'A true gift': FSU twirler moves on to the 2022 World Baton Twirling Championships
This baton twirler says controlling your nerves and not dropping the baton are the hardest things about the sport. She recently overcame those nerves and gracefully earned first place in the Junior Women’s category at the U.S. Trials.
Florida State University freshman and Marching Chiefs twirler Mikayla Schuller is now moving on to represent the U.S. at this summer’s 2022 World Baton Twirling Championships in Turin, Italy.
“When I was performing at trials, I felt calm,” Schuller, 18, said. “I enjoyed the moment, and then, after, I felt very happy and very relieved with my performance."
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Schuller is originally from Cleveland, where she developed an interest in baton twirling after the dance studio where she studied started offering classes. Schuller chose to attend FSU, where she majors in environmental science, because of its academics as well as a chance to twirl in the marching band. She is one of the 23 twirlers in total.
“I think choosing FSU was one of the best decisions I've ever made,” Schuller said. “I really enjoy it down here, and being in the Chiefs, I have a family.”
“I don't think of myself as one of the best. I just work hard and continue to work hard to be the best that I can be for myself,” Schuller said. “Like my coach says, all you can control is yourself, so I just think of myself when competing and do the best that I can.”
Baton twirling phenom Karrissa Wimberley, an FSU alumna who has won 21 world gold medals as a performer, expressed how proud she is to be Schuller's coach and how much she enjoys being on the journey with her.
"Mikayla is a true gift as a student," Wimberley said. "She's that rare breed of an athlete where they have natural talent and the internal drive to work towards greatness. Every lesson she amazes me, she makes me smile."
Working alongside Wimberley as an additional coach is her mother, Cheryl Wimberley.
"Mikayla is extremely humble as well as kind-hearted and benevolent to all her fellow competitors," Cheryl Wimberly said. "She is a joy to coach as both my daughter and I team coach her."
A crucial skill involved in twirling is controlling the baton, according to Schuller, who explained how one of the goals of performing is making the routine look easy rather than difficult. Flexibility is also crux to perform tricks like the illusion, which is a split in the air during an upside down turn on one foot.
Schuller has been working toward her latest achievement for three years since the opportunity kept getting postponed due to the pandemic.
The U.S. Trials wereoriginally scheduled to take place in March 2020 in Goddard, Kansas, before the COVID-19 outbreak. It then got postponed to 2021, which also got pushed back to eventually being held this year in Goddard.
“I look forward to being a part of Team USA and representing the U.S. on the world stage,” Schuller said. “This is a moment that I've been working towards for a long time, and it's finally happening. It's like a dream come true.”
The World Baton Twirling Federation will return to Italy for their 35th World Championship and 40th anniversary celebration from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7, according to WBTF President Sandi Wiemers. Meetings will be scheduled Aug. 1 to Aug. 2 and the championship will be held Aug. 3 to Aug. 7.
Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on twitter @tarahjean_.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU student will compete at 2022 World Baton Twirling Championships
