Teamwork Twirling

Image by BACsop2000 

Via Wikimedia Commons Baton Twirlers

In the University of Arizona class “Collaborating in Online Communities,” it seems logical to learn about Tuckman’s 5 Stages of Group Development (see link). The stages are as follows: (1) forming, (2) storming, (3) norming, (4) performing, and (5) adjourning. 

In my personal life, I am a competitive baton twirler. I competed as a soloist, as well as on a team. In the team setting, I saw Tuckman’s 5 Stages occur. Our team, the “Tucson Twirlers,” was originally formed by one coach teaching several soloists. As the soloists came together as a team for the first time, we looked to our coach for direction. We avoided controversy, which is normal for  the first stage, forming. 

Storming, stage two, began to occur when the twirlers began to fear failing. Conflicts on how choreography should be executed arose. Team members had different opinions on the type of music we should be competing with. Team members even had personal conflicts with each other, as girls who once competed against each other as soloists now had to put their differences aside and become a cohesive group. 

After spending several months to resolve conflicts and find a balance of power so each member could contribute equally, we finally hit the third stage of norming. 

A sense of interdependence finally arose on the day of competition. Our team had officially reached the fourth stage of performing. We had the same goal and had were able to solve problems on our feet. When one member was slightly out of sync and seemed off, we adapted to make the routine work. 

Our team competed for thirteen years on the state, regional, and national level. In 2016, the Tucson Twirlers reached the fifth stage and adjourned. We each said our goodbyes to the team, but continue to appreciate the sport we loved.

For those who may not be as familiar with what team baton twirling looks like, you can watch Team France, the 2014 World Champions, here. 

-Hannah Leigh Johnson