Seckar-Anderson said the experience of being a twirler is indescribable.

“Twirling out on the field at Spartan Stadium is pretty exhilarating,” she said.

Having three feature twirlers is not necessarily uncommon for the Spartan Marching Band, but having a senior with two freshmen is fairly out of the ordinary.

“This is probably a first ­— having two incoming freshmen twirlers,” Spartan Marching Band Director John Madden said.

Although Seckar-Anderson is in her fifth year of twirling with the band, Bennett and Scali are first semester freshmen.

“Other than when their names are announced — ‘freshman from …” — I don’t think the audience notices that they are freshmen other than they are great twirlers,” Madden said.

Early and Often

All three started twirling at a young age and have received numerous individual twirling awards.

Seckar-Anderson’s mom was a twirler and has her own studio in Wisconsin. Seckar-Anderson began twirling at the age of 3.

“I probably spent more time at the studio than anywhere else, and I was very lucky to have the facility to practice in whenever I wanted to,” Seckar-Anderson said.

Graduating from Oshkosh West High School, Seckar-Anderson was active in school; she was a member of the dance team, twirling team and played in the band. Starting competitions at age 6 and through her 12 years as a competitive twirler, she has won state, regional, national and world titles, including Junior Miss Majorette of America, Junior Grand National Twirling Champion and Senior World Twirl-Off Champion.

Scali began her twirling career earlier than Seckar-Anderson at age 2, and similar to Seckar-Anderson, started with the help of her family.

“I actually got started through my aunts, they own a studio and they have been my coaches ever since and my cousins have all been mentors to me,” Scali said.

Scali twirled for three years with her high school marching band, but it would have been four years if not for the school’s requirement of having freshmen march. Practicing in Canton, Ohio, at Michelle’s Dance and Twirl Academy where she was coached by her aunt and two cousins, Scali has won 13 National titles, including Miss Majorette of America and the Grand National Twirling Championship.

“I won my first two national titles in 1998 when I was 6 years old,” she said. “I have also attended four World Championships in Europe, where I have won a total of nine gold, one silver and one bronze medal.”

Bennett has been twirling for 11 years, also getting her start from someone she knew.

“I was at a family friend’s house and their daughter twirled,” she said. “She brought me down into her basement and showed me costumes and her trophies and things like that.”

Practicing at the Beverly Hills Club in Southfield, Mich., with her coach, Bennett has won three national titles for Drum Majorettes of America.

The MSU Experience

The twirling position in the Spartan Marching Band is a competitive gig.

“It’s very highly competed for,” Madden said. “We were just very overwhelmed that (Bennett and Scali) rose to the top of a pool that started of about 20 or so. They are instinctive performers, there’s a hard to describe quality in their movements — it’s a skill that is really highly trained.”

After being offered spots as twirlers, Bennett and Scali’s Green and White careers began. Bennett and Scali said being freshman in such a visual band under Seckarr-Anderson’s leadership has helped them get used to college twirling and college life in general.

“Lacey is more of a role model to me,” Bennett said. “When I first started here, I depended on her to teach me the ropes. Now, I feel confident in what she has taught me and I can’t thank her enough for helping me.”

Being from out of state and not knowing anyone, Scali said she was somewhat nervous coming to East Lansing.

“Everybody in the entire band is so friendly and welcoming and I immediately clicked with so many people and that was a great feeling for me, that I was so welcome here,” Scali said.

When Seckar-Anderson was a freshman, she said she had a senior twirler to help her adjust and now the roles have been reversed.

“I would hope that I’ve passed along to Kristen and Sarah the traditions of the band and the importance of enjoying every moment,” she said. “(They) are incredibly talented and intelligent people, so they probably wouldn’t have needed me this year. My goal was for the girls to feel independent, confident and comfortable out on the field. It makes me really happy to see Sarah and Kristen thrive as both twirlers and members of the band.”

Bennett said her brother went to MSU, and when she would come to campus for football games, she remembers seeing Seckar-Anderson twirling on the field.

Madden said the leadership Seckar-Anderson provides is something ingrained in the Spartan Marching Band culture.

“She’s the epitome of good leadership, (an) intelligent person,” Madden said. “She has a great deal of passion for the band so when it’s her turn to pass it down, she does with a great amount of pride.”

With one home football game remaining and a likely postseason bowl bid, the graduating Seckar-Anderson has been able to look back on her time with the band while Bennett and Scali can reflect on their first of many years at MSU.

“Having the opportunity to twirl in front of 70,000-plus fans every Saturday has been one of the best (experiences) of my life,” Scali said. “It truly makes all of the training I’ve done over the past 17 years worthwhile.”

Seckar-Anderson has performed at Lambeau Field, home to the NFL’s Green Bay Packers in Wisconsin, but said being with the Spartan Marching Band is incomparable.

“During the last few games, I’ve tried to look around and take everything in because I know being on that field is something I’m really going to miss,” she said. “Twirling with the band as a proud Spartan is even more of an honor and one of the most incredible moments of my life thus far.”