Strutting proud with the University of GeorgiaΓÇÖs Redcoat Marching Band is feature twirler Hope Carrell. Carrell has been featured as a twirler for the UGA Marching Band for two years performing for a crowd of 90,000 football fans!
The 470 member UGA marching band, under the direction of Dr. David Romines, performs at all UGA football home, away, and bowl games, parades, pep rallies and other school and community events.
Carrell is joined by feature twirler Jereme Anne Thompson, UGA Majorette line, Flagline, and the Georgettes Danceline to entertain the crowd. Auxiliary units are coordinated by Candy Byrd-Roland, former feature twirler for UGA. Carrell choreographs all of her routines independent of the other auxiliary units. The band rehearses three shows per season. Carrell spends around six hours per week writing routines and working with the band.
During the month of July, Carrell was named the 2004 Grand National Collegiate Twirling Champion at the NBTA National and World Open Twirling Championships held at Notre Dame University. Carrell competed with 41 other College Twirlers from across the country for the title. Hope qualified in the top 10 to re-twirl in the finals for the title. During the finals, Hope gave an outstanding performance twirling four batons to ΓÇ£GloryΓÇ¥ and the ΓÇ£Bulldawg March MedleyΓÇ¥ to become the Collegiate Twirling Champion.
The University of Georgia held a special presentation early in the Marching Band season to announce CarrellΓÇÖs newly claimed title.
TwirlZone had the opportunity to interview Hope Carrell about her experiences twirling with the UGA band.
TwirlZone: Describe a typical practice?
Hope: ΓÇ£stretch, warm-up, and practice on my own during ΓÇÿsectional time.ΓÇÖ Then, band comes together for full band practice. We either work on drill for a new show or practice current show.ΓÇ¥
TwirlZone: What twirling trick is the most crowd pleasing?
Hope: Gymnastics of any kind under a toss…usually a combination of 2 things like: double walkover, round-off back-handspring, illusion walkover, double aerial, illusion aerial, etc.
TwirlZone: Do you twirl 2 & 3 batons? Other novelties?
Hope: I twirl 1, 2, 3, and 4 batons.
TwirlZone: Describe a typical Football Game day:
Hope:
CarrellΓÇÖs parents are season ticket holders to the UGA games and drive from Illinois to Georgia to attend every home game. ΓÇ£Hope started twirling at the age of two and competed in her first contest at the age of threeΓÇ¥, says Laurel Carrell, HopeΓÇÖs mother. She is pleased that her daughter continued to twirl through high school into college. Laurel commented that Hope loves performing for the UGA crowd and Georgia has made her feel welcome.
