By Kimberly Bac
The Times-Tribune

Brooke Griffin, formerly Brooke Johnson, is not only a Corbin native, but also a well-known fitness competitor. On July 19, 2009, while competing against contestants from around the world, the 27-year-old became the 2009 Fitness Universe Champion during a pageant held in Miami, Fla.

The Fitness Universe Pageant was designed to showcase the physical fitness of female competitors, while allowing them to keep their feminine appearance. Contestants were judged on numerous characteristics from showmanship to body shape. Brooke Griffin trained hard in preparation for the contest, which included scoring rounds on bikini and routine. This year, Brooke stole the show with her new “Braveheart” routine choreographed by Cathy Savage.

“I train very hard, simply because I don’t have a choice. My routine kicks my butt!” said Brooke. “I usually work out with weights and do cardio six days a week for about an hour a day. I then work on my routine five days a week for 1-2 hours each day.”

Despite Brooke’s training and focus, she was overwhelmed when she won the Fitness Universe Championships.

“The talent that surrounded me was amazing,” she said. “Any one of us could have won. It is truly a dream come true.”

Brooke’s modesty and gratitude go to show that even though she is an international fitness celebrity, and former captain of the Cincinnati Ben-Gal Cheerleaders, she never forgot her Corbin roots.

Daughter of Steve and Valerie Johnson, Brooke was born and raised in Corbin. She grew up surrounded by her close-knit family, including her two sisters Amanda and Cara Johnson. All of her family still lives in Corbin, and she has many friends that live in, and around, Corbin and London.

One of Brooke’s fondest memories of growing up in Corbin was when she went to the Root Beer Stand with her family.

“I can remember waiting all winter for it to reopen,” Brooke explained, “and then we would go with our mother and father to get root beer floats.”

Brooke Griffin was always an active child, so her interest in fitness began at an early age. She began gymnastics classes at age three, and trained at Damar Gymnastics and Baptist Family Fitness, both in Corbin. Brooke also competed in cheerleading and track and field. She said her West Knox Elementary School gym teacher, Leann Strunk, gave her the drive to succeed.

“She is the best gym teacher in the state… we have stayed in touch since the 6th grade.” Brooke went on to say, “…I really give her credit for where my life has taken me thus far in fitness.”

As a 2000 graduate of South Laurel High School, Brooke went on to attend the University of Kentucky, where she was a member of UK’s National Championship Cheerleading Squad. Brooke was interviewed as a UK Cheerleader for the NBC 20/20 news special called, “University of Kentucky Cheerleading Dynasty.” In 2004, Brooke earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UK. Brooke said that going to college was the biggest break in her career.

“I could have never won the cheerleading championships, perform in the NFL, and now be a fitness champion without having attended college.” Brooke continued, “I think that getting an education is the single most important thing anyone can do for themselves and their future careers.”

Brooke has had an extensive fitness and performance career. She was captain of the Cincinnati Ben-Gal Cheerleaders after she made the team in spring 2006. Brooke said that being an NFL cheerleader was an amazing experience that gave her many opportunities.

She said of her cheerleading experience, “I made lifelong friends, and I still get chills thinking about performing in front of 60,000 fans during a Monday Night Football game.”

These days Brooke is working hard to achieve both her fitness and business goals. Even though Brooke is the Fitness Universe Champion, she already has her sights set on earning a Pro Card at the National Physique Committee (NPC) USA Nationals fitness competition in September.

“I will then have professional status and hopefully one day be able to compete at the Arnold and the Olympia with the pros,” Brooke said.

Brooke also has several business projects in the works. She plans to get more women involved in fitness competitions, write fitness and wellness articles, develop an online fitness program, create work-out DVDs, and start a fitness clothing line. Thus far, she has been featured in several magazines and print ads including, GQ Magazine, Oxygen Fitness Magazine, and Under Armour Fitness Apparel catalogs.

One of Brooke’s next projects is to launch a non-profit organization. The organization, which will launch in the fall, is designed to educate and promote childhood obesity awareness.

“I… want to reach out to local elementary, middle, and high schools,” Brooke said of her non-profit goals, “and to educate today’s youth on the importance of eating healthy and living an active lifestyle.”

Educating people about healthy living, and teaching them how to achieve their fitness goals is Brooke’s true passion. According to Brooke, beginning healthier habits is easier than it seems.

“Making one or two positive changes each day will eventually grow into a healthy lifestyle.” Brooke said, “It can’t happen overnight, but in time, you can make great strides.”

To encourage her clients, Brooke shares with them a simple and true quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson.

She said, “I tell clients that we are only given one chance at life, so ‘Make the most of yourself for that is all there is of you.’”

Brooke’s values of hard work, taking responsibility for your life, and always showing gratitude, are some of the lessons she learned while growing up in Corbin. These are lessons that she lives by every day, and she wants to teach them to her future children.

