CAITLYN DE JONG
AERIAL FUSION BATON
Hi, my name is Caitlyn De Jong. I have been twirling for 12 years. I am currently a University of Manitoba student.
The highlights of my baton career so far are making Team Canada twice, and winning Gold in Freestyle at Nationals 2018. I love representing my country! It is such an amazing experience and feeling to be at an International competition.
I love making people feel included and I never like when someone feels excluded. Every opinion matters. Being Athlete’s Rep would be an amazing opportunity because I would get to make sure every athlete’s voice gets heard. I always try to make sure that I am an approachable person. I love getting to know athletes outside of the gym. I have lots of ideas for some smiles and laughter for some bonding activities.
JENNIFER PAPADOPOULOS
WTT
Hi my name is Jennifer, and I have been twirling, dancing and coaching for many years. Baton is a great place to experience new things. My favorite highlight would be representing my country and twirling at the World Championships in Ireland with a fantastic team. I got to meet so many amazing twirlers from around the world.
I would like to be athletes rep to be there for the twirlers that need help and are comfortable with coming to me for help.
MEGHAN STANGER
GREENDELL BATON
My name is Meghan Stanger and I have been twirling for 18 years and am currently 21!
A career highlight of mine so far would probably be the 2017 International Cup. That was the first time I had qualified for individual events for an international competition and coupled with an injury I’m incredibly proud of how I placed while in Croatia.
I think I would be a good fit for athletes rep because of my many years involved in the sport I have a lot of experience with recreational, pre-competitive, and competitive twirling. I would love to be a voice for the athletes on the MBTSA board, giving them a platform to express ideas and also be more involved in the sport. Being athletes rep would also be great for gaining experience on the board while trying to keep athletes motivated and enjoying the sport!
LAURA TYMCHYSHYN
AERIAL FUSION BATON
My name is Laura Tymchyshyn, I am 20 years old and I twirl with Aerial Fusion. I started twirling when I was 9 years old and even though I started “later” in life, I was fortunate enough to begin competing at age 10 and have fell more in love with the sport every year! My first year competing on the Canadian contingent was in 2013 as Team Toba’s alternate; it was such a surreal experience to be travelling to the Netherlands with my twirling idols at the time, and at such a young age! This experience really kick-started my twirling career, and I have continuously set goals and strived to compete at the world-level to represent my country ever since. I have now attended 5 international competitions with the help of my amazing coaches, supportive teammates and personal motivation. This past season was particularly special to me as I qualified for International Cup with all my individual routines; I received two silver medals in my 2-baton and 3-baton divisions, and placed top-10 in my Artistic Twirl and Solo divisions, so cool!
Outside of twirling, I am also a second-year student at Red River College here in Winnipeg studying Business Administration and majoring in Human Resource Management. My studies have not only taught me so much about all things business, but also many life lessons regarding organization, responsibility, and the importance of relationships between the people around me. I have always been a people-person with a fire of commitment and motivation burning within me, which is why I believe the role of athlete’s rep would provide me with the opportunity to utilize my extensive knowledge of the sport and leadership capabilities to the fullest. I am very passionate about creating a safe, fun and friendly environment throughout the province for our existing and up-and-coming athletes! The sport of baton twirling has consistently provided me with the opportunity to thrive, and it would be my absolute pleasure in this position to share my passion for baton, and to give back to the community that has continuously enriched my life throughout the years.