TECHNICAL

Zoey Gaskin
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
ZOEY GASKIN

UTE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

ZOEY GASKIN

I have been involved in baton twirling since a young age. My journey from an athlete to a coach, judge, and clinician at various levels. Serving on the National Executive committee of the BBTSA since 2009, I have been instrumental in shaping the direction of the sport within the organisation.

I have had roles on the European judge commission of the WBTF and collaboration with the IBTF in developing the judging system. I was honoured with a special recognition award from the WBTF in 2023.

As a clinician, I have played a crucial role in the professional education and development of the BBTSA, delivering knowledge both domestically and internationally. Leading the technical committee.

My dedication to baton twirling is unwavering, and I look forward to the future with enthusiasm, eager to continue making a positive impact on the sport I love.

Keith Lambert
COMMITTEE MEMBER
KEITH LAMBERT

UTE HEAD OF EDUCATION

KEITH LAMBERT

I have been passionately involved in the world of baton twirling since the age of 10. My competitive career began with the National Baton Twirling Association (NBTA), where I twirled for many years alongside Danny Dawes and the Oasis Twirlstars.

After my competitive career, I transitioned to the British Baton Twirling Sports Association (BBTSA), recognising the limited presence of NBTA teams in the northern regions where I live.

Currently, I am a coach, judge, and grade examiner with BBTSA. As the joint Head of Education, I am committed to fostering the growth and development of athletes, coaches, and judges. I aim to make a lasting impact on the sport, ensuring that my contributions benefit the entire baton twirling community and help shape its future.

Dana Weston
COMMITTEE MEMBER
DANA WESTON

UTE HEAD OF EDUCATION

DANA WESTON

I started twirling when I was 5 years old and stopped competitive twirling in 2012, after the NBTA world championships in Switzerland. I had many successes during my twirling career including many National Titles as well as representing England on many occasions for individual and team events, achieving numerous top 3 places.

I gained my NBTA teacher/judges qualification at the age of 16 and have been a member of the NBTA technical board for the last 16 years. More recently I have been the coaching representative for NBTA. I have also had the opportunity to work with and look after the England team. This has been one of my most loved roles on the technical board and I have seen athletes achieve many top international places in this time. I became a European levels assessor in 2016 and have been supporting those wanting to represent England to pass these exams. I am also an international judge but my heart sits with supporting the athletes as a coach at this level.

I have recently been appointed on the new UTE technical board as Head of Education for coaching. I am excited to start this new journey and help shape the future of twirling in England.

Dawn Langston
COMMITTEE MEMBER
DAWN LANGSTON

UTE COACHING TECHNICIAN LEVEL 3 & 4

DAWN LANGSTON

Having always been interested in sport and having already tried gymnastics, high board diving, trampolining, and horse riding I started in the world of baton more years ago than I care to remember initially as a majorette. Progressed through the various contest levels to become multinational champion in both BBTSA and NBTA along with winning contests in Jersey, Ireland, and the USA.

England Team member for both BBTSA and NBTA and England Team Captain for the inaugural NBTA European Championships winning Solo/Dance and becoming bronze medallist in 2/3 baton.

Following retirement from competition I started judging and consider it an honour to have judged for England at both European and World level. Aside from a short break for family reasons in 2001 I have been a member of the NBTA Technical Board since 1988, definitely the oldie! Over the years I have been involved with the setting up and running of the teacher/judges’ courses and have always enjoyed watching people grow into these roles.

From a coaching perspective I ran my own team, Topaz for many years achieving numerous successes with both individual athletes and teams at national, European and World level with our highest international placings containing European individual Champions and teams gaining silver medals at world levels. Having disbanded my own team, I moved across to Oasis and enjoy working alongside the rest of the coaching team.

My favourite thing to teach is rolls and anything where I get to nag feet and technique.

Gemma Milne
COMMITTEE MEMBER
GEMMA MILNE

UTE WELLBEING COORDINATOR

GEMMA MILNE

I have been a member of the NBTA Technical board since 2008 and the through that time have seen many changes in our sport!

I completed my NBTA European exams in 2010 and have judged internationally European and World competions almost every year since then. I consider myself very lucky to have seen many parts of the world due to this and have made many friends overseas!

I also coach and run the Gemini Twirl Team who are based in Poole, Dorset and have done since 2003. Personally I’m married with a son called Alby and we have a crazy Cockerpoo dog called Betty! I work as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist working with children with special educational needs.

I am very much looking forward to seeing our sport develop and flourish as we merge to UTE.

Jess Whitbourn
COMMITTEE MEMBER
JESS WHITBOURN

UTE COACHING TECHNICIAN LEVEL 1 & 2

JESS WHITBOURN

I run Twirl-Versity based in a Hampshire and this is our 6th year running. I started twirling at the age of 3 and finished my competitive twirling career at the age of 21 at the 2018 WBTF World Championships in the USA!

I am a BBTSA coach, BBTSA grade examiner, BBTSA judge and WBTF judge!

I have coached and continue to coach many athletes in England as well as athletes internationally over Zoom during COVID from the USA, Canada, Scotland and Norway. In my judging career so far I’ve had the pleasure to judge nationally and internationally including the international selections for Slovenia and in Spain for the Spanish Open.

Away from baton twirling, I am a qualified Acrobatic Arts and Alixa Flexibility instructor which plays a vital part of my work in the sport of baton twirling.

I have recently been appointed as the UTE Technician for Coaches of Level 1 & Level 2 status. I am looking forward to working with the UTE and their Technical Members to help develop our athletes, coaches and country.

Team huddle before competing
Athlete ready to compete in starting pose
Selfie posing

Other committee members include…

Leanne Bannister, Georgia Bloom, Lindsay Butler, Katie Challenor, Ainsley Cobbett, Emma Crossley, Sarah Cullum, Nicky Fender, Crystal Fletcher, Georgia Fitch, Laura Holland, Linda Huckle, Ebony Mitchell, Helen Mountain, Rebecca Stanforth, Michelle Taylor, Millie Turner and Clare Utting.

Meet the team… introducing United Twirl England’s Technical committee who are a dedicated group of experts responsible for overseeing the technical aspects of baton twirling in England. This committee plays a crucial role in ensuring that the sport is practiced and judged according to the highest standards.

Their primary responsibilities include:

  • Developing and Updating Rules: They ensure that the rules and regulations are up-to-date and in line with international standards.
  • Training and Certification: The board oversees the training and certification of coaches and judges, ensuring they meet the required standards of excellence.
  • Innovation and Development: The committee is committed to the continuous improvement of the sport, introducing new techniques and methodologies to enhance performance and judging accuracy.
  • Support and Guidance: They provide ongoing support and guidance to athletes, coaches, and judges, helping to shape the future of baton twirling in England.

The UTE Technical committee are instrumental in promoting the sport, fostering talent, and maintaining the integrity and quality of baton twirling competitions. Their collaborative efforts ensure that the sport continues to grow and evolve, providing opportunities for athletes to excel on both national and international stages.

Team huddle before competing
Athlete ready to compete in starting pose
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