USTA Professional member, Brianna Bolinger Blackwell, from Indiana, has quite an involvement in the world of twirling. But her most fascinating journey of being a burn survivor led her into the medical field. Inside Loop recently talked with Blackwell and here's what she had to say:
Inside Loop: Brianna, tell us a bit about your career in the medical field and how baton twirling helped prepare you for that.
Blackwell: I am proud to say that I work as a nurse at the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis, Ind. My career as a nurse extends beyond the bedside, as I am a research consultant with the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors and also a public speaker who advocates for the overall betterment of burn survivors, which extends beyond their physical injury.
Many know that my personal burn injury led me to begin taking baton twirling lessons, but few realize how much baton twirling influenced me to become the healthcare professional I am today. The traits that were brought out of me as an athlete—dedication, persistence, passion, confidence, humility—have directly contributed to the work I do as a nurse and, overall, the person I have become. I truly feel that growing up as a baton twirler, with the many challenges and successes the competitive sport brought me, well prepared me to translate my work ethic as an athlete into my career early on. These are the successes beyond the podium our coaches tell us about!
Inside Loop: As a new USTA Professional, how do you see your participation in the sport going forward?
Blackwell: Currently acting as the president of the Indiana Baton Twirling Association, I am the contest director for all Indiana USTA competitions. I have learned A LOT about the amount of work it takes on the backend to run successful baton twirling competitions. There is much more to it than I ever realized when I was competing. A lot of organization, time management, energy, patience, heart, and Excel spreadsheets! I have been very fortunate to step into a council with a long twirling history and success in sustaining the sport of baton twirling for the state of Indiana. I hope that I can continue to be an opportunistic learner and trustworthy leader in the next few years, so Indiana can continue to be a strong state representative for the sport of baton twirling.
Inside Loop: We always ask this - tell us three things the twirling world doesn't know about you.
Blackwell: One of my favorite places to be in the summertime is Saugatuck, Michigan. I have two dogs, Eleanor and Jenny, and have 100% turned into the biggest dog mom! If you ever wind up around me, I will have a new picture (or two) of them to show you. I strongly dislike cooking, but I love to bake (particularly cookies). I do not bake as often as I would like, but when I do, I am known for the cookies I make!