In just her first year of competition, Mt. Lebanon seventh grader Elizabeth Baldridge won a national title at the National Baton Twirling Association Championships at Notre Dame in July.
Competing in the 10-12 age division, Elizabeth captured the title in a competition consisting of modeling and interview, strut and twirling.
“Usually when I’m out on the floor, I run it through my head, and I’m like, ‘OK, I’ve done this so many times,’” Elizabeth said. “The judges also don’t know the routine, so if you forget a part, you can make up a little part of it. So, for me, that kind of calms me down. I go out there and I shake it off, and I just go for it. If I get more nervous, I remember that I just do it for fun.”
Elizabeth and her mother, Tricia, drove directly from a separate national competition to the Notre Dame event, which spanned an entire week. Elizabeth competed in all three events.
For Elizabeth, who has been twirling since she was 6, the national title was the result of a passion for a sport she intends to pursue for years to come.
“Elizabeth is the one that really drives the sport,” Tricia said. “She constantly has a baton in her hand, to the point where we have to take it off of her. She loves it, so it makes it very easy as a parent when she wants to be at practice. She has the drive. It doesn’t take a lot of motivation on my end.”
The competition’s three events test different aspects of a twirler’s ability. Modeling and interview is a one-minute presentation that evaluates poise and confidence. Strut is a two-minute routine in which performers display marching technique and timing. Twirling is a two-minute baton performance involving tricks, speed and accuracy.
Last year, Elizabeth fractured her kneecap and was unable to compete in the event. Her return to competition made this year’s national title particularly meaningful.
But for Elizabeth, twirling is about more than competition. It also provides an opportunity to spend time with some of her closest friends.
“I’m with most of my closest friends when I twirl, even if they’re not from the same district as I am,” Elizabeth said. “I get to see them almost every day, and sometimes we go to practice at the YMCA just for fun or we have team practice, and I really like it because it’s fun.”
Elizabeth competes with Passion Twirl and Poms, a South Hills-based team coached by LeAnn Chamberlin. The team includes athletes ages 8 to 19.
Despite her early success, Elizabeth has no plans to put down the baton anytime soon.
“I hope to become a college twirler, or maybe I’ll be a coach one day,” Elizabeth said. “I just love twirling so much that I definitely want to do it in college.”
