BUFFALO, NY - The World Championships of Twirling begins Wednesday in Norway, and three local teens are there to compete.
Alexa Tamburlin, 16, of Amherst, Miranda Proctor, 16, of Grand Island, and Miranda's younger sister, Morgan, 13, are all in Norway representing Team USA. All three qualified to be a part of the team at the National Finals at Notre Dame University last summer.
"I can't believe I made it this far,” Alexa Tamburlin said to 2 On Your Side last month. “When I was little, starting from age 3, knowing that I've come this far and all the hard work has finally paid off. Achieving this goal is definitely one of the high points of my career."
The girls all share the same coach, too: Kelli Krull Russell, of Williamsville - a former National Champion in Twirling.
“It’s just like any other sport [...] They need to do strength training, endurance training, dance training because any time you move your body while twirling the baton you get more points for it because it is more difficult," she says.
"We are not just marching in parades. It's so much more than that," says Morgan.
The Norwegian Band Federation and NBTA Norway are hosting twirlers from around the world for the first competition of its kind, running in Lillehammer, Norway from March 28 until April 1.
(Photo provided by: Jeffrey Barnes)
