Meet Junior Miss Majorette of America Macie Schultz 👑

For Macie Schultz, baton twirling is more than a sport. It’s practically a family tradition.

Macie is from Boonsboro, Maryland, and has been part of the twirling world for about as long as she can remember. With a grandma, mom and sister who all twirled, she got an especially early start. Now, she can add Junior Miss Majorette of America to her twirling story!

We caught up with Macie to learn more about her journey to the crown, her competition favorites and what she loves to do when the batons are put away.

Twirling Since Before She Can Remember

Macie didn't exactly have to wait until she was old enough for baton lessons to make her twirling debut.

"I marched in my first parade when I was only one year old!" she said.

With generations of twirlers in her family, the sport quickly became a big part of Macie's life.

These days, her favorite event to compete in is X-Strut because of all the opportunities it gives her to incorporate dance and showmanship.

When it comes to tricks, Macie loves illusions and just about any gymnastics trick. Back necks, on the other hand? Those can stay far away from her routines!

Getting Competition Ready

There are a few things Macie can count on during competition weekend.

First, you'll always find Biofreeze in her baton bag. For competition-day fuel, she's grabbing bananas and blue Gatorade.

Before it's time to take the floor, Macie puts in her headphones and visualizes each of her routines. It's a simple routine that helps her get focused and ready to compete.

And if she could choose the perfect song for a routine, she might not need to look much further than the one she already has.

"Honestly, my current rhythmic song, You Don't Own Me by Lesley Gore, has been my favorite song I've ever competed to so far," Macie said. "It's going to be hard to beat when it comes time to pick a new one!"

The Moment Her Hard Work Paid Off 👑

Becoming Miss Majorette of America had been one of Macie's goals for a long time.

So when her name was finally called, the moment brought a lot of emotions with it.

"Winning Miss Majorette has been a goal of mine for a very long time, as I’m sure it is for so many twirlers," Macie said. "When they called my name, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude, knowing that all of the hard work, dedication and countless hours I had put in had finally paid off."

Behind those countless hours are two coaches who have played a huge role in Macie's journey: Matt Freeman and Meredith Freeman.

"They never fail to believe in me even when I don’t believe in myself," Macie said. "I couldn't ask for better coaches and mentors, and for that I am so beyond grateful!"

When She's Not Twirling...

There's a good chance you'll still find Macie doing something active.

During the summer, she loves being outside fishing, hiking and kayaking. Once winter rolls around, she trades those activities for skiing with her sister and spending time with her family.

And there's one Macie fact we definitely weren't expecting.

She has six rescue cats! 🐱

Macie has plenty of other favorites, too. Her go-to food is grilled chicken, and when it's time to watch something, she's picking a true crime show or documentary.

She's also already done some pretty incredible traveling. Her favorite place she's visited is Rapallo, Italy, and Iceland is at the top of her list for a future adventure.

Just for Fun ⚡

Give Macie the choice, and she's picking strut over two baton and sweet over salty.

She's also an early-practice person, would choose the mountains over the beach and is going with Instagram over TikTok.

Her Advice to Younger Twirlers

After accomplishing one of her biggest goals, Macie has an important reminder for younger twirlers with dreams of someday becoming Miss Majorette of America: trust your training.

"The hardest part of this sport is the mental aspect," she said. "Oftentimes I don’t think twirlers realize just how much their thoughts can affect their performance."

It's something Macie believes deserves just as much attention as the physical side of the sport.

"We spend hours training our bodies but tend to neglect the most important part, our minds," she said. "Your body knows exactly what to do when you get out on the floor, but you can’t let your mind get in the way."

From marching in her first parade at one year old to standing on the floor as Junior Miss Majorette of America, baton twirling has been woven into Macie's life from the very beginning.

Congratulations to Macie Schultz, Junior Miss Majorette of America! 👑✨ We can't wait to see what comes next for Macie and where her twirling journey takes her!