Meet Our Coaches
As the co-founder of Vivacity Baton and Dance Club and the administrative director, I am committed to creating a space where athletes feel safe to be themselves, be confident and reach their goals. I have been involved in baton twirling since I was 8 years old. Originally from Hamilton, I have competed locally, nationally, and internationally. I had the opportunity to represent Canada at the world championships in 1997 and at Nations Cup in 2007 and have had the pleasure of coaching athletes ranging of all ages and abilities. I am a Canadian Baton Twirling Certified and NCCP coach, as well as a registered nurse.
Jennie Smith
Catherine has had a lifelong passion for baton twirling, beginning her journey at just five years old. She competed as an athlete for 17 years and brings over 20 years of coaching experience, along with more than 14 years as a judge. She is a Canadian Baton Twirling Federation (CBTF) certified C4 Coach and D4 Judge, and an International Baton Twirling Federation (IBTF) certified Judge. Catherine is also trained in the newly implemented New Judging System (NJS) for Freestyle Solo, with specialized expertise in evaluating Components and Grade of Execution, as well as serving as a Technical Specialist. Throughout her competitive career, Catherine achieved success at both national and international levels. She was a proud four-time member of Team Canada, representing the country at the World Baton Twirling Federation (WBTF) World Championships and International Cup in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2010. She qualified at the Canadian Team Trials earning the opportunity to compete at the WBTF International Cup from 2005-2007, as well as the World Championships in 2006, 2007 and 2010. Notably, at the 2007 World Championships held in Hamilton, Ontario, Catherine placed 9th in the Freestyle Solo event. In 2010, she competed in Bergen, Norway, where her Team Alliance achieved an impressive 5th-place finish. Her contributions to the sport have been recognized by both the City of Hamilton and the City of Burlington. Catherine continues to contribute to the sport as both a national and international judge with CBTF and IBTF. She has been selected to represent Canada at prestigious events, including the 2017 International Cup and Grand Prix in Poreč, Croatia; the 2017 Pan Pacific Cup in Stockton, California; and the 2024 IBTF World Championships in Helsingborg, Sweden. These selections followed a competitive process involving both written applications and practical evaluations, resulting in her appointment to the World Judges Panel. In addition to her judging roles, Catherine is an active member of the CBTF Judges Mentorship Program, where she supports and guides judges in training. Through mentorship, she shares her expertise, helping to develop the next generation of knowledgeable and skilled officials. As the Technical Director of Vivacity Baton and Dance, Catherine is deeply committed to athlete development at all levels. She fosters a positive and enriching environment for young athletes entering the sport, while also supporting experienced competitors in advancing their skills. Her leadership extends beyond performance, as she mentors athletes who aspire to continue their involvement in baton twirling through coaching and judging pathways.
Ashley McBeth
Ashley has been involved in the sport of baton twirling since was seven years old. Ashley has been a coach for six years and is a certified baton twirling badge adjudicator, D1 and D2 judge. Ashley is also a certified competition 2 gymnastics coach with eight years of experience. Ashley competed in the sport of baton twirling for 12 years where she was given the opportunity to represent Canada at the Nations Cup and World Baton Twirling championships in 2023. Ashley is now a retired athlete with a passion for coaching new upcoming athletes within the sport.
Brianna Coffey
Jessica Lutz
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Sydney Johnson
Catherine Lemyre
Mya Whitwell
My name is Mya Whitwell. I began my baton twirling journey in 2012 and have since developed a strong passion for both performance and technical excellence. I represented Team Canada in 2017 in Croatia, earning a bronze medal in Level B Artistic Team, and again in 2019 in France and 2023 in Liverpool, England, where I achieved a silver medal in Senior B X-Strut. In 2019, I also won first place in B Freestyle at Nationals. Throughout my competitive career, I was honoured as Provincial Junior B Athlete of the Year in 2018 and Senior B Athlete of the Year in 2019. I also hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology, which informs my approach to coaching by supporting athlete confidence, motivation, and mental performance. As a CBTF-certified trained coach, I am known for my strong flexibility and expressive style. I bring a focus on movement quality, body control, and artistry into my coaching, helping athletes build confidence while refining their skills.
Hi! My name is Brianna Coffey!
I am a high school student at Westmount secondary. I’ve been dancing my whole life and currently compete in tap, jazz, hip hop, open, and contemporary. As a competitive dancer, it has taught me leadership and team building skills that make me the person I am. I love being part of a team in competitive dance. They have all become like a family to me. Dance has become a big part of my life and has taught me to never give up on myself.
Teaching children the art of dance and technique is something I love to do. Helping them learn and become the best they can in flexibility, coordination and strength while providing a positive and fun environment for their new skills. Building their confidence and skills will help prepare them for their performance enhancement.
I began my baton twirling journey in Nova Scotia in 2008.
I won several Pageant titles including novice 7-9 Miss twirling mania in 2010, along with being the alternate for strut at the 2012 world championships in Switzerland. I moved to Ontario the summer of 2012 and found a new club in Burlington Ontario and continued my twirling journey with my new club. In my club I was able to compete at 3 international cups. First one being in British Columbia, Canada where I competed in jr.B artistic pair and ended in 8th place. Second one was Croatia where I competed in artistic group, B artistic team and winning a bronze medal, jr.b 2-baton winning the bronze medal and jr.b artistic twirl and taking home the gold medal for Canada. My third international cup was in France where I competed in sr.A solo, sr-A 2-baton, sr.A 3-baton , A team, group, and sr.an artistic pair, I ended placing 8th in 3-baton and 5th in team. The next time I competed at a world level in was at the “new” nations cup. I went to Liverpool, England in 2023
I competed in world artistic group, A team where we placed 5th overall,A adult artistic twirl, A. Adult solo, and sr.A artistic pair and placed 8th overall I also was able to go to the 2025 nations cup in Italy where I competed in A adult solo and placing 6th overall, A adult 2-baton placing 10th overall, A adult 3-baton placing 7th overall, A adult artistic twirl and A team where we placed 3rd overall. I was nominated for the 2025 Ontario sportsmanship award, along with getting the 5 years of representing Canada award. I have been a certified coach for 7 years along with a badge adjudicator.
I help the kids learn many new tricks and love to challenge them. I love watching the kids grow and love the sport more every year. I love helping build the confidence in the athletes and help them learn their own style for twirling to show their own personality while in front of a judge.
