Founded in 1958, USTA is the first national twirling organization to be run democratically and it is the only twirling organization that elects a Board of Directors through its membership. USTA will hold elections for three of the seven seats on the board, starting in February. Any USTA Professional member who is 18 or older and no longer competing may run for the board.
Here are some of the reasons current board members Tom Breuckman, first elected in 2008, and Jennifer Marcus, elected in 2020, decided to run for the board and serve the members of USTA.
Tom Breuckman, Secretary, Sector 1 (Western Region) Representative
" I grew up in the Midwest and knew only team sports involving a ball or a puck until moving to Oregon in the mid 1980's. In Oregon, I met Shanon Barker and quickly began to learn about baton twirling. There was a need for an announcer at local contests, so I began doing that and eventually, I moved up to announcing at Oregon State contests, Western Regionals, USTA Nationals, and occasionally, WBTF World Competitions and other performance events.
I wanted to do more to support baton twirling and considered running for the Board of Directors, but figured that my lack of knowledge and experience as a twirler would handicap me if I were to run for the USTA Board. However, as board elections neared in 2008, several Professional members encouraged me to run and I made the decision to go for it."
Jennifer Marcus, At-Large Representative
“I began baton twirling at three years old and competed in my first USTA National Championships when I was five in in 1988 in Reno, Nevada. From that competition on, I never missed a state, regional or national championships until I retired from competing in 2016. USTA is in my blood. The organization's primary focus of promoting the sport of baton twirling has remained a constant inspiration for me and is one of the main reasons why I want to serve the very organization that has provided so much in my life
The leaders that have come before me and who are currently involved in the organization have created a powerful community for baton twirling. They continue to plan for the future growth of our sport and I wanted to be a part of it. Having recentyl-ish come off the competition floor, I felt I could be an advocate and voice for the athlete and contribute to the decision-making process as a young member of the board. I also wanted to add a fresh perspective and I believed my twirling background along with my degrees in journalism, public relations and sports administration helped qualify me to be a valuable member of the team.”
Jonathan Burkin, Sector 5 (Mideast Region) Representative
“USTA provided opportunities to me as an athlete that I will cherish forever. The work of the Board of Directors and all those who serve USTA in any capacity directly impacted my success as an athlete, and now as a coach. It's a true honor to serve and work diligently to ensure the future success of our athletes on all levels. I believe in giving back and doing whatever necessary for our organization to thrive.
In assuming this role within USTA, I take pride in the hours put forth by those serving our athletes, coaches, and judges. We have been given a platform, through the Board of Directors, to speak on behalf of our sectors, and to encourage our councils to push through the last two years full steam ahead.
It's imperative we place emphasis on all levels of twirling; Rec through Elite. It's my goal that we continue this great work of the BOD by building membership in states that are currently struggling to secure a strong member base. By doing this, we will be able to capture the recreational segment and hopefully assist those athletes in identifying what it is they are looking for in baton twirling. Ie- High school twirling, collegiate twirling, competitive twirling, etc. Utilizing our roles on the Board allows key departments within USTA to bring the above strategies and goals to fruition.
Lastly, I'm proud of this organization. I'm proud to serve, and I'm proud that we have endured a tumultuous time in our history.
We are only going up!”
Running for the board is straightforward: submit your Intent to Run form by Friday, Jan. 21, and your resume and headshot by Friday, Feb. 4. If you have questions, please contact Tom Breuckman, Jennifer Marcus, Jonathan Burkin or Jason Lee. We encourage you to consider participating!