Feature Twirlers!

Louisiana Tech University, located in Ruston, Louisiana, is the home of the Bulldogs. It is also the home of these two awesome twirlers and a great band program! Representing in the red, white, and blue this season are the 2024-25 LA Tech Feature Twirlers, Grace Jones & Tess Gardner!

While the details of this position may not be as well known to those in Texas, it is one that comes with some amazing benefits! “We are on a scholarship to represent our school with our marching band, and it also counts as a class. In addition to getting to perform with the band during football season, we also get to perform our own routines at halftime during basketball season. We also get to design all of our own costumes and have one provided for free by the band!”

In order to earn their spots, they had to go through the initial audition process. “Each applicant creates their own video that’s up to two and a half minutes, during which they show us their skills. There is a list of required tricks posted on our band’s website that is adjusted every year (we will post them when we open up auditions). It is highly recommended to include each of those tricks as well as expressive showmanship and performance qualities in your routine! Then, if you are offered a position, your spot is guaranteed all 4 years!”

As both of these twirlers are not from Louisiana, we wanted to know what brought them to LA Tech. Grace tells us, “I absolutely fell in love with the campus and environment. Ruston has become the best home away from home for me. The students, alumni, and faculty have the best hearts.” Tess had a similar feeling from the beginning. “As soon as I toured Louisiana Tech for the first time, I knew it was where I wanted to go to college. There’s something about this campus, you can ask anyone who goes here, and they’ll agree - it just feels like home! Tech is a very close-knit community and that immediately drew me in.”

With Grace being a Texas girl, and Tess hailing from Alabama, they both had to make the choice to go out of state, but the move to LA Tech wasn’t a tough one for either twirler. As Tess shared, “Ever since I was little, I knew that I wanted to go to a college that was out of state. I wanted to explore and meet new people! I also knew from my earliest days of twirling that I wanted to be a feature twirler. There aren’t many opportunities to be a feature twirler in my home state, so that was even more reason to explore out-of-state options!” Grace had a similar feeling growing up. “I personally chose to go out of state because I wanted to experience a new environment. I grew up in the same small town my entire life, and I wanted to break out of my comfort zone and create new friendships.”

Being at LA Tech has been a wonderful experience for Grace and Tess. Grace says that her favorite thing about Louisiana Tech is the student life and the community. “We have so many different student organizations to be a part of and we are each involved in different activities around campus and Ruston.” For Tess, there are so many things that she loves! “Our beautiful campus, the community, the positive atmosphere, I love everything about it!”

With so much love for their school, we can’t wait to hear about their traditions! Grace tells us that her favorite is their Bulldog Statue. “There is one on campus in one of our main areas and it is believed to have good luck if you rub its head when you walk by!” Tess also has her own favorite. “One of my favorite traditions here at Tech is the Lady of the Mist, which is a sculpture in the middle of a fountain in the quad on campus. In 1938, the Lady was funded by the sororities on campus. It was specifically placed in the quad so that the Lady could welcome all to campus with her outstretched arms. I am part of Alpha Chi Omega here at Tech, so I find the Lady very inspiring knowing that the Panhellenic System helped contribute to such a beautiful landmark.”

Even their band program has some fun traditions of their own. Tess’ favorite is the pregame jog. “Grace and I jazz run alongside one of the drum majors at the beginning of pregame. From there we go straight into the fight song down the field. The pregame jog kicks off pregame and everyone is watching… It feels electric!” In addition to the jog, Grace also likes to get her exercise in the form of the Louisiana Tech Jumping Jacks. “Before every practice and game, we spell out Louisiana Tech while doing jumping jacks to get everyone’s energy going.”

Finally, as their season is beginning to wrap up, we wanted to know what they had been looking forward to the most this year. “I am most excited about our homecoming game,” says Grace. “Our homecoming game is also with our alumni this year and we have some of the best twirling alumni. It is always so fun to visit with them and learn about their experiences.” Tess enjoys the atmosphere LA Tech provides. “Since we’re a smaller school from a small town, the locals are all diehard fans. They show up to every home game and tailgate and they are the best! The student body also is very supportive, the student section is always packed out. Between the students and the locals, every football game is always brimming with enthusiasm and excitement. Win or lose, everyone is always having a great time!”

