Sophomore Makaela Anderson has been twirling since the age of seven. After trying gymnastics, soccer and dance, she lost interest in all three and looked for something new. Now a twirler, she participates in competitions on a national and international level, as well as performing at Fossil games.

She practices for at least two hours a day, six days a week. She normally practices for two and a half hours. Anderson usually stretches, works on her full routines, perfecting skills with two and three batons, and going over tricks she dropped again. “At the end of practice I usually work on my hard or new tricks to get those better,” she stated.

When asked about the most difficult part of twirling, Anderson claimed, “persistence and motivation. Since this sport requires a lot of practice and trying tricks over and over again, it can be very hard to get back up and try again sometimes.”

For Anderson, learning new skills is her biggest motivation boost. She stated that “This sport is a challenge. There are always harder tricks to try, and other competitors striving to achieve the same thing as you.” She constantly strives to improve, and will not stop. She puts hours of time in to get a new skill, and loves the sense of accomplishment once mastered. She combines her determination with her goals for her next competition—trying to be the best twirler she can be.

During performances, Anderson gets in the zone. She stays focused on the task at hand, and pays attention to little details in her routine. She thinks about every aspect of her routine, “whether it’s catching three batons milliseconds apart or simply pointing my toes and smiling at the judge.”

Twirl Mania is a wonderful opportunity for Anderson to catch up with her twirling friends. She has made friends from various places from competitions, and enjoys time when she gets to see them again. “I loved getting to reunite with my twirling friends from across the country in the happiest place on Earth,” Anderson claimed.

After graduation, Anderson plans on twirling through college. She is not sure where she would like to go yet. She hopes to become a coach afterwards as well.

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