Inside Loop recently had the chance to chat with newly certified USTA Professional, Emily Hawkins, from the popular St. Louis Performance Academy. It was fun getting to know her and her history with “SLPA.” Here's what she had to say:
Inside Loop: As a member of the highly successful St. Louis Performance Academy, tell us how your twirling career and your involvement with SLPA began.
Hawkins: I began twirling from the time I could walk. My mother, Kelly Wicks, was the director of "Kelly's Kuties" out of St. Louis, Missouri. I started teaching alongside her when I was 13 years old and have LOVED the creative process of choreography and the fundamental process of coaching ever since. After high school graduation, I went to twirl at Ole Miss while getting my BFA in Musical Theatre as well as a minor in business. After college graduation, I came back to St. Louis and started teaching full time in addition to cheering with the NFL and still doing regional theatre. After a life-changing injury that occurred in Qatar during my time as an NFL cheerleader, my performance career was replaced fully with coaching, choreography, and production work. This is when I transitioned "Kelly's Kuties" into St. Louis Performance Academy. I have coached and choreographed for national champion dance teams, produced televised and stage productions, choreographed for show choirs in addition to coaching pageant contestants, award winning pom routines, and national champion baton twirlers. Thes best part of my job as the director of SLPA is teaching alongside my sisters, Ashley Wicks and Abby Faulkner, with our mother Kelly Wicks. While I now wear the "boss" hat, I couldn't be half as successful without them, and it definitely wouldn't be as much fun!
Inside Loop: What do you think attracts athletes to group participation in our sport and keeps them involved?
Hawkins: I have had up to 250 group twirlers in a given year since transitioning into SLPA. I have easily tripled the team size since SLPA was established. I think group participation is what keeps my students involved. While I have had some very accomplished soloists, it is the team that keeps my students invested. A team creates a family, and your twirling family helps motivate you, push you, support you, and love you. Plus, some healthy competition amongst team members never hurts and it has been a force that helps drive my students to keep improving on their skills. I think what is attractive for my group specifically is all the performance opportunities that I give my students in addition to the competitive opportunities. We are constantly performing for the public whether it is at high school football games, for televised parades, charity performances, or pregame at a professional sporting event.
Inside Loop: Lastly, we always ask, what are three things the baton world would not know about you?
Hawkins: Hmmm this is hard.
- I was Mrs. Missouri and top 10 at Mrs. United States in 2014.
- My husband, Joshua Hawkins, is very involved and invested in SLPA. He was my high school sweetheart and went to his first twirling nationals when he was 17 years old. He ALWAYS has feedback and comments on our twirling performances.
- My favorite pastime is boating and laying in the sun at the Lake of The Ozarks! Lake weekends are how I survive and maintain sanity during the summer twirling season.