Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - University of Colorado Boulder Feature Twirlers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

As we cross into October, which already puts us almost halfway through football season, we are excited to feature our next collegiate twirlers. We hope you enjoyed following their Instastory Takeover on Saturday, and we know you will enjoy learning more about these awesome twirlers today.

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 University of Colorado Boulder Feature Twirlers!

The University of Colorado Boulder campus is located in the beautiful town of Boulder, Colorado, and is the home of the Buffalos! It is also the home of today’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight, Feature Twirlers Izzy Pell and Ryleigh Richards!

A fun fact about the Buff Twirlers is that they get a lot of independence within the program. “The Feature Twirlers at CU decide their own choreography, drill during halftime performances, and design their own costumes!”

What a fun opportunity for them to really get creative within the sport! In order to earn these positions, we asked about the audition process. “The audition process is 3 steps: 1. Send in your compilation video with a twirling resume and professional headshot/twirling photo. 2. We then invite you to audition in person. 3. In person auditions include a 3-4 minute routine showcasing 1-3+ baton skills plus your own routine to the CU fight song and an interview from our judging panel.”

Both twirlers came to CU from out of state - Izzy being a Texas girl and Ryleigh coming from Massachusetts - so we had to know why they chose Colorado. Izzy told us that the campus was an easy sell! “I chose CU because the campus is beautiful! Being surrounded by nature brings me such a sense of peace, especially on a stressful day! Everyone I met while touring was incredibly welcoming, and I immediately felt at home. I also loved the idea of getting to twirl alongside a fellow Feature Twirler! Ryleigh and I have become best friends, making game days even more fun!” For Ryleigh, it was about starting a new adventure. “I chose to attend my school because I have always wanted to live somewhere new and I loved the campus and bio program!” 

The choice to move from Texas to Colorado was an important one for Izzy, but one she feels great about. “I am originally from Dallas, Texas, but chose to go out of state because of Boulder's gorgeous environment. Being able to wake up to the mountains every day, take hikes and see wildlife, and not walk outside in 100-degree weather is amazing!” For Ryleigh, this was a time in which she could explore and experience new things. “I have always wanted to move back to Massachusetts when I am older, so I felt like this was my one shot to experience living somewhere new!” 

Besides the beautiful scenery, the school has really brought the college experience to life for these twirlers. As Ryleigh told us, “I absolutely love the view, but what I am enjoying most is meeting so many new people every day!” Izzy agreed and said the incredible fan base and community involvement has to be her favorite thing about attending CU! “One thing unique about the Golden Buffalo Marching Band is we don’t just perform on game days, but we also get to be part of Stampede the night before every home game. This is a special performance of halftime and stand tunes on Pearl Street, which everyone in the community attends, to support CU and get excited for the game. The energy from the fans is exhilarating to perform to and there are always so many little future buffs, fascinated with twirling that we get to talk to!”

CU also has its share of amazing traditions within the University. While their live Buffalo, Ralphie, leading the team out of the tunnel every pregame and halftime definitely tops the list of great traditions, they also really enjoy the band traditions as they march into the stadium. “When we march to the stadium, the drumline plays their cadence “Flatirons” and every section has their own lyrics they sing to the cadence as we march into Game Day.”

Finally, we wanted to know what they are looking forward to the most this season, and they are both really hopeful that CU will make a bowl game! We are sending some serious Sko Buffs vibes that their hope comes true! 

Now that we have heard about twirling in Colorado, let’s learn more about the Twirlers!

Izzy Pell, Freshman
Izzy is from Dallas, Texas, and has been twirling for 11 years. She is a member of the Texas Touch of Class where she is coached by Sheila Payne Rigelsky. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was when she won Miss Majorete of the Southwest. Her favorite competition tricks are rolls and her favorite field trick is a kick illusion. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Penn State Blue Sapphire, Mackenzie Bronk. After College, Izzy hopes to work for a major news outlet as a journalist! 




Favorite Color – Purple 
Favorite TV Show or Movie – New Girl 
Favorite Book – The Fault in our Stars

Must have Game Day Snack/Drink…
“A granola bar and Red Bull.”

Favorite Quote or Life Motto…
“Always remember: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

When she is not twirling, she loves to… 
“Hang out with friends or bake.”

Something people might not know about her… 
“I am a huge country music fan.”

The best non twirling life skill she has gained from baton twirling is… 
“Confidence!”

The most memorable advice from her coach… 
“Perform and have fun!”

Advice to future Collegiate twirlers… 
“All of the hard work is worth it and although it can be a stressful process you will end up where you are meant to be.”

Funniest memory as a baton twirler… 
“Doing duet exchanges with my high school drumline and seeing how far we apart could get before dropping it.”

Favorite thing about marching season… 
“Meeting so many new people!”

What she will miss most when marching season is over… 
“Getting to perform and share the sport I love with my school every weekend!”

Ryleigh Richard, Freshman
Ryleigh is from Groton, Massachusetts, and has been twirling for 15 years. She is coached by Nancy Locke. The competition title she is the proudest of earning was when she won Miss Majorette of the Northeast. Her favorite competition tricks are rolls, and her favorite field trick is a walkover. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by the Penn State Blue Sapphire, Mackenzie Bronk. After College, Ryleigh plans to go to dental school. 

Favorite Color – Green 

Favorite TV Show or Movie – Friends 
Favorite Book – The Great Alone

Must have Game Day Snack/Drink…
“Goldfish.”

Favorite Quote or Life Motto…
“Be yourself!”

When she is not twirling, she loves to… 
“Read!”

Something people might not know about her… 
“I have three brothers!”

The best non twirling life skill she has gained from baton twirling is… 
“You can achieve anything with hard work!”

The most memorable advice from her coach… 
“Just have fun!”

Advice to future Collegiate twirlers… 
“You’ll end up where you are meant to be.”

Funniest memory as a baton twirler… 
“Teaching my brothers how to do a one spin.”

Favorite thing about marching season… 
“Hanging out with all of my new friends!”

What she will miss most when marching season is over… 
“Seeing Izzy and Kaitlyn!”

Thanks to Izzy and Ryleigh for sharing their Game Day with us. We really enjoyed learning more about the University of Colorado Boulder and seeing these two amazing twirlers entertain at the collegiate level. We wish them a great remainder of their season. Sko Buffs!

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.