2017 Southernettes gather at Lake Spring Pond for a group photo.
Salem is the 19th ranked city in Virginia in terms of population. When it comes to positive organizations for children, however, Salem takes a back seat to no one. One notable local organization is the Southernettes Baton Corps (SBC).
Founded in 1960 by Marceline Dooley, SBC is a year around organization created to help athletes build confidence and leadership skills through team commitment.
Natasha Flores began twirling at age four and has served as a SBC Coach since 2001. “The Southernettes are the largest baton twirling group in the Roanoke Valley,” she said. “We practice one day each week on Thursdays, but we encourage our students to practice on their own as well.”
It is tradition to have an end of the year recital for participants who complete their training. Salem High School hosted the occasion on Sunday, May 21, which was sponsored by Salem Parks and Rec as well as Interstate Battery Systems
“Our recital is the finale and a time for the whole group to come together for family, friends and the community to perform the routines that they have been working on that year,” Natasha said. “There is usually a theme, this year it was ‘let’s go to the movies’. All of the songs were soundtracks from famous movies.”
More than 1,000 girls have gone through the Southernettes program over the years. “We currently have 40 students. Back in the 80s-baton twirling was much more popular and when I was a student we had over 200 girls in the group,” Natasha said. “Our summer session begins on June 15. This is a great opportunity for new students to try baton twirling to see if they like it. Interested individuals can contact 540-312-4969 for more information.”
Throughout the season leading up to final show, the students perform in various community events including local holiday parades, Tons of Fun at Tanglewood Mall and halftime shows at Virginia Tech basketball games. “Being a member of the group, each student has the opportunity to perform for hundreds of people of all ages and it’s so rewarding to see the girls get excited for each performance they have worked hard for,” Natasha said. “The Southernettes are more than a team. We are a family that support, encourage and uplift one another to excel in baton twirling.”
