Dragonwing Blog
Meet Celia, Dragonwing intern extraordinaire



Intro to Laura
Hi everyone! I'm Laura and I am a new ambassador for Dragonwing girlgear. I am in middle school, and my favorite subjects are Math and Spanish. I have always loved Math ever since I was young because I enjoy solving problems. I have taken Spanish since kindergarten and I really love the language, and I enjoy learning more.
I have played soccer since I was three years old. I love soccer so much for so many reasons. I love hanging out with my teammates because we all become so close over the year or more that we are together. One day I hope to play soccer in college. I play center midfield which means I am in the middle of the field and I run up and down the field constantly. I used to play center back which means that I was the player that was the last line before the goal and goalkeeper. I can't imagine not having soccer after school almost everyday. Soccer has given me so much. It has made me work really hard on my fitness, especially this summer. I would go to fitness 3 days a week for an hour and a half. I think fitness has helped a lot with my confidence and my speed.
Some of my other hobbies are dancing, spending time with friends, sewing and playing with my pets. I have a dog and two cats whom I love very much. I dance mostly at school as an art major, but I really enjoy it.
I'm excited to be an ambassador for Dragonwing and blog about the cute and comfy clothing!
Intro to Billie
Our newest ambassador, Billie, is a competitive twirler who has Nationals this weekend. Billie took a break from practice to tell us more about the sport of Twirl and how she got started.
How did you get involved in twirl?
I started twirling at the age of 3. I lived in New Hampshire, where baton twirling is well-known. and my neighbor twirled. I really looked up to her like an older sister, so I decided to start twirling so I could be just like her. After just a few lessons, I took off with it and have continued to love it ever since
How much do you practice and what kind of practice is that?
I practice every day for about 3-4 hours (more during the summer and before big competitions). Practices are continuously doing the same tricks over and over to catch them consistently. I have multiple routines of which I must practice, so when I am training I run through them repeatedly to get better and better at them.
What kind of skills does twirl require?
Twirling requires a lot of skills. To twirl baton you must have stamina, balance, general coordination, Hand-eye coordination, strength, flexibility, and agility. They all play their own parts in making an amazing twirler. Baton twirling is basically a combination of Dance, Gymnastics, Cheer leading, Color guard, and Running.
Do you think twirlers get enough credit as athletes?
Twirlers definitely do not get the credit or respect they deserve as athletes. More often than not, people either don't know what twirling is or don't think it is a sport. I believe that any physical activity in which you compete or perform should be considered a sport.
How competitive is the sport and how are you feeling about Nationals coming up?
The sport is VERY competitive. If you have ever seen the TV show "Dance Moms".... It is definitely that competitive, if not more. Although being competitive can sometimes affect people negatively, baton twirling is competitive in a positive way, and makes everyone involved want to be the best she can be, which then carries over to real-world situations such as school. I am super excited for Nationals coming up! I get to see all of my baton friends from around the country and perform for a week long!
Thanks for the interview Billie. Good luck at Nationals!
If you want to follow Billie on Twitter, use @billiekathrine.
Corie Barry: From Rugby Field to CEO
There's no arguing the fitness benefits for girls playing sports -- but does it really increase their likelihood of success later in life? Athletics teach values that go far beyond the court or field: cooperation, determination, discipline, and how to succeed under pressure.
As more women enter the C-Suite, it's notable how many laid the foundation for their success playing competitive sports early in life.
Corie Barry spent much of her career with Best Buy, having served as Chief Financial Officer before being named CEO. Before that, she played college rugby and considered a career in dance. For her, an impressive title and resume must include her husband and two kids, youth baseball games, gymnastics with her daughter, and active time spent together with her family.
"My point of view is there is no perfect balance," says Barry. "All you can do is figure out what works for you. I laugh because I'm always the mom who shows up at the baseball game in my heels, and that's OK."
Whether it's business or sports, Barry has advice we can all use. "I've always felt it's important to demand a return on your investment. If you're going to put your time in, where you put it in and the return you get is incredibly important because there are only so many hours in a day."
Corie's is an inspiring success story for athletic girls in every sport.
Read "Boardrooms And Ballfields: Best Buy CFO Corie Barry Talks Motherhood"