Clay Center twirler and 2025 graduate of CCCHS, Alexa Leitzel, has traveled to more than three major competitions this year alone.

From Texas, to Louisiana, to a local stop in Abilene, Kansas, Leitzel continues to globe trot as her award count rises. 

That has included frequent trips to Texas, where she practices and competes with a national team, Ambition. Her Texas coach, Lori Perkins, is a 49-time national champion. 

In April, Leitzel competed in the Pastel Parade twirling contest in Needville, Texas. She was named Pastel Parade Senior Champion and the Senior Southern Spice Qualifier. 

Later that month she attended the United States Twirling Association (USTA) state championships. The event included Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Oklahoma and was hosted in Youngsville, LA. 

At the combined state event, Leitzel was Texas State Senior Artistic Twirl Pairs Champion, along with her partner, McKenzie Gomez of Texas. 

In addition, Leitzel was named Senior Southern Spice Champion. At this event, Leitzel beat out three other state qualifiers with her solo routine performance. 

In May, she attended the USTA Kansas Championships in Abilene, KS. She was named Grand Champion in all five events: Artistic Twirl, Strut, Solo, Two-Baton, and Three-Baton. 

(She’s pictured with trophies from the event below.) 

In July of 2024, she qualified to join Team USA at the International Baton Twirling Federation (IBTF). She will help compete for the Nations Cup in Turn, Italy this August. Leitzel qualified for four events: Senior Solo, Senior Artistic Twirl, Senior Artistic Twirl Pairs, and Dance Twirl Team (with Ambition). 

In addition to Perkins, Leitzel is coached by Koralea Slagle of Clay Center and Alicia Olivier. 

This fall, Leitzel will begin school at Baylor University where she will twirl as a Golden Wave Band Golden Girl.