Brooke Johnson Griffin currently resides in northern Kentucky with her husband Chris, an attorney and former bodybuilder. She will soon be welcoming her parents to the area. After living in Corbin for 50 years, her parents, Steve and Valerie Johnson, are moving to northern Kentucky to be near Brooke and her sisters. Brooke Griffin is a true example of how a good upbringing can have a long-lasting, positive influence.

For more information about Brooke Johnson Griffin or view her winning routine, visit her website at brookegriffin.com.

Brooke will also be featured in the August edition of Fitness Plus Magazine.

Spreading the Word: Cheerleaders in London
Buccaneers.com

Jul 14, 2009 – Their outfits drew looks, as is usually the case, frankly. In this case, however, some of the stares were born of confusion.

As it turns out, a Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders outfit is a real attention-getter in London, even more so than those wearing the uniforms expected. That’s true throughout the United Kingdom, actually…and that’s a good thing, because the half-dozen Buccaneers Cheerleaders who recently took a five-day promotional tour of the U.K. were there specifically to draw attention.

“Everyone loved us when we were there,” beamed Kelli Jones, one of the six Bucs Cheerleaders to make the trip in late June and early July along with Cheerleading Manager Sandy Charboneau. “At first, people didn’t really know why we were there or why we were dressed the way we were, because American football is not as big in Europe as soccer.”

Jones and her teammates were happy to fill in the blanks for any interested onlookers: They were in the U.K. to promote the 2009 American Bowl game between the Buccaneers and the New England Patriots. The Bucs and Patriots will face each other in London’s Wembley Stadium on October 25, marking the third consecutive year in which the NFL has staged one of its regular-season games at that site.

The first two American Bowl games in London — Miami vs. the New York Giants in 2007 and New Orleans vs. San Diego last year — were big hits among NFL fans in the United Kingdom. The league expects intense interest in the Tampa Bay-New England clash, too, and the Bucs’ Cheerleaders aimed to add to the growing excitement.

“We were there promoting the game, promoting the Buccaneers and trying to rally support for the game in October,” explained Jones. “So far I hear they’ve sold 70,000 tickets and they’re looking to sell at least 10,000 more. I think with our P.R. tour around U.K. we did a pretty good job.”

Jones and Charboneau were joined on the trip by fellow cheerleaders Anna Duncan, Roseanne Strobel, Tiffany Jimenez, Sara Tetzler and Stephanie Mookas. The Bucs’ most enthusiastic rooters have been globetrotters of late; another group of 12 cheerleaders recently returned form a tour of military bases in Japan and Guam.

The crew that went to Europe didn’t confine their efforts to London; they toured much of the United Kingdom, spreading the word about the Bucs’ impending visit from Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland to Brighton, Sheffield, Newcastle and other spots in England. When the Buccaneers return as a full team in October, their six visiting cheerleaders from the summer will be able to show the rest of the squad around. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders plan to arrive in London a week before the game to attend various events and promote the game again.

For Jones, the return visit will be a welcome one. Her advance trip with a handful of teammates was a five-day whirlwind of appearances and sightseeing, and unlike anything she had experienced before.

“I had never been overseas before, so it was very exciting me to make the trip,” gushed Jones. “I can actually say, ‘Oh, I was in London last week.’ How cool is that? It was nonstop but it was totally worth it. How often can you say you went to Europe and you got to see Scotland and all these castles and Buckingham Palace? Everybody can’t say that. It was an awesome trip. All the girls had such a good time.”

They made sure the people they met did, too. That was especially true during a trio of stops in Glasgow, Newcastle and Brighton, where the cheerleaders held clinics on their craft with groups of local children. Conducting such camps is nothing new to the cheerleaders, but it was a novel experience for the kids they encountered.

“It’s always fun to be around kids and see how excited they can be. I think that was probably the best part of the trip. Most of the kids were unfamiliar with American football, and cheerleaders in particular because cheerleading isn’t a big thing in the U.K. So they received us very well. They were so excited for us to be there. That was a lot of fun, hanging out with the kids. The surroundings were different, but kids like to have fun no matter where you are, so that was great. That was probably where we made the biggest impact.”

Whether in schools, on the streets or at Wimbledon — where they were interviewed for a British television network — the visiting cheerleaders did their best to represent the Buccaneers proudly.

“When we’re in uniform, we’re in a Buccaneers mindset,” said Jones. “It’s the Buccaneers, 24/7, no matter where we go. Just walking into a hotel, we know we’re representing the Buccaneers. That is constantly on our minds. We always knew what our purpose was while we were there: to represent the Bucs and the NFL as a whole in Europe. We’re trying to help spread American football around the world.”

That is the NFL’s ultimate goal, of course, and it has found a strong foothold in London. The games in 2007 and 2008 drew huge crowds, and the Buccaneers already have an impressive and loyal fan base in London. From the feedback she and her teammates received during their five days in the U.K., Jones believes this year’s game will prove to be very popular.

