As she walked into the gym, and the floor started to shake, and the music started playing, Ashlyn Cohen began to have an out of body experience. Deaf to the music, her arms started to move – as the baton soared higher and higher, perfect catch after perfect catch followed – everything dead on the beat.

Even though somehow she felt like she had lost control of her body, she knew the routine was going just as she rehearsed. As she landed her final pose, she felt relief shoot through her body.

It had been almost 25 years since an RHS student had seen a performance by a baton twirler at any school event. Ashlyn Cohen broke that streak with a performance at Homecoming pep rally.

“I woke up that morning and it was so crazy, because I dreamed of being the twirler at Richardson for so long, and it was all I wanted to do.”

She began twirling with one of her friends in fourth grade when she was asked if she wanted to join lessons and participate in a Christmas parade.

“One of my friends’ moms called my mom and she said there was like this baton twirling class like somewhere in Prosper, so I went and then after that ended, I wanted to continue.”

Cohen said her first year as a twirler was a success, and she’s looking forward to football season next year.

“I wish I could relive that, and it’s so sad because marching season is over now, I just I miss it so much.”