Now that we have learned more about life at LA Tech, let’s learn more about the twirlers!

Grace Jones, Junior
Competition Level: Intermediate
Grace has been twirling for 9 years and is coached by Ashleigh Russell. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was the Texas State 3 Baton in 2019. Her favorite competition trick is horizontal slaps, and her favorite field trick is a toss leap roll. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by World Gold Medalist, Joel Claudio. “He has always been such an inspiration of mine!” She is currently obtaining her degree in Human Development and Family Sciences, and after college, she hopes to one day become a Child Counselor, “and coach twirling wherever I land with my career.”

Tess Gardner, Sophomore

Competition Level: Intermediate

Tess has been twirling for 6 years and is coached by Kirsandra and Katiana Welsheimer. The competition titles she was the proudest to earn were when she won her state solo, X-strut, and 2-baton in 2022. Her favorite competition trick is anything involving illusions, and her favorite field trick is a toss leap walkover. In baton twirling she has been most inspired by her coaches. Currently she is working to complete her bachelor's degree in computer science, and after she graduates, she wants to start a family.

Fun Facts!

• Favorite Color: Pink (Grace & Tess) 
• Favorite TV Show or Movie: “Grey’s Anatomy” (Grace), “Legally Blonde” (Tess)
• Favorite Book: “It Ends With Us” (Grace), “The Harry Potter series” (Tess)

Must have Game Day Snack/Drink…

• Grace – “Liquid IV and egg bites from our local coffee shop.”
• Tess – “Starbucks Cappuccino or any Alani energy drink (I need my caffeine!!)”

Favorite Quote or Life Motto…

• Grace – “Work hard in silence, let your success be the noise.” 
• Tess – “She believed she could, so she did.”

When they are not twirling, they love to…

• Grace – “Be with friends and catch up with everyone.”
• Tess – “Take spontaneous trips or spend time with my family.”

Something people might not know about them… 

• Grace – “Tess and I are in the same sorority at Louisiana Tech, and she is actually my little! I am so thankful to have my best friend beside me.”
• Tess – “I’m a part of Alpha Chi Omega here at Tech, and the other feature twirler, Grace, is my big sister! Outside of twirling, we are very close friends, and I love our friendship.”

The best non twirling life skill they have gained from baton twirling is… 

• Grace – “The best non-twirling life skill I have learned is interview skills. It has helped me tremendously in all aspects of life.”
• Tess – “Efficiently creating and achieving goals. Twirling has turned me into a very goal-oriented person, I’ve been able to translate pushing consistency for tricks and routines to my everyday life (specifically school)! It’s a skill I am grateful for every day.”

The most memorable advice from their coach(es)… 

• Grace – “To always have fun. If you ever find yourself performing for others rather than yourself, take a step back and practice your favorite tricks to be reminded that you love the sport.”
• Tess – “Put your mental health first! Your mental state is the priority! Also, the key to everything is confidence!”

Advice to future Collegiate Twirlers…

• Grace – “Always stick with your dream! Whether you want to be on a line or be a feature twirler, stay positive and motivated throughout tryouts.”
• Tess – “HAVE FUN!! Twirling at games is less about throwing difficult tricks and more about putting on an entertaining performance that you feel confident in.”

 
Funniest memory as a baton twirler…

• Grace – “My funniest memory has to be when I threw two batons in the opposite direction from each other in a three-baton routine during competition season!”
• Tess – “I have had 4 black eyes and they’re all from twirling.”

Favorite thing about marching season…

• Grace – “The energy! Our band brings so much energy at all points throughout the season.”
• Tess – “PREGAME: I love the energy!”

What they will miss most when marching season is over…

• Grace – “Getting to spend every day with Tess!”
• Tess – “Getting to spend weekends in the football stadium. Our football games are so much fun, and every time I get to perform at games, I’m reminded that all my hard work pays off in the best way possible. I am so grateful every day that I get to be a feature twirler!”

We want to thank the LA Tech Feature Twirlers for their wonderful takeover. We loved learning more about this great school and all the fun they have, and we know they will finish the season strong! 

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.