GI girls earn medals at Twirl Mania

Grand Island Dispatch, March 2, 2007

Island athletes Alissa Bailey, 14, and Rebecca Sobol, 16, competed at Twirl Mania in the Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., last week.

The event included soloists and teams competing in the sport of baton twirling from around the world. Over the four-day event, the girls competed for the title of Miss Twirl Mania in their respective divisions and age groups. Other open events included solo twirling, X-strut, basic strut, military strut and best appearing.

Bailey brought home a second-place medal in military strut and a fourth-place medal in auxiliary rifle solo. She also placed sixth in Miss Twirl Mania.

Sobol earned a second-place medal for basic strut among the thousand of twirlers attending. The awards ceremony was held on the stage of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular in Disney-MGM Studios.

Heidi Sue Mumm, coach of the Grand Island Islettes Elite, was selected from judges around the world to travel to Orlando to adjudicate various events at the prestigious competition.

As part of the “Year of a Million Dreams,” Mumm was granted a wish come true when she was given the special privilege to live her dream by marching in the Disney Parade down Main Street USA with the teams and soloists, including Bailey and Sobol, and other young twirlers from around the world.

The girls’ solo coach is Kelli Russell, who also attended the event to support her athletes.

CAPTION:

Grand Island twirlers Rebecca Sobol, left, and Alissa Bailey competed last week in Twirl Mania, held at the Milkhouse in the Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.