Ellissa Johnson, 21, from Wantagh, N.Y. has returned home from the US National Baton Twirling Championships as the Gold Medalist in the US Team Selection for Senior Women. The top three women from across the country represent the US at the World Championships which were held immediately following the Nationals. It was in Daytona Beach, Florida, from July into August, that these two Championships were held, to terminate the 1999 competitive season.

Baton twirling is a very popular sport on Long Island, throughout the United States and in a growing number of countries around the world. The competitive season runs approximately from January through August. Competitions are sanctioned by the United States Twirling Association (USTA) and include a variety of individual events, pairs and teams at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

Johnson has been twirling since the young age of 5. Her flexibility and strong performance qualities have earned her a numerous number of NY State, Northeastern Regional and US National Titles. She has been a member of the US Team since 1991, traveling to many European countries during the month of August to compete as a soloist or with her pairs partner, Lisa Rienzo. This summer the US hosted the World Baton Twirling Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida where thirteen countries competed for the title of World Champion. The United States had many finalists and several medalists. Johnson competed in the Finals which were televised by the Sunshine Network in Florida, placing an overall fourth out of 31 Sr. Women.

In addition to her Gold Medal spot on the US Team, Johnson also captured the overall Sr. National Championship for the Strut event. She is also proud to be the current NY State and NE Regional Grand Champion in the events of Strut and Dance-Twirl.

Johnson is a student at Nassau Community College where she is studying dance. She enjoys coaching aspiring baton twirlers when she's not busy with school. Her coach is Ginnette Groome from Hicksville, NY, herself an accomplished competitor and now a USTA certified coach, Level III judge and member of the US Technical Committee. Groome works as an AMMA Therapist and is an instructor of massage therapy at The New York College for Wholistic Health Education and Research, in Syosset. Groome and Johnson work together as a team to select music, design costumes and choreograph routines that will be both competitive and spectacular to watch. They are already beginning to prepare for the 2000 season! At the end of September, Johnson will be traveling to Peru with a group of selected Champions, to promote the sport of baton twirling! She hopes to travel to Holland next summer to again have the opportunity to represent the US at the World Championships of 2000. For further information on the sport of baton twirling in the New York area, please contact Linda Boss, NY Baton Council president, at 243-0168.