USTA News & Views    November 2008 In This Issue 1. Having a 'BLAST!' 2. Fun in the Sun 3. Diamonds Sparkle 4. Meet the Members SAD NEWS USTA 2008 Hall of Fame inductee, Starr Shephard Evans, lost her battle with cancer on Nov. 25. As an athlete, coach, judge, Board Member and National Contest Director, Starr had a tremendous impact on USTA and the sport of baton twirling. Her family says it was Starr's wish for donations to be made to USTA in her memory. More info will be posted on USTA's Web site as soon as it is available. AMERICA’S GOT TALENT WANTS YOU! Ohio twirler Jonathan Burkin proved twirlers have talent with his exciting performances on ‘America’s Got Talent’ last season. AGT producers are looking for contestants for 2009 and they want YOU! USTA members are invited to pre-register for an audition. Use the photo above to visit nbc.com, then click on ‘Casting for Season 4!’ Follow the instructions to submit a video application or open call application. Good luck! CALENDAR OF EVENTS Use the calendar above to get the latest info on upcoming local, state, regional and national competitions, as well as workshops for athletes, coaches and judges. CALLING ALL HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE TWIRLERS! The 5th U.S. Intercollegiate and National High School Baton Twirling Championships will be held Sat., Feb., 28 at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Special rates available now at the Embassy Suites Corpus Christi.  Use the photo above to get more info. DON’T MISS THE BOAT! Sign up now for USTA’s Educational Cruise, featuring classes and workshops for athletes, coaches and judges.  We sail from Miami March 16-19, 2009 on the Carnival Imagination, hitting Key West and Cozumel!  Use the photo above to get more information. HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Watch for the USA Baton Twirlers in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade at 9 am on Thursday!   Having a ‘BLAST!’ “The audience was screaming. People wanted our autographs. They treated us like celebrities!” That’s just some of the fun USTA twirler Diana Guy experienced as a cast member of ‘BLAST II – Music in Extreme’ a drum and bugle corps style Broadway show, which toured Japan this summer. Recommended by USTA's Kathy Forsythe and Dale White , Guy submitted a video, and got the job. After a month of rehearsals in Bloomington, Indiana, the cast performed 59 shows in 66 days in five Japanese cities, including Tokyo. “It was absolutely worth it! I would do it again in a heartbeat!” said Guy, who had always dreamed of being in a Broadway show. “I worked with amazing people,” she said of the cast, which included musicians and fellow U.S. twirlers Deborah Barrigan and Katie Bechtold, and Japanese World Champion Chiho Honjo. “It was a different type of atmosphere; dancing, twirling batons, and twirling other objects like a color guard would,” said Guy. “But there wasn’t the pressure of competition and the audience really appreciated us.” Guy twirled at Idaho State University and was a member of Encore, which represented the U.S. in World Championships in Spain, Japan and Italy.  She was never a top national champion, but that didn’t matter when it came to BLAST, and she wants other twirlers to remember that. “I’m not the best twirler in the U.S.,” she said. “But if you’re going out and doing your best, that’s what matters!” Back to top Tucson – Sun City Here We Come! Get ready for the 2009 U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships and Festival of the Future featuring a shorter six-day schedule, July 13-18, in Tucson, AZ, the sunniest city in the U.S. (350 days a year!) Surrounded by five mountain ranges, Tucson is a spectacular city in the Sonoran Desert, the only place in the world where the majestic saguaro cactus grows. A great vacation destination, there’s something for everyone in Tucson, from fabulous food, art, shopping and spas to  hiking, biking, horseback riding and top golf courses. Get more info here. USTA has negotiated great rates at several hotels near the Tucson Convention Center, where the competition will be held. Get more info here. USTA will also be offering shuttle service from those hotels for just $10 per person for the entire week!  Shuttle passes must be preordered.  Order information will be available when National and Festival entries are available. Back to top Dixie Diamonds Celebrate! By Christina Barnett On Aug. 22, the Dixie Diamonds celebrated the 2008 twirling season which was filled with major accomplishments and milestones. Head coach Vicki LeBrun was recognized for her 20 years of service. During that time, she has led the Dixie Diamond teams to many state, regional and national titles, in addition to producing a world team pair and a silver medal International Cup team. Ashley Bankson was also recognized for 20 years of twirling. She has been twirling with the Dixie Diamonds since the age of two. During her twirling career, Ashley was a member of many winning teams, won many individual titles, and was a member of the 2008 silver medal International Cup team. Dixie Diamonds wishes Ashley the best in her future and looks forward to many years of twirling with Ms. Vicki! Back to top Meet the Members – Kristen Clay You could say Kristen Clay is on fire – lighting up the world with her twirling, her academics and her outgoing personality. For the past two years, this 17-year-old from White House, TN has been the feature twirler at Davidson Academy. Other twirling honors include the titles of 2008 Tennessee Twirling Institute (TTI) Grand Champion of Twirl and 2007 TTI Grand Champion of Strut. Her coaches are Jackie Stewart, Glenn Bittenbender and Niki Davis. Clay started twirling six years ago, because her mom was a twirler and because she wanted to meet new people. Making new friends, traveling to new places and learning new tricks are the main reasons she loves the sport of baton twirling. She hopes to twirl in college and become a TTI coach someday. Although twirling takes up a lot of her time, Clay still manages to maintain a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society. She loves hanging out with friends and spending time with her family; parents Kenneth and Missy Clay, and her brother, Connor. Back to top   US Twirling Association 18511 SR 501 Wapakoneta, OH 45895 Phone: 321-206-3242 Fax: 509-275-3242 USTA News & Views is produced for USTA members and others interested in the sport of baton twirling. For more information about this eNewsletter, contact [email protected].  If you would like to unsubscribe, please reply to this email and put "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.  For more information about USTA, visit www.ustwirling.com.