UMass Band Manager Lilly Barnett Loves Twirling!

Lilly Barnett, a Texas native, is one of the hardest and most passionate workers in the UMASS athletic department. Not only does Lilly serve as the school's band's manager, but she also twirls batons in the band, both of which are challenging in different ways. Lilly took a few moments to discuss the band and twirling. 

STADIUM JOURNEY:

So, first things first, what was it like to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City this past year? As I recall, it was a very wet one. Describe the experience.

LILLY BARNETT:

My experience in the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was different than most. Yes, I am one of the baton twirlers for the University of Massachusetts' Minuteman Marching Band, but I was also the travel manager for the UMMB. As a member of the executive staff helping our travel company coordinate food, housing, and transportation for nearly 450 people, it was such an overwhelmingly rewarding experience. When we got to the parade, I didn't even care that it was raining. I was honestly glad it was. If it hadn't rained, those precious hours spent counting hundreds of ponchos with our personnel manager until 2 am would have been for nothing. As I walked through the rain-soaked streets of New York, all the worries disappeared. The group was running late that morning; someone lost a piece of their uniform, but it didn’t matter because all my stress was gone. I was just doing what I've always loved: twirling batons. The harsh rain and cool wind, the energy of the crowds, the sound of our band, it felt like everything I'd worked for had led to that perfect moment. This role has taught me valuable organizational skills that have helped me secure jobs and internships, but marching through those streets with some of my best friends by my side, rain and all, was by far the most treasured part of the trip and a memory I will never forget.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

Let's start from the beginning. How did you get into twirling? What's so special about it? Was it something that hooked you immediately?

LILLY BARNETT:

I began twirling around age 5 or 6 at a local dance studio in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. My passion started small, but when my sister, Maggie Barnett, wanted lessons, I naturally followed. I took private lessons with Karen Hightshoe, and watching her student Mariah Reed practice made me want to be just like her. Their encouragement to try new things is why I stuck with twirling, they instilled confidence in me at such a young age. I wasn't hooked immediately though. I actually preferred dancing and only twirled because my sister did. I even quit for about a year, thinking it was too hard. But attending competitions with my mom and sister made me realize how much I missed it. Returning taught me valuable lessons: success takes time and hard work, and it's okay to take breaks and come back stronger.

As I grew older, I came to appreciate the sport as a form of stress release. In middle school, if someone didn't want to sit with me at lunch, I knew I could go twirl after school and feel better. Even now in college, when I'm overwhelmed with life, jobs, or friendships, I can twirl for a few hours and my problems fade away, at least for a little while. That's what makes it special to me, it's both an artistic outlet and a mental sanctuary.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

How difficult was it to pick up?

LILLY BARNETT:

When I started, I had a very hard time. I wasn't born with any natural flexibility or hand-eye coordination whatsoever. Adding to the challenge, I have vertical heterophoria, an eye disorder where one eye's vision is slightly higher than the other. My eyes try to overcorrect and merge two imbalanced images into one, which means when looking at a baton, it isn't always truly where I think it is. Sometimes when I look up, I see two batons instead of one. You can imagine how challenging this becomes when I'm twirling two, three, and even four batons at once. Ironically, twirling multiple batons eventually became one of my favorite aspects, and where I'm most advanced technically. It was incredibly difficult at first, which is partly why I quit when I was younger. I didn't understand that my eye disorder was making it harder than it might be for others. Success ultimately came through countless hours of practice and developing patience with myself. I had to learn different techniques to compensate for my visual perception challenges, which ultimately made me a more adaptable performer.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

You're a Texas native. Is Texas a twirling hotbed? Where are the hotbeds? What's the twirling scene like in New England?

LILLY BARNETT:

Yes, I am from Fort Worth, Texas, and when they say everything is bigger in Texas, they mean it, especially in the twirling world. The differences between competitions in Texas versus New England are striking; there just aren't as many people to compete against up here. For perspective, New England could fit into Texas around 21 times with about half the population. The south in general I think is a hotbed for twirling. I think it's because The south is a breeding ground for football and marching bands, and with that naturally comes baton twirlers. When I talk to people in New England, many share that their high school didn't even have a football team, let alone marching bands or music programs. The sport is very niche in the northeast, making it harder for younger generations to discover it. That's why I love when the UMass Minuteman Marching Band performs at MICCA Finals in Lawrence, MA.. We interact with so many students and families who've never seen twirling before. You never know, someone in that audience could become inspired and eventually become a UMass Twirler one day. Building that visibility is how we grow the sport in regions where it's less common.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

At what point, do you start attending twirling camps and competitions? How competitive is the twirling community?

LILLY BARNETT: 

I started competing almost as soon as I began twirling, but middle school marked a significant turning point when I attended my first camp hosted by Janice Jackson Semmands. After connecting with her, she began giving us private lessons. My mom would drive us six hours to Arkansas specifically to train with her. Janice just connected with us and our style immediately, she knew exactly what to say to help us improve and constantly encouraged us to push our boundaries. Janice had such an incredible eye and created the best routines. At competitions, judges would recognize her influence, often saying, "I know a Janice routine when I see one." My scoresheets frequently noted the complexity and entertainment value of my routines. Her knowledge and empowerment made her one of the strongest female role models in my life. I grew up competing within NBTA (National Baton Twirling Association), one of the main twirling organizations. The community is definitely competitive, some regions more than others. As I grew older, I discovered in college that what I truly loved was performing at school events rather than competing. That said, the competitive circuit created some of my most enduring friendships. There's something special about bonding with people who understand the unique challenges of the sport. It's been amazing to keep up with all of my twirling friends as I entered college, and it’s awesome to see where they've ended up, whether continuing in the sport as coaches or judges, or applying that discipline to completely different careers.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

Do colleges recruit for twirling? Discuss your journey to UMASS.

