Manitoba Baton would like to thank:
**Vickar Chevrolet for their sponsorship. They loaned us a 2023 Mustang convertible to use to honour our founding Manitoba Baton coaches Linda and Joyce. They donated $500 for our t-shirts. (Thanks to Linda's brother in law for driving it!)
**All of the athletes (WTT, Aerial Fusion, Sakura, Legacy) for twirling their hearts out down Portage Avenue yesterday.
**All of the parents who carpooled the athletes.
**All of the dedicated volunteers for chaperoning, carrying the banner, and handing out 750 flyers & 500 free lesson coupons to the kids in the crowd. (Tania, Rina, Tom, Liza, Brady, Natasha, Olga, Tammy.)
**Both mascots- Dan Huff, and Eden. The kids adored you!
**Kari Watt (AKA Stu Watt's wife) for lending us the mascot costumes! They were made by donated fabric by her students.
**NoisyNosy for making our t-shirts.
**Kristin Macaraeg for the overall event planning.
**Olga Orlov for promotions and finding volunteers.
**Yonatan, Caitlyn and Laura for teaching the routine and decorating batons.
**Hydro for planning the pre-party event where Tammy De Jong and Kristin Macaraeg taught kids from Rossbrook house.
We are fortunate and grateful.

See you next year!!

CBTF Foundations Coaching Course is underway! First coaching course in Manitoba for a number of years! Good luck to Emma, Caitlyn, Hailey, Amber, Alexa, and Sarah.

Casual Q & A with guest who inspire us.

A CONVERSATION WITH DR. LEISHA STRACHAN. Press Read more to see the article. https://news.umanhttps://news.umanitoba.ca/inspiring-a-generation/?fbclid=IwAR3So9Nb7ia5_R_ZycTX1prejAL2YV-QJ2z-9bIbi0_OymtOwJ6MxA6vKfIitoba.ca/inspiring-a-generation/

“Winter Classic” virtual competition went great! Thanks to the athletes, our judges LeeAnn Wilson, Kyla Wilson and their team, our competition directors Kristin Macaraeg and Yonatan Orlov, coaches representative Rhaychelle Tan, coaches, parents and volunteers.

Manitoba Baton 2021 - A Year in Review.

It was a hard year with the COVID-19 pandemic but we found ways to stay connected and enjoy our sport.  Enjoy our video! https://youtu.be/SuoeRcaGtPo

Boxing day deal from Manitoba Baton! Something for the kids to do over the holidays. Kristin makes learning fun!

6 week Saturday program with a holiday performance for parents. These kids learned SO much in a short amount of time, and they get to keep their batons! Thank you Canadian Tire Jumpstart for your generous grant!

Raffle tickets for Manitoba Baton grassrouts programs

Holiday Hampers Manitoba Baton is putting together to help  families in need.

Ornament Fundraiser. Proceeds went to support our grassroots programming.

FREE Saturday classes was a lot of fun!  The kids learned some pom pom moves, baton basics, and played some energizing games.

Outreach class with the Newcomer Sports Academy. There were ten newcomers from Afghanistan who arrived in Canada last week!

Thanks to Kristin and Caitlyn for coaching this week.

Manitoba Baton has been selected by @CTJumpstart to receive a grant from their Sport Relief Fund. The fund helps community sport organizations like ours continue to provide access to sport and play for Canadian kids. This grant will go a long way towards helping us provide additional outreach opportunities targeting underserved communities in Winnipeg.

Congratulations to Speranza and Yonatan on receiving Sport Manitoba scholarships!  Speranza received a $1000 University scholarship.  Yonatan was awarded the Jeff Collins Memorial Winnipeg Coach Award.  This honour came with a $500 bursary to use for his University tuition.

Congratulations to Caitlyn De Jong for receiving a Sport Manitoba Women to Watch grant.  Caitlyn started baton lesson at Aerial Fusion when she was seven years old. She has worked hard earning several top spot placings in her divisions at the Canadian Championships and she has represented Canada at two International Cup competitions. Her goal is to make the Canadian Team for freestyle. We look forward to what your future holds in our sport Caitlyn.

 Congratulations Alexandra Reformado on receiving a Sport Manitoba, “Women to Watch” grant.  Alex is a very ambitious and intrinsically motivated athlete, who strives to better her skills.  She started in a recreational program in 2015 and quickly has become a competitor to watch.

Alex worked through our Canadian Baton Twirling Federation’s badge program last summer, practicing in her garage and in her back yard, earning a total of six badges.

