For Matti Diener, twirling is a not only just another sport, but a passion.
Diener, a business management freshman and the new twirler for the OSU band, said she has been twirling since she was eight years old.
“My dad is the head football coach at my high school so I come from a crazy football family,” Diener said. “When I was little, I always watched the twirlers at half time and talked about how I wanted to do that. My mom would be like ‘Are you kidding me?’ because I was such a tomboy.
I started twirling with a team in Salina, Kansas but then moved to the Kansas City area and got an amazing instructor when I turned twelve and he really turned me elite and helped me get on this level competitively.”
After that, it became a dream of hers to be a division 1 college featured twirler.
“I had offers from other schools, but Oklahoma State was the one I wanted the most,” Diener said. “It was the only place where I could be the only twirler. In the twirling community, everyone knows who’s graduating and which positions are opening up. I sent in all my audition materials, did a live audition and an interview and ended up getting the position.”
With rehearsal three times a week, sorority activities and classes, Diener always has a busy schedule but still manages to balance it out.
“It’s like a juggling act,” Diener said. “It’s very fast paced but I really wouldn’t want to have it any other way. I’m definitely the kind of person who when I’m busy I get more accomplished that way. I’ve had some really late nights, especially with homecoming for my sorority.
Not only am I plugged in with the Greek system and that group of friends but being part of the band is another group of people so it’s very cool to be involved in the community in that way. But classes are very important to me too. I’m here to go to school. It’s hard, but manageable.”
With the first home football game coming up, Diener said she is eager to finally be able to twirl that baton.
“It’ll be a really long and early morning with pre-game stuff and the Spirit Walk,” Diener said. “It’s going to be so cool. It needs to be here now.”
She said one of her biggest inspirations in life so far is her coach, Bonnie Baxter.
“She’s like a legend in the twirling community,” Diener said. “She really embodies what a twirler strives to be; elegant, confident, hardworking and dedicated. She’s pushed me to be at the level I am now and she’s just someone who’s really courageous.”
Something twirling has taught Diener is to have the confidence to be outspoken.
“Because I am performing in front of others, I am setting myself up for people to judge me,” Diener said. “But it’s built up my confidence and has taught me to be able to take criticism. I’ve seen a lot of strong women throughout the twirling community and I think it’s really cool what the sport can give back.”
A piece of advice Deiner would like to give to young women today is to be involved and find something to be passionate about.
“Find something you can put a lot of time and energy into,” Deiner said. “To be truly special and great at something is wonderful. Not every girl gets to experience that, and once you become focused on something, it’s going to build character no matter what. With a good head on your shoulders you can go a long way. I would definitely say get involved with something. Even multiple things if you need to. Don’t just sit around. Be outgoing and gain confidence in that way.”