ISU baton twirler wins awards

Baton twirler Diana Guy has had “many trying times” in her career as a twirler, said her mother Linda Guy. However, support from family, friends and coaches have helped her to become the Oregon state grand champion in three-baton, dance twirl, and solo and strut this spring in Portland Ore.

Diana, a native of Columbia City, Ore., is a dental-hygiene student at Idaho State University. She has been the feature twirler of the university since 2002, said Linda Guy. Each year she performs at a couple of ISU games.

“Baton twirling is a very underappreciated sport,” Guy said, “because people have the pre-conceived notion that it is strictly a ‘majorette.’ It is so much more than that. It is a terrific blend of one, two, three-baton, dance, gymnastics, etc.” 

Three-baton is a juggling act with three batons. It is important for the twirler’s body to not travel very far across the floor while juggling. Dance twirl is choreographed as a combination of twirling and dancing. Solo is the “heart and soul” of twirling. It encompasses all of the twirling skills the twirler has at his or her level. Strut is an in-step baton and dance routine, Linda said. “It is all about the counting of the music because your left foot must land on all odd numbered counts of the music, and your right foot must land on the even counts of the music, Guy said.

Despite her state championship achievements, Diana is most proud of her Guiding Star award presented by the Oregon Baton Council. The annual award is given to a twirler who has shown excellence in sportsmanship, as well as being an avid supporter of baton twirling. Diana’s interest of baton twirling came at age seven when she saw child baton twirlers perform at a local parade.

“Through twirling I have developed a strong work ethic and desire to achieve,” Guy said.