LILLY BARNETT:

Unlike some other college activities, I don’t think there is a formal recruitment process for twirling. It works more through auditions. Every school handles it differently, but at UMass, you submit an audition video to be reviewed by the marching band's professional staff. Some universities require both a video and an in-person tryout or interview. Generally, it's up to the twirler to seek out opportunities.

Growing up, I looked up to collegiate twirlers like Trenton Haltom and Shelby Elder. I dreamed of representing esteemed universities with reputable bands just as they did, but I always appreciated how they emphasized the importance of education coming first. That mindset shaped my college search. I'm a student first, and my education had to be highest on my list of priorities.

During my sophomore year of high school, my sister's college search opened my eyes to opportunities beyond Texas. She showed me I could go far from home, get a great education, and still pursue collegiate twirling. When evaluating schools, I prioritized strong journalism and political science programs plus a big school with a large, established marching band program.

After meeting with advisors in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Kristi Ochs, the twirler coach at UMass, as well as visiting campus, I knew UMass was my school. I loved the northeast and was excited to explore another part of the country. My family supported me completely in my decision to move over 1,700 miles from home, and that's how I ended up at UMass, balancing my academic goals with the opportunity to continue twirling at a high level.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

How much time does the band take up?

LILLY BARNETT:

The marching band commitment is substantial, especially during fall semester. The twirlers rehearse with the band every weekday, Monday through Friday, from 4:40 PM to 6:10 PM, or as Dr. Timothy Anderson, our marching band director, calls it, "band time best time." That's 7.5 hours of structured rehearsal weekly, plus additional time for football games, parades, exhibitions, and special events the UMMB performs at. On game days, we're typically committed for 8-12 hours between preparation, warm-ups, pre-game, the actual game performance, and post-game.

Outside of these scheduled rehearsals, I still do my best to practice baton independently for at least an hour every day to maintain and improve my skills. As I'm approaching graduation, I've reduced my competing to focus on job and internship opportunities, but I still prioritize practice time to keep my performance when representing UMass. My experience is somewhat unique because I'm also on the UMMB Executive Staff as the Band Manager for 2025. This administrative role adds another 200-300 hours of work each semester handling logistics and behind-the-scenes operations. I coordinate various behind the scenes logistical concerns to ensure the band runs at the best of its abilities. So for me, band takes up significantly more time than it does for most twirlers, but the organizational experience is incredibly rewarding and has helped prepare me for my future, which is why I've chosen to be so deeply involved.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

Do you twirl at all the major UMASS sporting events? It must be very difficult to twirl on the ice, correct?

LILLY BARNETT:

I primarily twirl at football and basketball games when it comes to UMass sporting events. Football season is our main focus with the full Minuteman Marching Band, where we perform pre-game, halftime, and post-game shows. For basketball, we have a smaller pep band configuration, and the twirlers perform during timeouts and quarter breaks. You definitely won't be seeing me twirling on ice anytime soon, that's for sure. We occasionally make appearances at other campus events like pep rallies and special university functions, but football and basketball remain where we primarily perform.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

What are some of your favorite stadiums to perform in? Why?

LILLY BARNETT:

One of my favorite stadiums was AT&T Stadium in Dallas, where I performed during my high school's football playoff games. The sheer scale of the venue was awe-inspiring, there's nothing quite like twirling in a professional NFL stadium as a high schooler. The Byron Nelson High School marching band was exceptional to be part of, but isn't any 6A high school marching band in Texas? Looking back, I owe so much to directors Jed Weeks, Brad Toth, and Michael Moore for supporting me and allowing me to twirl for their marching band. Without their belief in me, I wouldn't be the baton twirler I am today. That final performance at AT&T Stadium left me with overwhelming gratitude for being part of such a supportive program, and I'll never forget the feeling of walking off that field. Another memorable venue was Rentschler Field, UConn football's home stadium, where my sister Maggie was the feature twirler for the UConn Marching Band. When the UMMB traveled there for the UConn-UMass game, we performed a combined halftime show with their band. Being able to twirl on the same field with my sister was truly the experience of a lifetime. We had both achieved our dream of becoming college twirlers, which for us represented the peak of our twirling careers. Unlike other sports, there isn't a professional baton twirling league waiting after graduation. When she finished at UConn, that essentially marked the end of her competitive twirling career, as it will for me when I graduate from UMass. So sharing that field at the pinnacle of our twirling journeys was incredibly meaningful. We went from timing each other's routines as kids to performing together at the collegiate level while pursuing the education we'd dreamed about. Our parents flew up to witness it all, which made the moment even more special. My all-time favorite stadium, though, has to be McGuirk Alumni Stadium at UMass. Nothing beats twirling at your home base with the UMass fans. The post-game performances are particularly special, with all the dedicated Marching Band supporters in the audience cheering us on. Some of my most cherished twirling memories have been created in this stadium—Band Day, Homecoming, Senior Day—you name it. There's something magical about performing in a place that feels like home, surrounded by a community that genuinely appreciates what we do.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

So someone's hitting Amherst, what are some places to hit?

LILLY BARNETT:

If you're visiting Amherst, there are so many great spots to check out! As a huge Mexican food fan, I have a regular rotation: Garcia's, Mission Cantina, Bueno y Sano, and La Veracruzana.. These four definitely get me through each semester. Beyond food, Amherst has a wonderful small-town charm with lots to explore. The Amherst Farmers' Markets when in season are a must-visit too. 

The natural beauty around Amherst is truly spectacular. The various hiking trails are also a good way to get out and explore the nature around Amherst. If you're here during the academic year, catching a UMass sporting event or a performance at the Fine Arts Center adds to the authentic Pioneer Valley experience.

Jon Hart is @manversusball