Alex’s goal is to represent Canada at an International competition and earn herself, and ultimately our country, a top ten finish.  She says this grant “will allow me to continue being a baton twirler, which is something I truly enjoy.”

Alexandra is coached by Sara Sabeski.

Congratulations Alexandra!

Manitoba Baton received a provincal government grant to keep Safe at Home.  We provided fourteen weeks of entirely free lessons (dance, baton, and pom pom.) We hired our junior coaches and an assistant for each class. This provided jobs and leadership opportunities for these coaches and assistants.

Our team came together to organize these classes in a short amount of time.  We set up several weeks of drive-thru-style baton/pom pom stations in frigid weather for people to pick up their equipment. The ages of the participants were from pre-school to senior adults. 

Our Saturday Night Inspiration Series by Manitoba Baton was simply inspiring.  Seven weeks of guests shared their stories with our virtual audience.  So many life lessons, advice and expertise from our former athletes, coaches, judges, and specialists.  All sessions are available for viewing on our Youtube channel. 

The CBTF President's Cup Award is award to recognize innovation in the sport of Baton Twirling in Canada. This award will be presented annually to a person or group of persons, club, province, group, etc. and is intended to recognize how they have demonstrated and implemented innovation in the sport of Baton Twirling in Canada, aimed at new ways of delivering, performing, supporting, or continuing the sport in the face of adversity. The nominator and the nominee must be CBTF members.

Any innovation in the sport that creates new approaches, concepts, programming, or advances of any kind to continue the development and growth of the sport in the future, while in the face of adversity, may be considered.

The ParticipACTION Community Better Program in the month of June touched over 700 students in Manitoba.  Students learned about baton twirling, watched a performance with light up batons, and learned their own routine.  Online "Pop Up" classes taught another 50 students over multiple days learn different skills.

Congratulations to the following Sport Manitoba Nominees:

Yonatan Orlov - Junior Male Athlete of the Year

Laura Tymchyshyn- Junior Female Athlete of the Year

Team 'Toba  - Junior Team of the Year

Volunteer of the Year - Karen Reynolds

University of Manitoba student Yonatan Orlov is a baton twirler who represents Canada on the International stage.  He competed at the International Cup and Grand Prix competition this past August in Limoges, France, and placed 5th place in Sr Men's Elite 2-Baton and 3-Baton, 10th in Sr Men's Elite Artistic Twirl and 8th place Elite Team.

​Each year all the Provincial Executives in CBTF are rated according to their efficiency and organizational skills when communicating with each of the following CBTF Positions: President, Past President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Technical Chairman, Coaches’ Rep, Judges Rep, Sanction Officer, Group Rep, Skills Development Officer.

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Congratulations Leisha Strachan, 2019 CBTF recipient of the Lynda Garland’s Award for Excellence, recognizing her remarkable accomplishments as a baton coach!

Congratulations Dana Peteleski -2019 CBTF recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award, recognizing her for her hours of contribution to our sport. 

by:  Simon Fuller, The Lance

A number of baton twirlers from southeast Winnipeg have already made their mark at the provincial level this season.

The 2019 International Cup Qualifier event, which was hosted by the Manitoba Baton Twirling Sportive Association, was held recently at the University of Manitoba Investors Group Athletic Centre, and Team Canada was selected from a pool of 90 athletes from six provinces.

Officials say 11 athletes from Manitoba were successful in making the Canadian contingent, which will compete at the International Cup event in Limoges, France in August. A number of the 11 Manitobans set to travel to Europe later this summer are involved with the Greendell Baton and Dance program. The list includes coach Dana Peteleski; Madison Reynolds; Sydney Reynolds; Speranza Albensi; Gabby Albensi; and Meghan Stanger.

Peteleski, who is head coach of Team Toba and head coach of Greendell Baton and Dance, is excited about the upcoming tournament in France.

"It’s very exciting," said Peteleski, who lives in St. Vital. "We’ve still got a lot of work to do before heading over there, but we’re hoping to make it into the Top 10."

Peteleski said a number of Manitoba twirlers will also be competing at the upcoming Canadian Championships, which will be held in July, making it a busy summer for the athletes and coaches.

Noting the twirlers typically practise several days a week in the run-up to an event, Peteleski said the nationals will give the team valuable experience before heading to France.

"It’s a good chance to get in front of the judges, and we’re really looking forward to representing the city, the province, and the nation."

Madison Reynolds, 18, is also looking forward to representing Canada in France.

"It’s been a lifelong goal of mine, so it’s an amazing feeling," said Reynolds, who lives in Southdale, and is a member of Greendell Baton and Dance.

