Ally Duda
Title:
Feature Twirler with the Redcoat Band
Major:
Human Development Family Science
Year:
Class of 2025
Favorite spot on campus:
Sanford Stadium
For UGA’s Redcoat Band, one of the best parts of a football game starts before the players even take the field. UGA’s pregame festivities are renowned for their athletic and artistic display of music, cheer, and baton twirling.
“It’s a super fun way to get Georgia Dawgs excited and hyped up for the game,” says feature twirler Allyson Duda. “I love looking out onto the sea of fans in red and black. It feels like a dream.”
Allyson describes baton twirling as an intricate balance between rhythmic gymnastics and dance. As beautiful as it looks to the crowd, twirling requires a lot of stamina and technique.
“Cardiovascular endurance is really important because the more stamina you have the better your performance.”
Though she’s an expert when it comes to balancing a baton (sometimes ones on fire), Allyson is also doing a great job of balancing her life off the field. She volunteers with Extra Special People and Habitat for Humanity, works with the pre-occupational therapy club, is involved with Greek life through Zeta Tau Alpha, and takes to time coach young twirlers, even choreographing their routines.
“Baton has taught me a lot of amazing life lessons about hard work, dedication, and perseverance. I don't know that I'd be able to imagine my life without it.”
Ally Duda
Feature Twirler with the Redcoat Band
After finishing at UGA, Allyson looks forward to a career in pediatric occupational therapy. She has always been drawn to working with children, especially those with special needs. She started early with an internship her senior year of high school at a clinical developmental pediatric occupational therapy office, and recently returned there to start on her clinical hours.
“It was one of the most heartwarming experiences I’ve ever had. I really enjoyed helping to uplift the people there and make sure that they're having the best time they can.”
Allyson has done competitive gymnastics, twirling, and dance from a young age. Since Allyson’s mom is a coach and former twirler and her older sister is a competitive twirler, the decision to follow in their footsteps wasn’t a surprise to anyone. Allyson went everywhere with them, often going to practice six days a week. “I can't even tell you the time I started twirling,” she says. “I just always remember being in the gym with my family.”
Though she considers her time in competitive gymnastics to have been short in the grand scheme of things, Allyson has won numerous awards. She went to her first world championships for twirling at eight years old and since then has earned 11 gold medals and four bronze medals for both individual and team events. She has also been awarded with national titles including the Collegiate Downfield Championship in 2023.
“Baton has taught me a lot of amazing life lessons about hard work, dedication, and perseverance. I don't know that I'd be able to imagine my life without it.”
