Newly certified coach, Jacqueline Hardy of California, has an extensive background, not only in baton, but in LIFE as well. Her story is just full of interesting information. She recently talked with Inside Loop, and here's what she had to say:
Inside Loop: As a former twirler and now a “Baton Mom” AND certified coach, what rewards do you find in our sport for young people?
Hardy: The young athletes in our sport reap many rewards that will not only help them today but will set them up for a lifetime of success.
One of the most important skills in life is to have the confidence to stand before people and clearly and confidently express yourself. This is a skill I developed through my years of training and performing in baton twirling, and it has served me well, both professionally and personally.
Twirling also teaches you to be tenacious, to keep going, and strive for perfection. It teaches you to deal with adversity as well as success, and these are life lessons that will help our twirlers succeed. I can certainly attest to the fact that these skills, which had their genesis in my baton training, helped me greatly and will certainly be an asset to young athletes in our sport.
Now more than ever, it is so important for our youth to find a place where they fit in and where they feel they are part of a supportive group. Baton twirling offers such a community. As the athlete progresses from local competitions to the state, regional, national, and international stage, they will have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. In my case, I was a member of Los Compañeros Baton, Drum & Bell Corp - under the direction of Maxine Papadopoulos. We traveled the country performing in parades, field events, and competitions, and though this was many years ago, these families are still an important part of my life.
Lastly, one of the rewards my twin daughters are most excited about is the opportunity to earn a college scholarship to perform as a feature twirler at the collegiate level.
Inside Loop: What do you feel has changed for the better in our sport since you were a competing athlete?
Hardy: Baton twirling has always been an exciting sport, but today I find there is a greater emphasis on well-executed body movements that incorporate ballet and acrobatics. These elements elevate the beauty and overall mastery of our sport. Back when I was competing, the focus was more about speed and the number of spins one could execute. Today, much more artistry, as well as greater difficulty, is required.
I believe that the implementation of Compulsories and Movement Technique has had a tremendously positive impact on the sport. Because technical skills are judged and scored according to defined criteria, every twirler must perform body and baton movements that are consistent with those defined by USTA. This provides an objective foundation to ensure that all our athletes are technically proficient so they can take their skills all the way to the elite level.
Inside Loop: Tell us three things about you that the twirling world would never guess?
Hardy:
- First, you probably wouldn't guess that I am a die-hard UCLA Bruin fan, as I have three degrees from UCLA: a B.A., a master's degree in Public Health, and an MBA.
- Second, one of my favorite twirling gigs was performing for the San Francisco 49er Football Team, but my first paid job was working as Santa's Helper.
- Finally, some of you know that I have identical twin, 15-year-old daughters who twirl, but what you would never guess is that they were born prematurely with multiple complications and were not expected to survive, let alone go on to train with the Bolshoi Ballet.