MAINE GAMES STATE BATON TWIRLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

MAINE GAMES STATE BATON TWIRLING CHAMPIONSHIPS SLATED FOR MAY 10



Hundreds of twirlers from all over the state to compete for gold, silver, and bronze at Waterville High School.

WATERVILLE—Waterville High School is the venue this year for the 2008 Maine Games State Baton Twirling Championships on Saturday, May 10. Competition begins at 9 a.m. and the public is invited to attend. Admission is only $5 for adults, and $3 for kids under 10.

Teams, solo, pairs, and two-baton twirlers will take part in the sixth annual Maine Games event.

Baton twirling is one of the original Maine Games sports, and dozens of this year’s competitors have taken part every year, according the Linda Ladakakos, of Saco, one of the event’s co-commissioners. Ladakakos is the founder of the Saco Jets, which has been twirling in York County since 1963. “I’m thrilled to have been able to be a part of the Maine Games since its first year. It means a lot to our sport to be included in our State Games, especially as one of the very first events.”

Susan Skaggs, also of Saco, is the event’s other co-commissioner, and is one of the reason’s the event found a home in Waterville.

Darlene Ratte, the manager of the Waterville Holiday Inn on Main Street was a roommate of Skaggs’ when the two attended Husson College, in Bangor. When Ratte found out that Waterville was being considered for the Maine Games in 2006, she agreed to have the Holiday Inn become the host hotel. Little did she realize that her former college roommate was still so heavily involved in twirling, and organizing the Maine Games event.

Maine Games executive director, Jeff Scully, whose youngest daughter, Hannah, is a twirler with the Jets said that Ratte was more than generous with her sponsorship when she found out her long lost roomy was coming to town for the event at the Alfond Youth Center that year. “The Holiday Inn, and Darlene played a very large part in bringing the entire Maine Games to Waterville. She provides our judges and commissioners rooms as well as a very competitive rate for athletes and their families who come from as far as Limestone and Kennebunk to compete in the Maine Games baton competition.

Baton twirling is just one of nearly two dozen events planned for this year’s Maine Games in and around the Greater Waterville area. A complete listing of events can be found on the Maine Games website at: www.mainegames.org

The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce is this year’s presenting sponsor of the Maine Games.

BATON TWIRLERS SHINE AT WATERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

WATERVILLE—The sixth annual Maine Games State Baton Twirling Championships were held at Waterville High School, on Saturday. Athletes from 29 different Maine communities competed, with 19 twirlers being recognized for their participation in every Maine Games held since the inaugural year of 2003. More than 200 gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded in team, solo, pairs, two-baton, and strut/march divisions. Athletes as young as four and as old as 18 competed this year as well.

Diane Higgins, of Verona Island, was recognized during the awards presentation for her 30 years of coaching twirlers in central and northern Maine. This was Higgins’ sixth Maine Games as a coach as well.

The Baton Twirling Championships include athletes from all over the State of Maine, and is one of only two Maine Games events that have been held every year since 2003 (wrestling).

Several members of the Saco Jets, a twirling organization that was founded in 1963, will be competing in the 2008 USTA National Championships this July, in Daytona Beach, Florida, and a smaller group from the same organization have been invited to twirl with a group of 150 athletes from all over the United States in November at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, in New York City.

Baton Twirling has become so popular with the Maine Games and twirlers statewide, that other State Games organizations around the country have added the event or are planning to add it in the near future.

Twirling offers athletes of all ages and abilities the opportunity to participate in a healthy physical activity, as well as to develop self confidence and poise. Many of the athletes at this year’s Maine Games have been twirling since they were three or four years old; some for as long as 15 years.

Maine Games executive director, Jeff Scully said that this year’s baton twirling event, like those in the past, have been organized, judged, and offered on the strength of dozens of volunteers. “The Maine Games doesn’t exist without the hard work of volunteers from our commissioners, officials, organizers, and even our board of directors. Once you get bitten by the State Games bug, it’s hard to stop wanting to help, and to make each event better than before.”

Baton Twirling is one of the first events for this year’s Maine Games, with many other events scheduled for June, in and around the Greater Waterville Area. The Maine Games is presented this year by the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, and is sponsored in part by New Balance, Golden Pond Wealth Management, Colby College, The Alfond Youth Center, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maine, Valley Distributors, the Waterville Holiday Inn, and several others.

Information about the Maine Games or the other events offered this year can be found at: www.mainegames.org










All photos by Steven Sharp © 2007 Maine Games