Hey Only Twirlers Nation,
We have exciting news to share! The new Only Twirlers Social Media Squad is ready to be introduced. From all over the nation, these twirlers are coming together to bring you the best twirling content around!
Brooklyn Bunish
Brooklyn Bunish is so excited to be a part of the Only Twirlers internship program. She is a senior in college at Youngstown State University. She is from Canton, Ohio, and started twirling at 2 years old, making this the 19 years she has been involved in this incredible sport. Brooklyn has been a part of the Jazz Dolls ever since she started twirling. Being a part of this team has brought her so many incredible friendships and experiences.
She has been a part of the NBTA organization for her entire career and got involved with USTA about 11 years ago. Her next step for staying involved in baton twirling after she graduates is becoming a coach and becoming more involved as a coach for the Jazz Dolls. She also wants to become a Judge. Brooklyn has such a passion to give back to this sport that has given her so many amazing memories, friendships, life lessons, and opportunities. Brooklyn is most excited to be able to meet so many new people and share her love for baton twirling with so many other people. It is really hard to pick her favorite Only Twirlers merchandise item but she thinks it would have to be the “I Survived the Blue Curtain shirt”. She really loves seeing this around the competitions, because most of you know how nerve-wracking it can be to just step out of the blue curtain for the first time and even years later. Seeing all the girls wearing it so proud and walking around with such pride is such an amazing thing to see. Her favorite competition snack is definitely sour candy! Every single competition she has to have her towel and dry hands. Brooklyn has a few competition day traditions, the first one being coffee in the morning, followed by hugs from her coaches before she goes on the floor for a boost of confidence. Lastly, after the competition, her favorite part is getting to pick where they eat dinner, since it is normally late after a competition day!
Karlee Casewell
Karlee Caswell is a graduate student at Eastern Kentucky studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is from Lexington, Kentucky, and has been twirling for 6 years. She is a self-taught twirler and primarily competes with USTA. During the internship, she is most excited to be able to be a part of the twirling community and meet other twirlers. Her favorite Only Twirlers merchandise is the OT crewneck!
Katie Castillo- Chace
Twirling for over 15 years, Katie Castillo-Chace hails from the great state of Florida. She is a Junior attending Southern New Hampshire University. Katie is a member of the South Florida Superstars. She primarily competes in NBTA and AAU. Her favorite events is freestyle/rhythmic. This year she hopes to be able to perform a meaningful and moving piece in her final year. But more importantly, she hopes to continue inspiring and motivating the talented girls that she’s had the pleasure of teaching in the past few years! As an intern, she is most excited about making new friends and building connections with the other twirlers and team members through this program. As far as her favorite merch, she says it is hard to choose but if she has to pick, she’d say the “Boom. No Drop.” T-shirt and the new black Only Twirlers logo crop top I was able to get in Notre Dame at AYOP! Her favorite competition day snack is pretzels of any kind!
Joanie Coville
From Destin, Florida, Joanie Coville is a Junior at the University of Memphis in Tennessee. She has been twirling since the age of 5 and is in her 16th year of twirling. Joanie is a member of Intrepid and a feature twirler for the University of Memphis. She competes in both NBTA and USTA. She plans to continue to train and twirl competitively and on the field as a feature twirler until she finishes college and then hopefully transition over into a coach and judge. As a member of the social squad, she is most excited to continue to be an ambassador for the sport of baton twirling and encouraging other twirlers while also showing non twirlers what twirling is about.
Katrina Grace
Katrina Grace is a recent graduate from Hartland High School in Michigan and plans to begin college in the spring. She has been twirling for seven years. She is currently working on becoming a certified USTA coach and USTA Judge with the hope of one day becoming a USTA Master judge. This upcoming summer, Katrina is excited to work alongside some missionaries and help grow a Baton team in Hungary.
