Team Commitments
We invite all twirlers to join the Kelly Kadets if this is their sport. All children need to discover "their passion" or "their activity" that will make their lives wonderful. As each family considers joining the Kellys, they need to realize how the family will also become involved in the sport.
Performances
These events are fun and the audience always loves our twirlers. Attendance by all Kelly Kadet twirlers is key to team spirit and high quality performances. Just like joining a soccer team—you practice each week in order to perform & participate in competitions and events.
All Kelly Kadet teams perform at all of these events. These are your team commitments:
Different from the baton routines of the Glencoe Twirl Club, the choreography of the Kelly Kadets assigns each twirler a specific “spot” in the routine and they do many formations. Twirlers also have more complex baton toss exchanges. Therefore, it is difficult for the team if someone is absent from a practice or a performance.
In addition, our experience has shown us that being absent from a team performance impacts a twirler’s dedication to the sport and the team. Therefore, if your child loves twirling but is involved in other Friday or Saturday activities (soccer, chess, skiing, volleyball, basketball, etc.) and not able to attend all the performances (especially the 3 contests) and almost every practice, your child might think about continuing in the “free” class, rather than making a commitment to a team and then being unable to fulfill the commitment.
All Kelly Kadet teams perform at all of these events. These are your team commitments:
- Festival of the Trees on the first weekend of December (we hope).
- Glencoe winter program on a Friday in December.
- Three Oregon Baton Council contests on three Saturdays, February-April. These are very important for Kellys. (Click here for OBC calendar)
- The Junior Rose Parade in June.
Different from the baton routines of the Glencoe Twirl Club, the choreography of the Kelly Kadets assigns each twirler a specific “spot” in the routine and they do many formations. Twirlers also have more complex baton toss exchanges. Therefore, it is difficult for the team if someone is absent from a practice or a performance.
In addition, our experience has shown us that being absent from a team performance impacts a twirler’s dedication to the sport and the team. Therefore, if your child loves twirling but is involved in other Friday or Saturday activities (soccer, chess, skiing, volleyball, basketball, etc.) and not able to attend all the performances (especially the 3 contests) and almost every practice, your child might think about continuing in the “free” class, rather than making a commitment to a team and then being unable to fulfill the commitment.
Attending Class Every Week
Whether your twirler's Kelly Class is on Wednesday at Stites or Fridays at Glencoe, punctual attendance is expected every week. Fridays may be problematical for some families if they often spend long weekends away from town, especially the many "no-school" Fridays in the Portland Public School calendar! Even if it is a 3-day weekend, we still have Friday TEAM practice, and team members are expected to be there. Of course exceptional circumstances can be excused, but a commitment to regular attendance is expected. (Birthday parties and sleepovers are NOT considered exceptional circumstances. Weddings and funerals, yes.)
Practicing
Twirlers join the Kellys because they love to twirl. The expectation is that they practice almost every day. If the weather is bad, they can run through routines inside the house with an imaginary baton! In order to learn a new twirl, the muscles need to practice, just like learning to play the piano. The team cannot learn and polish a routine with just an hour of practice on Fridays; the team will look better if everyone practices during the week.
Family Participation
The Kelly parents help organize and run the December performances and two of the three winter/spring contests. Each family is expected to help with the these in some way (costumes, decorations, setting up, selling programs, cleaning up after, etc.). It's fun, and it's a good way to get to know the other people whose children are involved with yours in the sport of baton twirling.
A parent or family member should arrive at Glencoe five minutes before the end of class. This way, you can admire your twirler's developing skills, get announcements of events, and support your twirler's enthusiasm for the sport. Please notify the coordinator (Debbie) if your child will be going to after-school childcare.
Wednesday Stites parents should always check the announcements board. They should also check at the front desk for baton information.
Each twirler needs to have a responsible adult accompanying him/her at each contest. A family may arrange for another twirling family (not Shanon or Debbie) to "adopt" their twirler for one day if necessary. At contests, twirlers are excitedly involved in their twirling, and parents can help them keep track of their own events at the contests.
A parent or family member should arrive at Glencoe five minutes before the end of class. This way, you can admire your twirler's developing skills, get announcements of events, and support your twirler's enthusiasm for the sport. Please notify the coordinator (Debbie) if your child will be going to after-school childcare.
Wednesday Stites parents should always check the announcements board. They should also check at the front desk for baton information.
Each twirler needs to have a responsible adult accompanying him/her at each contest. A family may arrange for another twirling family (not Shanon or Debbie) to "adopt" their twirler for one day if necessary. At contests, twirlers are excitedly involved in their twirling, and parents can help them keep track of their own events at the contests.
Hair and Attire Expectations
These are non-negotiable issues. As explained elsewhere, Kelly Kadet twirlers must wear black biketards, black bikeshorts & leotard, or black leggings and leotard to every class (no tummies showing). Girls' hair must always be in a bun. Twirlers can learn to put their own hair in a bun after school, or someone can help them, but they need to have their hair supplies with them. No jewelry is allowed. These hair and attire expectations are for safety, ease of learning, and team cohesiveness.
We ask parents to support these requirements by being sure supplies are replenished as needed. Encourage your twirlers to get their baton gear together the night before, including batons, clothes, shoes, and hair supplies. Learning to be responsible for their own activities is an important skill that we work on through the year.
We ask parents to support these requirements by being sure supplies are replenished as needed. Encourage your twirlers to get their baton gear together the night before, including batons, clothes, shoes, and hair supplies. Learning to be responsible for their own activities is an important skill that we work on through the year.