Waycross Middle School 8th grader Kaydance Richardson has been twirling a baton since she was three years old. This year Ms. Richardson will represent the United States in the biannual Nations Cup at the World Baton Twirling Championships in Turin, Italy. The competition is sponsored by the International Baton Twirling Federation and will be held August 1-10.
Ms. Richardson trains at Excite Baton and Dance in Waycross Georgia with coaches Megan DeWitt Tapley and Sissy DeWitt. Coach Tapley has taken athletes to World’s in both 2011 and 2013.
Ms. Richardson qualified for Worlds after winning at the United States Twirling Association Nationals, held in Fairborn, Ohio, in July 2024.
At the age of 13, Ms. Richardson took first place overall beating 38 competitors from throughout the country in the 15-17 age category. In order to qualify, athletes are required to compete in the next age cateorgy above them.
Ms. Richardson will be accompanied by Coach Tapley and her parents, Jamie and Brooke Richardson. In Italy, Ms. Richardson will compete against twirlers from all over the world. Her competition category is Solo Level A.
At Waycross Middle, Ms. Richardson is a majorette in the Waycross Middle School Marching Band and plays trumpet in the concert band. Her goal is to attend the University of Georgia where she aspires to become the featured twirler.
Go Fund Me Link to Help Support Kaydance https://gofund.me/120 1cb70