By far her favorite Only Twirlers merchandise is “I survived the Blue Curtain” tank top. Katrina didn’t allow herself to have it until she actually survived the blue curtain and when she got off the floor after her first Grand National she cried, because she was so excited to go get her tank top from Only Twirlers!
Katrina loves having her competition day peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made by her mom! Her must-do before taking the floor at a competition is to pray and tighten all her muscles, then let go of any stress or anxiety with a deep breath out.
Bridgette McCollum
From Oklahoma, Bridgette McCollum is a Junior at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School. She has been twirling for 9 years and primarily competes in NBTA with some USTA competitions as well. She hopes to be a collegiate twirler at a great school some day. She is excited to share the sport with so many people on a big platform! She wants to grow the Only Twirlers brand - it’s so fun! And also raise awareness about the sport of Baton Twirling. Her favorite Only Twirlers merchandise are the nationals tanks. They really memorialize the year for her and are a special keepsake that is also convenient for practice. She also got the B is for Baton book for her 4 year old niece, who she is teaching to twirl. She loved it! Bridgette wears her Grandma’s earrings during dress modeling events. She was a big part of her twirling when she was little and always attended her competitions. She has passed away, now, and when she wear them they remind Bridgette of her.
Jasmine McCulley
Third year social squad member, is Jasmine McCulley. From Pennsylvania, Jasmine has been twirling since she was 6 years old as a NBTA and USTA competitor. Jasmine is a freshman at Kent State University where she is a Touch of Gold twirler. During a competition, Jasmine has to have her elephant anklet and elephant pin attached to her costumes and has to have Twizzlers and gushers as a nice snack. she is super excited to work with everyone in continuing to expand the twirling community. As a proud twirler her favorite Only Twirlers Merch is “The Twirlers Version,” tank. We are THRILLED to have Jasmine back on the squad again this year.
Marissa Pierce
Second year social squad member is Marissa Pierce. Originally from Pennsylvania, Marissa has been twirling for 19 years on the Wheaton Dance/Twirl Team. Marissa is a senior at Michigan State University where she is a feature twirler. As a NBTA, USTA, and UT twirler, Marissa has a few competition essentials, her Team USA sweat towel, Twizzlers Pull and Peels, and must say “it is Gameday Spartans,” before taking the floor. Marissa will continue to work on the Only Twirlers podcast, “Talking with Twirlebrities” and can’t wait to continue to grow the podcast and work with a brand that advocates for the twirling athletes. As a NBTA competitor, Marissa loves her “I Survived the Blue Curtain.” Marissa is the current USTA Grand National Collegiate Champion. Go Green!
Chloe Ruth
Chloe Ruth is a freshman attending Oakville High School in St. Louis, Missouri. She has been twirling for 9 years with Saint
Louis Performance Academy and competes NBTA with some AAU and USTA competitions as well. Chloe is a feature twirler for Oakville High School’s Tiger Twirler line and hopes to continue as a feature twirler into college! It’s also a dream to return to “Worlds” as part of Team USA and hopefully compete in the Olympics someday! Chloe is honored to be a 2nd year Social Squad member for Only Twirlers! She is most excited about continuing to share social media content that is relatable to twirlers all over the globe. Chloe’s favorite Only Twirlers merchandise is any of her OT crewnecks!! She has every single one and wears one almost every day!
Jenna Sperling
Jenna Sperling hails from Salina, Kansas. She is a senior at Salina Central High School. She is a member of Shannon’s Stars Twirling Club and has been twirling for nearly 11 years. Jenna has a dream of becoming a collegiate twirler someday. She is most excited to meet the new interns and have the opportunity to represent a brand that represents everything we all love about twirling. Her favorite Only Twirlers merchandise is the “In My Twirler Era” tank top! Some of her competition essentials include her “Boom! No Drop” sweat towel and her white bedazzled tennis shoes for good luck.
We are so excited for this team and can’t wait for what this group of twirlers will bring to Only Twirlers.