FALL 2021 | VOLUME 61 | ISSUE 2
INSIDE (click on title to jump to page)
iTwirl21
USTA Debuts New Logo, Website
Membership Renewal
Together Again!
Volunteers Make the Difference
USTA Heart Initiative
2022 National Championships
Grand National
Champions,
Kylie Cates,
Bower Sarra, and
Savannah Miller
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Welcome to the Fall and 2022 Season!
Fall can be seen as the end of things, but it can also
representthe beginning. Take the time and use this
season to help you nd your beginning and the balance
you need. All of us have been through so much since
March of 2020 but as our National Championship Week
demonstrated… we are up to the challenge.
On the horizon, in October, we will kick o the
season with iTwirl21. (See story and registration link on the next page.) If
you didn’t attend any of the previous three iTwirl events you missed a great
opportunity. Hopefully, we will see you in Nashville!
As you begin to hit your stride for the 2022 season, please continue to take
advantage of all the wonderful tools we oer our athletes and professionals. We
are in this together. e U.S. Twirling Association’s National Board of Directors,
Director of Operations and our department leaders are here to help anytime you
need us.
Stay safe and well. Have a great season.
Warm Regards,
Karen Cammer
President
Check out news, photos and videos
on USTA’s Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram and YouTube platforms.
United States Twirling Association
Phone: 321-206-3242
Fax: 509-275-3242
Website: www.ustwirling.com
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Honorary Board
John Kirkendall/MI
Fred Miller/OH (deceased)
Bobbie Mae (deceased)
George Walbridge (deceased)
Nick Michalares/IN (deceased)
EXECUTIVE BOARD
President/Karen Cammer/NY
Vice President/John Chamberlain/FL
Secretary/Thomas Breuckman/OR
Jonathan Burkin/OH
Sheri Carter/TX
Jason Lee/Washington DC
Jennifer Marcus Schwartz/FL
USTA DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS
Director of Operations/Sandi Rios/CA
Coaches/Jackie Stewart/TN
Communications/Anna Osborn Dolan/CO
Judges/Kathy Butera-Fanney/VA
Media & Technology/Monica Lee/CA
Professional Development/Dale White/OH
Technical/Sandi Rios/CA
USTA BENEFACTOR FOUNDATION
Coordinator/Niki Riley
Catch It! eZine Editor / Anna Osborn Dolan
Graphic Designer / Steve Cross
Take your twirling to the next level!
Take your twirling to the
next level with iTwirl21!
Register by September 30
to get the lowest prices!
iTwirl21, an educational expo for athletes, coaches and
parents, will be held October 9-10 at White House High
School, located 25 minutes north of Nashville, Tenn. Athletes
of all levels will be inspired to take their twirling to the next
level with classes in rolls, aerials, contact material, bodywork,
multiple baton skills and more. Coaches will learn valuable
teaching techniques, how to choreograph dierent kinds of
routines and how to help their athletes grow and succeed.
Special classes for parents will cover everything from
supporting the competitive twirler to preparing for college
twirling auditions.
Participants can register for Saturday, Sunday or both
days.
Athlete registration (full weekend) ........$100.00
Athlete registration (Saturday only) ........$75.00
Athlete registration (Sunday only) ..........$60.00
Coach (full weekend) ....................$135.00
Coach (Saturday only) ....................$90.00
Coach (Sunday only)......................$75.00
Parent (full weekend) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$60.00
Parent (Saturday only) ....................$50.00
Parent (Sunday only)......................$35.00
(Register now! Prices increase after Sept. 30.)
REGISTER FOR iTWIRL21 HERE.
iTwirl21 features some of the best clinicians from across
the country, including:
Paige Campbell
California
f Involved in the sport
for over 48 years as
an athlete, certified
Coach and Level II
Judge
f Director of Valley Baton Club- San Jose, CA
f State, regional and national champion in
individual and team events
f 18 years as a middle school classroom
teacher and now owns a tutoring business
f USTA Coaches Department member and
U.S. World Team Coordinator
Lori Cobb
Virginia
f Coaching experience
ranging from
recreational programs
to high school band
shows to working with
elite twirlers in both USTA and NBTA
f More than 30 of Cobb’s students have
earned college twirling positions across
the country
f Past member of USTA Coaches
Department, participated in scoresheet
revision in NBTA and is a former Vice-
President for AAU Baton Twirling
f Cobb’s greatest “accomplishment” in the
sport of baton twirling is her daughter,
Danielle Cobb, who was a four-time Miss
Majorette of America, multiple year Junior
and Senior USTA Grand Champion in Solo,
2- and 3-Baton, Strut and Artistic Twirl;
International Cup Gold medalist in Solo,
2- and 3-Baton (multiple times) and WBTF
Bronze Medalist in Jr. Freestyle and team,
three-time WNBTA X-Strut Champion,
WNBTA Solo and Freestyle Champion
Ginnette Groome
f USTA Certified Coach
and Master Judge
f Coach of many state,
regional and national
champions and U.S.
