IBTF Athletes Chair Nominees

Amy Wheeler Smith

1. How do you envision being the “voice" of every level of athlete of every member country? Working together with the other representatives for a common goal of ensuring the athletes have a voice within the IBTF. Within my own country ensuring that all information is passed down to our UTE Athlete’s Commission representatives to gain their views and ideas and then presenting these to the IBTF AC, allowing for further discussions and development.

2. What do you anticipate being the most challenging issue you’ll face? How will you address that? Ensuring that every athletes voice as there may well be different areas to address due to language & cultural differences.

3. Being the representative for all athletes, what do you feel is most important for baton twirling to gain more participation and Olympic recognition? Personally I believe that the more we grow the sport and encourage more participation especially at grassroots then there will be more opportunities for the sport to be recognised and ultimate accepted by the International Olympic Committee.

4. What project ideas would you promote to strengthen inclusivity for all ages, levels, genders, and nationalities? More projects to involve everyone in addition to World Baton Twirling Day in April and ensuring that these are appropriate, eg a Country led Team Routine/Dance shared with all members gaining an IBTF participation certificate and ensure we celebrate different types of ‘International Days’

5. If there is one thing you could immediately change about the IBTF, what would that be? This is quite a difficult question to answer as whilst the structure has been in place, a part from in Liverpool I have had little exposure to the IBTF. However looking at the website and seeing all the information available, I think it will be good to have a diverse Athlete’s Commission to continue to ensure as many Countries are as involved as possible.

6. What experience do you have in either or both organizations (WBTF and WFNBTA)? I have competed since 2008 representing England at WBTF at both World & European Championships. I have competed at Domestic NBTA England competitions and have recently coached an athlete in preparation for WFNBTA Europeans.

7. What other skills or competencies outside of baton twirling would you bring to this prestigious position of Athlete Representative? Working in a multi-cultural environment where people are at their most vulnerable has enabled me to develop my listening & communication skill. I want to ensure they all Athletes a voice and I believe that my experience and knowledge gained at both work and throughout my twirling career will enable me to represent the Athletes well as part of the IBTF Commission.

Savannah Miller

1. How do you envision being the “voice" of every level of athlete of every member country? As a former athlete, growing up in a community that celebrated everything from the first thumb flip feeling to standing on top of the World Championship podium, I learned at a young age that success l ives in various forms. Baton twirling athletes around the world are made up of different goals and unique cultural experiences, creating diverse voices, all of which deserve to be heard. With this understanding at the center of my athletic career and personal social media impact, I strive to inspire the next generation of athletes that with hard work and the belief in the beauty of one’ s dreams, no matter how big or how small, anything is possible. Within my current role as Marketing Chair for IBTF, I have worked to create a digital space where athletes feel represented and seen to the outside world. If given the opportunity to sit within the IBTF Athletes’ Commission, I plan to utilise the following principles when representing athletes of all levels and nationalities. 1. Inclusivity : As a global organisation, i t is important to understand that inclusivity includes but is not l imited to race, gender and ethnicity. Visual and audible representation from athletes with various physical and experiential diversities, allows for a stronger global understanding of athlete wants and needs. I hope to create an inclusive space where all voices will be honoured and valued leading to a more authentic relationship between professional members and athletes globally. 2. Communication: With the understanding that consistent communication is the key to success, I will utilise various platforms to share experiences and perspectives, both internally and to wider audiences. During my time as the IBTF Marketing Chair, I worked to develop this principle with the social media country representatives. By developing a group chat system and executing global meetings, I was able to create strong and streamlined communication processes with current member countries which has lead to an increase in digital engagement and overall reception of information from IBTF to the twirling community. This experience would serve as inspiration for the IBTF Athletes’ Commission communication processes. 3. Community: With a global community of diverse athletes, there is a need forphysical and emotional resources. Now more than ever, athletes need a space where their r ights, their mental health needs and their well- being are considered and supported. By providing a space of belonging to diverse voices and experiences, I will work to create a safe community that encourages conversation, strives for collaboration and seeks to provide necessary resources for all.

2. What do you anticipate being the most challenging issue you’ll face? How will you address that? When in the process of merging historical organisations, i t is a natural challenge to f ind compromise and understanding co- existing peacefully. I believe that this will also be a predominate issue that will trickle down into this committee. As an athlete born and raised, from the recreational level to competing internationally within BOTH federations, my knowledge, upbringing and values f ind influence from both worlds. When faced with hardship, my experience in both federations has developed my drive to problem solve, my determination to create best in- class ideas but most importantly, i t has taught me the true power of l istening. I plan to face challenges by l istening with the intent to understand what is being said rather than with the intent to just respond. This key value will support the difficult conversations amongst diverse global voices. I t is imperative to l isten, understand and discuss options that allow equal compromise for all while also allowing me to lead with the athletes’ needs at the center of any decision- making process.

