The International Baton Twirling Federation (IBTF) will hold a ParaTwirl demonstration on Aug. 5 during the Nations Cup A Level Team competition in Paris, France, and two U.S. athletes will participate. Laura Barkley, whose left hand was partially amputated after a car accident when she was 18, and Jennifer Kotzur, who was also in a car accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury, and was subsequently diagnosed with PTSD, will perform a pair routine during the demonstration.
The IBTF has developed a ParaTwirl program, building on existing programs in England and France. Other countries, including the U.S., are beginning to develop programs to give athletes with disabilities the opportunity to participate and compete in the sport of baton twirling. Learn more about the IBTF ParaTwirl program here.
Barkley and Kotzur were invited by IBTF to participate in the demonstration because of their passion for parasports and their educational and professional experience in related fields. Barkley is a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) and pediatric occupational therapist. The CHT credential represents the highest level of specialty certification in hand and upper extremity rehabilitation. This fall, Kotzur will complete her PhD dissertation in Curriculum and Instruction and Leadership in Adaptive Sports education programming.
They recently talked with USA Baton Twirling about their participation in the sport of baton twirling, and the IBTF ParaTwirl demonstration.
USABT: How did you get started in the sport of baton twirling?
Barkley: I began twirling at age 12 and immediately fell in love with the sport. I was drawn to the incredible level of skill, coordination, athleticism, and artistry required to master baton twirling. I was also a musician and enjoyed activities requiring precise hand skills and creativity, so twirling felt like a natural fit.
Throughout high school, I dedicated myself to the sport and eventually became captain of my majorette line. Twirling gave me confidence, discipline, friendships, and a sense of purpose. It quickly became one of the most important parts of my life.
Kotzur: I was inspired to start baton twirling after attending my first University of Texas football game and seeing Longhorn Band feature twirler, Dr. Coral Noonan Terry twirling to Wabash Cannonball. The following weekend, I was given a nearly 30-year-old Star Line baton that belonged to my late Aunt Sherry, a former Sam Houston High School majorette. My mom enrolled me in recreational twirling classes, and I began my competitive solo and team career by joining the Texas Gems in San Antonio, Texas in 2000. I became a third-generation twirler (my grandmother was a Highlands High School majorette) and found a place where I truly belonged.
USABT: What do you love about twirling?
Barkley: What I love most is the combination of music, movement, athleticism, and expression. When I twirl, I can completely lose myself in the music. Everything else fades away, and for those few minutes, it is just the performance, the emotion, and the story being told.
Barkley: What I love most is the combination of music, movement, athleticism, and expression. When I twirl, I can completely lose myself in the music. Everything else fades away, and for those few minutes, it is just the performance, the emotion, and the story being told.
Kotzur: Throughout my 28 years of twirling, baton has been the one constant sport, art, gift, and “home” where I have been allowed to be myself and develop lifelong friendships across the world. I have achieved my dreams, from being a collegiate twirler at Texas A&M-Corpus Christie, Howard Payne University, and Keiser University, to competing at the 2009 International Cup in Sydney, Australia and the 2011 Pan Pacific Cup in Stockton, Calif.
USABT: What does it mean to you to participate in the IBTF ParaTwirl demonstration?
Barkley: Participating in the IBTF ParaTwirl demonstration is one of the greatest honors of my life. For me, this demonstration represents far more than a performance. It represents inclusion, visibility, and possibility. It is an opportunity to help create a future where athletes with disabilities are welcomed, supported, and celebrated within our sport.
I am incredibly proud to help lay the foundation for ParaTwirl in the United States and internationally. My passion is to ensure that individuals of all ages and all levels of disability have the opportunity to participate in baton twirling if they choose. Every athlete deserves the chance to experience the joy, confidence, friendships, and personal growth that this sport can provide.
I hope our participation opens doors for future athletes who may never have believed there was a place for them in baton twirling.
Kotzur: It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to be a champion for diversity, inclusion, and equality for twirlers of all ages, all abilities from all over the world.
USABT: What would you say to others with special needs about getting involved in twirling?
Barkley: Do not let anyone define your limits. There is a place for you in this sport.
Your disability does not determine your worth, your potential, or your ability to succeed. Focus on what you can do rather than what you cannot do. Celebrate progress, embrace challenges, and never stop pursuing your goals.
Twirling has the power to build confidence, friendships, strength, and resilience. The lessons learned through sport extend far beyond the competition floor and can impact every area of life.
Kotzur: Twirling is a sport for everyone. We have the opportunities to present adaptive movement and material as needed for our athletes, and opportunities for coaches and families to feel their voices are being heard. We are part of this incredible platform, fueled by athletes and supporters who are beyond eager for a place to be safe, seen, and loved, in a community that feels like it’s a home.
Through the collaboration of subject matter experts and athletes, we’ll have this incredible world-class, life-changing experience. Baton twirling is a sport and community where everyone can sparkle and shine like the stars we are.
USABT: Anything else you would like to add?
Barkley: My hope is that this is only the beginning. I would love to continue competing, coaching, mentoring, and advocating for greater inclusivity within baton twirling. I want young girls and women—especially those facing adversity—to know that they should never lose the light inside of them.
As an occupational therapist, I have spent my career helping others achieve goals they once thought were impossible. Through ParaTwirl, I now have the opportunity to pursue one of my own while helping create opportunities for others.
There is something especially meaningful about returning to the sport I loved as a child. At age 12, I stood in my living room twirling to “Tale as Old as Time” from Beauty and the Beast, dreaming about where baton twirling might take me. Today, that journey is leading me to Paris, France, to represent Team USA in the ParaTwirl exhibition.
Life does not always follow the path we expect. Sometimes it takes us through challenges, setbacks, injuries, and detours. But every once in a while, it brings us exactly where we were meant to be.
For me, Paris is not just a destination. It is the completion of a circle that began with a baton, a song, and a dream.
Kotzur: YOU ARE A SPARK! You sparkle brighter than any star! You have this incredibly loud voice meant to be heard and gifts meant to be shared. It doesn’t matter where you come from, how much money you have or make, nor if you aren’t what the world expects you to be! You are born, to roar and soar!