World Team members
and IC athletes
Continued on page 4
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
CELEBRATING SCHOOL TWIRLERS!
High school and middle
school twirlers and twirling
lines can submit their photo
and info HERE to be featured
in USTA’s Friday Night Lights!
College twirlers and twirling
lines can submit their photo
and info HERE to be featured
in USTA’s Saturday Game Day!
Both are on USTA’s Facebook
and Instagram stories! And
check out U.S. Twirling on the
50-Yard Line too!
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USTA DEBUTS NEW LOGO, WEBSITE
f Specialist in coaching multiple baton
events in the U.S. and Canada
f Recently helped train potential IBTF
Judges in the multiple baton disciplines
f Has completed a progressional series of
3-Baton videos, now available through
Twirl
f Nations on Demand
f Helped write the 2/3 baton sections of the
WBTF Coaches Manual
f Past Grand National Champion in 2- and
3-Baton. USTA’s first Grand National
3-Baton Champion. Was honored to have
the National 3-Baton Cup named after her.
f Has served on the U.S. Technical
Committee and Essentials Commission,
helping to create and establish the
current USTA Compulsory and Movement
Technique levels
Michael Lopez, Texas
f Many-time Grand
National Men’s
Champion in both
USTA and NBTA
f Gold, Silver and
Bronze medalist
at World and
International
Championships in Solo, 2- and 3-Baton
and Artistic Twirl
f University of Texas-San Antonio feature
twirler from 2014-2018
f Certified USTA Coach, certified USTA Level
III Judge and certified NBTA Judge
f Currently studying for the WBTF Master
Judge certification
Continued from page 3
If you haven’t visited the United States
Twirling Association (USTA) website
(www.ustwirling.com) lately, you need to!
As the nation’s leading sport baton
twirling organization - a 501©3 not-for-
prot organization dedicated to positive
youth development through the sport
of baton twirling - USTA is continually
investing in people, programs and
resources to help us fulll that mission
and deliver value to our members,
who are recreational and competitive
athletes, parents, coaches, judges,
contest directors and other twirling
supporters.
e launch of a beautiful, user-
friendly website is the latest step in that
process. It follows the unveiling of a
fresh new logo. Both the website and the
logo are important steps to keep USTA
– and its members – at the forefront of
the baton twirling world.
e website and branding projects
were led by USTA Board member and
former world and national champion
athlete Jason Lee.
“Given all of the amazing work
being done by USTA, our organization
deserves an equally amazing website,”
Lee said. “I am so thrilled with USTA’s
new look and online presence, and I
hope all our members are too.”
He worked with a committee of
USTA members, including President
Karen Cammer, Director of Operations
Sandi Rios, Director of Media and
Technology Monica Lee, Director of
Communications Anna Osborn Dolan,
Director of Professional Development
Dale White and Professional members
and former athletes Cassandra
Broadway, Madison Eis and Richie
Terwilliger.
e new website follows the launch
of the new USTA Member Portal,
where USTA members and others
can get or renew USTA memberships,
access educational resources, sign up
for national competitions or clinics
and take advantage of other benets of
membership like requesting a certicate
of insurance to rent facilities, etc.
USTA worked with JustGo, a
leading business application provider, to
develop the new USTA Member Portal,
and with Summit Athletics, a creative
agency specializing in sports marketing
and design, to develop the new website
and logo.
“We are committed to continuing
to bring our members the best tools and
resources to help them achieve their
goals in the sport of baton twirling,”
Lee said.
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TOGETHER AGAIN!
e 2021 U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships were a celebration of twirling
and togetherness! Nearly 800 athletes from 26 states, along with their families, coaches,
judges, volunteers and other twirling supporters, gathered at the Ocean Center in
Daytona Beach, Florida for six days of fun, friendship and fabulous twirling!
e week started with the U.S.
PreTrials and the inaugural Athlete
of the Year competitions. ursday
and Friday featured individual events
for both Nationals and Festival of the
Future and the largest-ever Collegiate
Championship. More than 40 of the
nation’s best collegiate twirlers proudly
represented their schools and wowed
the crowd with incredibly entertaining
performances. Congratulations to 2021
Collegiate Champion and Arizona
State Uni versity Feature Twirler Bower
Sarra.
USTA members can renew their USTA memberships
for the 2021-22 season on the new USTA Member Portal at
https://ustwirling.justgo.com/. (Bookmark this link!) You
can also purchase new memberships there.
Remember, your Username is your USTA number, with
enough zeroes in front to make it six digits.