3. Being the representative for all athletes, what do you feel is most important for baton twirling to gain more participation and Olympic recognition? In order for baton twirling to gain more participation, ultimately leading to Olympic recognition, this sport and i ts athletes need more clarity within communication efforts, more inclusive representation across media platforms and more opportunities to connect/ engage with fellow athletes and professional members, truly creating that sense of community. With significant change comes an even greater need for clear communication. In a fast- paced digital world, communication couldn’ t be more accessible. Looking to a majority of athletes who come from a digital generation, information needs to meet athletes, professionals and spectators where they are at... their phones. When working to communicate anticipated IBTF changes ( whether technical or general news related) i t is important for this sport to f ind the key platforms and formats that generate the most engagement. While inclusive representation and engagement opportunities are important to tap into, ultimately baton twirling needs to find a more streamlined process of communicating changes effectively to i ts internal community. In order to promote an organisation’ s values and success outwardly, the internal community must first be clear on key changes, promote positivity from athlete to professional and live out the organisation’s values. If this can be accomplished, there will be no doubt that this incredible sport will increase participation numbers and generate Olympic recognition.

4. What project ideas would you promote to strengthen inclusivity for all ages, levels, genders, and nationalities? With an extensive background in social media marketing coupled with teaching international athletes for the past ten years, I have experienced f i rst- hand the key areas where inclusivity efforts could be strengthened in order to generate a well- balanced community for all. The following project ideas would ultimately allow the Athletes’ Commission to lead and promote this impactful shift and provide a sense of belonging for all athletes. Beyond the Performance Initiative: An initiative for athletes entering their retirement that will aid in the transition process from athlete to normal adult life. This program will include mental health support for all athletes as they enter this phase of their life journey. Additionally, it would provide an opportunity for them to begin the proper training to become a coach, judge or technical member, therefore increasing retention numbers for IBTF and providing an opportunity for more young people of all levels, ages and nationalities to stay involved long term with the sport of baton twirling. The Twirling Exchange Program: A year- long exchange program involving athletes of all levels, backgrounds, nationalities and disabilities to share experiences and train together. This project would allow athletes to be paired up for one year and complete monthly social media challenges (to be promoted on IBTF socials) while also creating a community where athletes get to learn more about twirlers from around the world, have a support system and achieve goals with the help of a diverse community. Digital storytelling campaigns: This project would involve a dynamic collaboration between the IBTF Marketing & Communications team and the Athletes’ Commission. By working together, these campaigns would feature three athletes monthly via the IBTF social media and website platforms. It would be the responsibility of the Athletes’ Commission to gather & coordinate a diverse selection of athletes to be featured. The campaigns could include a podcast interview, ‘Day In The Life’ stories, static posts with additional Tik Tok creation opportunity etc. This would allow the IBTF brand to create a sense of relatability, authenticity and excitement from a social media perspective. Lessons with the Legends via Twirl Nations clinic: This project stems from my previous experience working with the Twirl Nations clinic coordinator over the past several years. ‘Lessons with the Legends’ would be a free virtual clinic / session with some of the most legendary coaches, choreographers and former athletes from the twirling world. These courses would be offered every other month ( 3 time zone offerings) with the intention to engage a variety of coaches, officials and athletes of all levels and nationalities while also promoting the yearly Twirl Nations clinic that takes place in August at the World Championships.

5. If there is one thing you could immediately change about the IBTF, what would that be? If given the opportunity to make an immediate change within IBTF, I would like to provide mental health support to all athletes, but more specifically, to those that are entering retirement from the sport. From recent personal experience, the transition from an athlete, that spent 20+ years growing up in this sport, to becoming an adult was extremely difficult. I would l ike to see a project similar to the ‘ Beyond the Performance Initiative’ come to l i fe and provide a community where former athletes can connect, share experiences and navigate the hard transition together. This community would ultimately increase involvement from the younger generations and allow more voices to be heard for longer periods of t ime, further increasing the overall IBTF brand authenticity. IBTF’s belief in putting the athletes first would extend far past the performance arena. This immediate change would allow IBTF to become a more reliable support system for all and cultivate a safe community that celebrates success from an athlete’ s f i rst thumb f l ip to the next steps post- twirling life.

6. What experience do you have in either or both organizations (WBTF and WFNBTA)? As an 18- t ime World Champion, within both WFNBTA and WBTF, I have extensive international experience as an athlete and professional member. At the age of 9 , I competed at my first NBTA World Championship where my love for the sport of baton twirling truly came to l i fe. By the t ime I reached the age of 15, I was fortunate enough to compete yearly for both federations. As I continued to grow up on the international stage, the sport of baton twirling and all those involved became family and my home away from home. I truly believe that my education and determination to be the best within both federations lead to my success throughout my 22 year career. Prior to my official international retirement in 2022 , I was fortunate enough to compete and serve as Gold Medalist/ World Champion for the WFNBTA, WBTF and IBTF federations. While competing internationally for all federations provided great reward, my biggest honour comes from the friendships, the teaching opportunities, the ability to give back to the twirling community and the chance to call so many people family from around the world. Throughout my career, I have represented the WFNBTA and WBTF federations by teaching in ten countries, serving as a Twirl Nations clinician in 2023 & 2024 and supporting various social media campaigns throughout my t ime as an athlete in both federations. Following my retirement, I was selected to operate the WBTF social media platforms, design a new WBTF website and assist with the Twirl Nations clinic coordination. Additionally, I have passed the WBTF Level 1 Coaches Certification, while also serving as the IBTF Marketing Chair. Within my role as Marketing Chair, I have worked to create a new brand identity for the IBTF organisation, enhance overall IBTF event coverage, work with country host for clear event communication, develop a new IBTF website and lead the country representatives social media group. This experience has allowed me to transition from the athlete perspective to coaching athletes of all levels and now serving the international baton twirling community from a professional role.

