Making big moves
Engineering student to represent K-State at twirling world championship
By Grant Guggisberg
Bailey Walke is used to being busy.
The sophomore in mechanical engineering is head twirler section leader and feature twirler with the Kansas State University Marching Band, which paired with her time commitment as a competitive solo twirler, amount to more than 12 hours of practice per week, not including gamedays.
Academically, she is enrolled in an accelerated concurrent bachelor’s and master’s program, with a minor in physics for good measure, and a member of Wildcat Rocketry and Women in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. She also finds time to do undergraduate research in Jared Hobeck’s Multifunctional Structures Lab.
“It’s been a struggle to figure out how that really works together,” Walke said. “But I’m happy to be able to do it and to be able to say I can be an engineering major and a twirler and compete at the world level is really cool.”
Walke, who hails from West Des Moines, Iowa, has been twirling for most of her life, beginning at age 3. She saw a twirler at a dance recital for one of her cousins and started to mimic her when she got home with a spoon. Walke’s mother decided to sign her up and she’s been twirling ever since.
“My mom found that studio and signed me up for lessons and the rest is history,” Walke said. “I started competing when I was 5, so I’ve been in the game for a long time, and I’ve never had any regrets about it.
“That’s how I really know it’s one of my true passions because I’ve never gotten sick of the grind, the everyday grind of practice and competing. It’s just always been a huge passion of mine.”
Walke’s devotion for twirling will culminate in her overseas trip next summer, traveling to Liverpool, England, in August 2023 to represent the United States at the International Baton Twirling Federation’s World Baton Twirling Championship.
“I was just so shocked that I could even accomplish such a thing,” she said. “This last summer was tough for me because I was working an 8-to-5 internship and I would go practice for four hours a day. So it wasn’t really summer — I was more busy than I am here.”
Walke said she is excited to represent the United States on the world stage, which she qualified to do after placing in the top four in two categories at the National Baton Twirling Association’s national championships.
“I’m really excited to represent my country and also this university at a level that really hasn’t been represented before, for twirling at least,” she said. “I’m just super proud to be that person to kind of break the barrier through.”
Walke said even though she is quite busy, the marching band offers constant support.
“The band is such a huge motivator and support system for me,” she said. “I couldn’t be more proud to be a member of the Pride of Wildcat Land, and I have made 400 amazing friends and will probably make so many more throughout my career here.”