Don’t miss out on any of the benets of USTA
membership, including insurance coverage, educational
resources and events, and the ability to purchase certicates
of insurance for coaches renting facilities and groups or
councils holding competitions. It’s going to be a great season,
so renew your membership now!
PLEASE NOTE: Renewals and new memberships are
no longer available on the USTA website.
e USTA Member Portal is also where you can check
Compulsory and Movement Technique records and enter
national competitions.
ese helpful “How-To Guides” will help you with other
things you may want to do in the USTA Member Portal:
f USTA Member Portal Overview
f Registering for an account
f Updating account info
f Creating a family group
f Purchasing or renewing a membership
f Twirling club pages
f Searching the le library
f Submitting an inquiry
All of the guides are available for download HERE.
You can also watch the USTA Member Portal webinar HERE.
IMPORTANT: If you have been a USTA member in the
past, please DO NOT CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT in the
USTA Member Portal. Just follow these steps to claim
your existing account:
1. Go to https://ustwirling.azolve.com/
2. In the “username” eld, put your six digit USTA member
ID. (If your USTA Member ID number does not have six
digits, add a zero or zeros at the beginning of your number
until it is six digits.)
3. en, click the “Forgot Password” link.
4. A password reset email will be sent to the email address
you have on le with USTA.
5. Follow the instructions on that password reset email to set
a password for your member portal account.
6. en you should be able to log in at https://ustwirling.
justgo.com/ and start exploring the USTA Member
Portal.
RENEW YOUR USTA MEMBERSHIP NOW
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2021 NATIONALS
Next up was the Nationals Finals show, featuring
the top two junior, senior and adult nalists in 2-Baton,
Strut, 3-Baton, Artistic Twirl, Men’s Solo and Women’s
Solo. We will never forget the electric moment when
Savannah Miller nished a awless solo performance
with a quad illusion, then collapsed with emotion as the
judges ashed ve perfect 10s and the crowd gave her
a standing ovation. You can watch Miller’s perfect 10
performance HERE.
Congratulations to Miller, Women’s Solo and
Artistic Twirl Grand National Champion; Bower Sarra,
who added the titles of Men’s Solo, 2-Baton and 3-Baton
Grand National Champion to his collegiate win,
and Kylie Cates, who earned the title of Strut Grand
National Champion!
Nationals week wrapped up with National and
Festival group competitions. Congratulations to all the
groups that competed!
We can’t wait to be together again next year! Check
out the 2022 Nationals info on pages 11 and 12!
VOLUNTEERS MAKE
THE DIFFERENCE!
e 2021 National Championships were a huge success
due in large part to the army of volunteers who served as
oor monitors, lane starters, tabulation runners, results
posters and more! One group of unsung heroes spent nearly
four hours building the two sport court oors in the Exhibit
Hall. It was like putting together two huge puzzles! We are
so grateful to Kevin Guidroz, Scott Leitzel, Steve Gurney,
Bridgette Decent, Jeri Garland, Satyra Deaver, Michael
Arciola, Kim Keyes Melling, Janice Higgens, Erica Geiser,
Niki Riley, Rose Ferree, Chris Decent, Tracy Leitzel, Apryl
Gurney and anyone else we missed!
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In 2021, the U.S. Twirling Association began the USTA Heart
Initiative, an annual eort to give back to the cities that host
our National Championships. is year, USTA partnered with
the Halifax Health Hospital in Daytona Beach, Florida and
created two opportunities to give back.
On the rst morning of nationals,
former Grand National Champions,
Savannah Miller, Laney Puhalla and
Bower Sarra, headed to the hospital
and put on an exciting and impressive
performance for patients, nurses
and administration. It was a very
unexpected and happy surprise for
many coming into work. Our athletes
were also invited up to the pediatric
ward to visit with children, pass out
gis and sign the Wall of Fame...next to
the likes of Olympians and Savannah’s
actor crush…Grey’s Anatomy star
Patrick Dempsey. It was an incredibly
special moment to see these athletes put
smiles on faces all around the hospital.
roughout the week, our USTA
community donated hundreds of toys
that were collected to be given out to
children at the hospital throughout
the next year. Small toys are given to
patients whenever they get an injection
or are having a tough time. e amount
of toys donated by you far surpassed
our goal and the collection boxes
were overowing! We can’t thank
you enough for participating in this
initiative so passionately.
We’re excited to continue on this
tradition of warming the hearts of
communities and giving back. USTA is
already planning how we will give back
next year in Stockton, California! Stay
tuned.
By Jennifer Marcus,
USTA Board of Directors
INAUGURAL USTA HEART
INITIATIVE A HUGE SUCCESS
Experience the BEST!
The BEST twirlers! | The BEST facilities!
The BEST competitions for advanced/elite AND beginning/intermediate athletes!
Watch for schedule, hotel and entry info this fall at www.ustwirling.com.
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