7. What other skills or competencies outside of baton twirling would you bring to this prestigious position of Athlete Representative? As an experienced brand strategist and communicator within various industries, there are many business- centric skills, outside my athletic career, that would aid me in this prestigious role. However, I believe that one of my strongest qualities is my ability to develop and retain relationships across the world. My extensive experience in traveling to teach around the world has allowed me to generate personal and professional relationships with athletes, coaches and officials from diverse backgrounds. These cross- cultural interactions have provided me a better understanding of the global twirling community’ s successes, challenges and ultimate goals. By developing these relationships, I will be able to serve in this position successfully with my global mindset, my strong desire to advocate for all athletes, my ability to communicate and execute tasks and my passion to listen, serve and turn dreams into reality.

Luca Fasano

1. How do you envision being the “voice" of every level of athlete of every member country? It would be a pleasure for me to be the voice of every athlete who takes part in the IBTF community. It is very important that we care not only about elite athletes but also about children and young people who are approaching this new sport, taking care of their needs and the process of both sporting and educational growth, promoting the great and honorable values of sport. My goal is to create a continuous communication with athletes from different backgrounds, experiences, and skill levels to share their perspectives, concerns, and aspirations, by the use of surveys, and direct conversations. My goal is to be a reliable and empathetic advocate, dedicated to ensuring that decisions made at the IBTF reflect the diverse voices and needs of all athletes.

2. What do you anticipate being the most challenging issue you’ll face? How will you address that? One of the most challenging issues I anticipate facing is bridging the diverse needs and expectations of athletes from different countries, cultures, and competitive levels. Twirling athletes around the world encounter varying levels of support, training resources, and accessibility to competitions. Ensuring that all these voices are represented fairly and effectively can be complex, especially when some countries may feel underrepresented or face specific challenges. To address this, I would prioritize establishing a clear communication structure with the athletes representatives from each country and also a direct via of communication with athletes, such as social media.

3. Being the representative for all athletes, what do you feel is most important for baton twirling to gain more participation and Olympic recognition? In order to gain more participation and Olympic recognition I believe we need to: - Increase the visibility: promoting baton twirling through social media, live-streaming and partnering with other sports to showcase events, - To keep on standardizing judging methods and rules - To get baton twirling more inclusive and accessible - To spread the baton in other many different countries

4. What project ideas would you promote to strengthen inclusivity for all ages, levels, genders, and nationalities? I would promote a virtual workshop or live workshop open to everybody, held by different athletes or coaches who can share their skills, passion and twirling culture from different sides; for example coaches who talks about teaching kindergarten kids, coaches who shares their experiences about coaching in different countries which have just entered the baton twirling community, workshop on cultural awareness and gender inclusion by sector experts.

5. If there is one thing you could immediately change about the IBTF, what would that be? I would prefer to know and understand some aspects better to be able to express myself on changes.

6. What experience do you have in either or both organizations (WBTF and WFNBTA)? Since 2011, I am part of the Italian national team, then I could compete at international competitions hosted by WBTF organization, gaining medals at european and world level. Since I was 18 I started coaching to young athletes, now I am a certified coach and I teach to my twirling club in Turin and other different club and twirling camps in Italy and around Europe (both NBTA and WBTF). I love sharing my passion and experience with athletes from all around the world, from beginners to elite level. I am also currently a certified judge of the Italian baton twirling federation (Federazione Italiana twirling) and I am keeping of following my certification and education. I love this sport and trying to get different spot of views really motivates me to work hard and accomplish new objectives.

7. What other skills or competencies outside of baton twirling would you bring to this prestigious position of Athlete Representative? I graduated in sports science in 2020 and pediatric rehabilitation in 2023, I currently work as a therapist. In my vision I would like to Integrate baton twirling with sports science and health by supporting the introduction of advanced methodologies of physical preparation, psychological support and injury prevention, recognizing Twirling as a sport that enhances the health and sustainability of athletes' sporting careers. I would also like baton twirling to promote projects that encourage participation, creating an inclusive sporting environment, also for children with disabilities, to represent Twirling as a sport open to all, embracing diversity as a strength and enriching sporting culture. My final vision is to create a clear and structured path that allows athletes to make Twirling a recognized career, to lead to Twirling being recognized as a legitimate and sustainable sporting career, with opportunities for athletes even after retirement.