"I know it’s definitely going to be challenging, and I know what’s up ahead, but I have a little bit of confidence in myself."

Laura Tymchyshyn, 19, said she has learned to channel her nerves leading up to an international competition.

"I am always a nervous wreck leading up to these international competitions, but this stress helps me train hard and efficiently," said Tymchyshyn, who lives in Southdale, and is a member of Aerial Fusion.

"It’s such an honour to be heading to France as part of Team Canada to begin with, so I’m trying not to let the nerves and pressure get to me, and to just enjoy the experience to the fullest."

"The initial qualifier competition was to compete for our spots on the contingent, but when in France it will be the time to put on a show and perform our hearts out, all while doing the sport we all love the most," she added, noting her thankfulness for the opportunity to represent Canada, and her gratitude to everyone that has helped her along the way.

To help support the athletes travelling to Regina and France, organizers a holding a vendor and garage sale fundraiser on Sat., June 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Greendell Park Community Centre (75 Woodlawn Ave.). The event will include a hotdog and bake sale, and the athletes will also be on hand to teach baton.

Watch Global TV as Caitlyn and Speranza share about World Baton Twirling Day!

Sport Manitoba Order of Sport Excellence Awards were handed out at the Winter Classic competition last weekend.  Congratulations to our athletes and coaches who received an award.

Thank you to  VIA RAIL for their generous donation

Lucky winners are:

!st - $1000 Travel Voucher from VIA RAIL - M.Street

2nd - $200 Liquor Mart Gift Card - D. Bartel 

3rd - $100 Grocery Gift Card - Larry F

Orlov to visit Russia

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UWinnipeg student Yonatan Orlov is a baton twirler who competes on the national and international stage.

He competed at the Canadian Baton Twirling Championships this past summer, finishing first in three of six categories.  Baton twirling, Orlov says, is like “rhythmic gymnastics with a twist.”

When he’s not studying and going to class, he dedicates three to four hours to practicing every day.

Later this month he’s heading to Moscow, Russia to host a baton clinic where he’ll be teaching and sharing his world-class expertise.

Read full story...

Congratulations to the following athletes who were selected to the Manitoba Baton Twirling Provincial Team for the  2018/19 season.

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Speranza Albensi

Sarah Cimino

Caitlyn De Jong

Maddy Reynolds

Sydney Reynolds

Meghan Stanger

Alternate:  Gabby Albensi

Understudy: Emma Bakker

Head Coach:Dana Petelski

Assistant Coach: Kristen Paupanekis

Russian Winnipeg News

Story by Tatyana Dyck 

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The Jewish Post & News 

Watch interview

"Teen now preparing to compete at worlds"

by Simon Fuller, The Lance

"Boyd honoured 35 years after making history"

by Simon Fuller, The Lance

Our Athletes at the Walk So Kids Can Talk in support of Kids Help Phone

Laura and Yonatan made an appearance on Global TV this morning to celebrate World Baton Twirling Day!

A visit to the Children's Hospital TV for sick kids.

Saint John, New Brunswick

The rainy start to Kidsfest didn't stop the kids from trying out baton twirling.  It was great to see so many smiles of accomplishment when they learned some new tricks. It was lovely though, when the sun peaked out of the clouds to finish off our day.

Seasoned coach, Joyce Ormshaw has announced that this is her final year of coaching.  Her retirement celebration was held on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at the Silver Heights Restaurant.  

Congratulations to Edie and Jennifer Parisian for being awarded the Sharon Holliday Award for Sportsmanship. 

Members of our Provincial Team and Group performed at the University of Manitoba Bisons' basketball half time show, Friday, Jan 9th. This was their first performance of the new season and it was a good chance for the new members to perform without the pressure of competition.  They simply rocked it!   

Team 'Toba is headed to the 2014 Canadian Team Trials, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
 

Our 2014 Summer Camp was a success!  35 students came out to our summer camp hosted by MBTSA.  Our Provincial team coaches, and team members coached the camp.  Students had a lot of fun either learning how to twirl, or improving their skills, as well as learning new tricks, and some dance and gymnastics moves. We can't forget to mention that they played some super fun games too!  See the article in MyToba article.  Watch the video here Summer Sizzler 2014.

Decked out in their Santa hats, 40 athletes twirled their way down Portage Avenue in the annual Santa Claus parade. Tossing their batons high in the air, they wowed the crowd as they awaited Santa's arrival.

by Simon Fuller, The Lance

Filipino Journal

St. James Assiniboia School Division Newsletter

by Jared Story, The Times