With a grip on her familiar baton and a twirl in the air, junior Ashley Britton feels at ease. Spinning one, two and three batons in her hands, Britton can be seen twirling at football games, basket ball games, and even at Disney World where she, the band, and the color guard performed this fall
break.
“It was a great experience. Even though it was only for thirty minutes, I got to twirl down Main Street,” Britton said.
Britton says baton twirling comes with a lot of practice and of dedication.
“I started when I was four years old, so that’s eleven years of training. I’ve come a long way. It was a struggle at first to get the moves right, but I kept going, and now it is a lot easier,” she said.
Britton’s coach, Deborah Johnson, has coached for 51 years and has seen a lot of growth in Britton’s skills.
“Ashley has grown as a twirler … She has worked on her speed, coordination, balance and overall body control. As a person, she has grown to set goals and work with intensity,” Johnson said.
Britton’s schedule keeps her up and active as well.
“I practice Monday through Friday, five o’clock to seven in the commons after school,” she explains.
Britton’s practices usually consist of five solo competition routines. Finally she practices with multiple batons, incorporating more dance moves to her performance. During the summer, Britton can also be seen practicing alongside the NHS Marching Band and Color Guard. However, she is fully involved and participates with the school even more.
“She does cross country and track too,” Johnson said.
Just running and twirling for the school keeps her busy, but Britton explained how she practices and competes in twirling outside of it being a school sport.
“I compete in many states including Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois,” Britton said.
With hard practicing and compete, it’s natural that a spotlight would fall on her.
“I just recently went to state. I got first place in all events: a solo with one baton, a solo with two batons, a solo with three batons, and a show twirl. That’s where I can pick my own music and moves to go along with it,” Britton said.
But state was not enough for her; she advanced even further.
“I went to nationals too. I got top 10 in three batons,” she said.
Britton says getting individual and solo awards is rewarding enough in a sport, but she- loves it just as much as when she twirls for the school.
“It’s very rewarding and important for Ashley to represent her school and their band,” Johnson said.
To Britton, baton twirling is more than just a sport. She has big dreams of a scholarship for college in baton twirling and a bright future ahead.