Tricia Terrell

Every year at the U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships, the United States Twirling Association (USTA) recognizes an extraordinary volunteer who contributes time, expertise, skill, and/or resources for the benefit of USTA, its councils, members, and athletes. USTA's 2025 Volunteer of the Year is Tricia Terrell, who lives in Orlando, Florida. She is a former twirler, a current judge, and an exceptional volunteer at the local, state, regional and national level. USTA recently asked her about her passion for twirling and volunteering.

How did you get started in baton twirling?

I first got started in baton twirling when I was in kindergarten. The elementary school I attended on Long Island, New York offered baton as an after-school program, and I immediately fell in love with it. When my family moved to Florida during my fifth-grade year, I was convinced I would never see baton twirling again.

During our first week living in Florida, my mom happened to see a sign that said, "Help Send Our Twirlers to Nationals." She turned the car around to find out more, and the rest is history. From that moment on, I became involved in the Florida twirling community and have been a part of it ever since.

Besides volunteering, what other roles have you or do you play in twirling?

In addition to volunteering, I am a Level II USTA judge. I also serve as the Treasurer for both the USTA Baton Council of Florida and the Southeast Region Baton Council.

Through these roles, I help host many contests throughout the year. I am also one of the contest directors for the Beach Bash Twirling Championships alongside my good friends Jennifer Marcus-Schwartz and Ashlie Rolfe through Artisports.

What does your twirling volunteer work entail?

Two of the biggest parts of my volunteer work are my roles as Treasurer for both the Florida Baton Council and the Southeast Region Baton Council. In those roles, I help manage finances and support the planning and execution of events throughout the year.

Another large part of my volunteering involves creating awards and themed elements for competitions. Many people say I'm creative, so I love bringing themes to life through custom awards. A good portion of USTA events feature awards that I've designed.

For example, last year the USTA Florida State Championship theme was Fiesta. We had sombreros that I sublimated with event titles for the winners, custom jackets, succulent plushes, and even yoga-pose cactus trophies holding batons. I love taking a theme and running with it to make each event unique and memorable for the athletes.

Although I am a Level II judge, you will often find me working at the tabulation table during contests. I've always enjoyed numbers, and I love the excitement of tabulating results and getting them out to the athletes who are eager to see how they placed. I also enjoy the "Tetris" of creating the set system. I love figuring out how many sets can run, making sure there are no conflicts between judges and athletes, and ensuring competitors have enough time between routines. It's a puzzle that I genuinely enjoy solving.

Why do you volunteer? What do you get out of volunteering?

I volunteer because I truly believe in giving back to something that gave so much to me growing up. Many of my childhood memories are tied to baton twirling. The competitions I attended, places I traveled, and the people I met along the way all play into the person I am today.

I'm incredibly grateful for what baton brought into my life, so volunteering is my way of giving that back tenfold. If I can help build the sport one contest at a time creating a great experience, a lasting memory, or even just a smile on someone's face then it's all worth it.

What advice do you have for others who might want to volunteer?

Just go for it. There are so many opportunities to volunteer and give back to the sport of baton twirling. If you're not sure where to start, see if your state has a baton council or look for contests happening in your area. Reach out to a contest director and ask if they need help. There is almost always room for volunteers.

Every role, big or small, helps keep the sport moving forward.

If you would like to nominate a deserving person for 2026 Volunteer of the Year, see the CRITERIA, then submit your NOMINATION by June 1, 2026.