Kansas State University - The Royal Purple Yearbook

“Before an afternoon practice, Post collects her batons, which were taped for a better grip. " Practicing this much definitely keeps you busy, " Post said. " It helps you with time management and keeping up with all ot your other stuff. " Christopher Hanewiiickt ' l _ # by Alex Peal thetWirtwotid Student twirlers devote most of their time to practice and preparation for games, and, on weekends, when most students are relaxing, they travel throughout the region for competitions. Sleep, class, twirl, eat, twirl, repeat. It was the life of a K-State twirler. Katie Goodwin, junior in communication sciences and disorders, and Belinda Post, freshman in theater, were K-State ' s two baton twirlers. Goodwin, the feature twirler, had been twirling for 17 years. She became interested when she was 4 years old and saw her older sister twirling, she said. She was so involved with baton twirling that by age 5 she was competing. She has contended at state, regional and national levels. " I ' ve placed within the top 10 for every competition and I ' ve even won a few titles, " Goodwin said, tossing her baton several feet into the air before gracefully swiping it on its circling downfall. However, 2006 was Goodwin ' s last year competing and twirling for K-State. " I was a wildcat twirler for my first two years and I ' ve been the feature twirler the last two years, " she said. " I just feel like it ' s time to move on. " As a feature twirler, Goodwin said she also was a section leader, she attended meetings, set times for extra practices and helped choreograph routines. Besides twirling at K-State football games, she said she also performed at a couple of basketball games and pep rallies each year. Instead of taking a break from twirling on weekends, Goodwin traveled throughout the state and region to compete. " When we ' re not in football season, we compete, " she said. Even during football season, the girls often competed on weekends. Some weekends they had two competitions or performances in addition to a game appearance. continued on 11 8 ”