“I’m told the previous two games have been sold out, and I think we drummed up some more support with our media blitz,” said Jones. “We at least got the word out, so hopefully that will lead to some word-of-mouth and some added interest. I think it’s going to be a pretty big deal by the time we get there.”

By Ariana

* Photo Gallery and Video Highlights*

Last week, myself and some of the other cheerleaders were invited to take part in some promotional video clips.

On the first day, Jennifer, Pamela, Ashton and I took a variety of different clips where we danced, kicked, jumped and did lots of hair flips! The video camera was filming in slow motion so it was very interesting to see our every motion in detail. We also were able to do some solo video clips. For example, I was jumping on a mini trampoline while some of the other girls were dancing in the background. It came out fabulous!

On the second day of shooting, we had a group of 12 cheerleaders filming clips together. In groups, we danced and did some fun shots with Dolphins fans! Playing off our new stadium name, Land Shark Stadium, the Dolphins fans and the cheerleaders practiced our “FINS UP” that we’ll be performing at the games. When we had extra time, the film crew set up a special Plexiglas stage with lights underneath, strobe lights and fog machines. It was a very artistic and creative look that will really give our fans something new to see!

Overall we all had a great time filming both days and we can’t wait to see the final outcome!

- Ariana

Mark Burnett, the producer of Survivor, has a new television series — part history documentary, part reality show. Expedition Africa: Stanley and Livingstone, an eight-part series starting May 31 on the History Channel, is Mr. Burnett’s latest foray into the wilderness. The series sends a team of high-energy, frequently fractious, quasi-professional explorers on a trip to recreate Stanley’s 1871 journey to find Livingstone, the lost titan of African exploration.

One of the four explorers is former Miami Dolphins Cheerleader, Dr. Mireya Mayor, who earned her PhD in Anthropology.

“I gave up my pompons and walked off to go to Guyana,” Ms. Mayor said. “The other cheerleaders said, ‘You’re going to leave all this and chase monkeys without hot showers and hair dryers?’ ”

Expedition Africa: Stanley and Livingstone premieres Sunday, May 31 at 10pm/9C on the History Channel.

[Dr. Mireya Mayor at HistoryChannel.com]

[Mireya Mayor Bio]

[NYT Review]

People Magazine reports:

Jilted by Jason Mesnick on the season finale of The Bachelor, Melissa Rycroft will rebound nicely — on Dancing With the Stars, PEOPLE has learned.

Rycroft, 25, is to fill the slot vacated by Access Hollywood host Nancy O’Dell, who had to withdraw from the competition on March 5 due to a knee injury. According to a source close to the production, the Dallas beauty, who has had only days to rehearse, is expected to perform live on Dancing’s Monday premiere.

Melissa is the third former Pro Cheerleader/Dancer to appear on Dancing with the Stars. Former Miami Heat Dancer Trista Rehn-Sutter was the first contestant eliminated in the show’s premiere season, while former Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader Stacy Keibler finished in third in the show’s second season.

Raiderette Cole’s Visit to Japan
February 24, 2009
Raiders.com

* Video interview with Raiderette Cole *

Recently, veteran Raiderette Cole had the opportunity, along with seven other NFL cheerleaders, to visit Japan and work with NFL Japan on several initiatives and awareness campaigns with regard to NFL football. Cole took time out to chronicle her experiences. Also, Raiders.com’s Jeanette Thompson had a chance to sit down with Cole for a one-on-one video interview upon Cole’s return from Japan.

By Raiderette Cole

This is my very first time traveling to Japan, and I am so honored to be representing the NFL, and the Oakland Raiders on this tour. Thank you for inviting me to share my experience with the Raider Nation.

I met with all the team representatives that will be participating in the tour, and Maria Giannini, the director of E2k entertainment production company, at San Francisco International Airport. The ladies I went on tour with included Lauren – San Francisco 49ers; Lindsay – New England Patriots; Melanie – Seattle Seahawks; Fabiola – Miami Dolphins; Kazuyo – NY Jets; Marisa – San Diego Chargers; and Lauren – Philadelphia Eagles. Lauren, from the Eagles however, arrived later than the rest of us due to the playoffs.

I was very fortunate to sit next to such a great couple on my flight over to Japan. Americans Mary and Mark have lived in Japan for over 25 years. They were so generous to share details about the Japanese culture. They explained the currency, or the “yen” rather. I’ve never seen such a more beautiful currency than the Yen.

The 13-hour flight flew by because I was in such great company. We deplaned, hopped on a charter bus and headed to our hotel, The New Otani, which is gorgeous! We checked into our rooms and walked to a nearby local restaurant to eat our first Japanese-style meal. We had to take off our shoes to enter, and they gave us lockers to store our things. Kazuio, with the Jets, is originally from Tokyo, Japan. So she is very familiar with the area and more importantly she was able to communicate for all of us because she speaks fluent Japanese. We are all so grateful she is here because she is teaching us so much. We couldn’t have asked for better hands-on education. We have such a busy agenda coming up, so we went back to our rooms to get some sleep.

Day 1:
We all met at the top of The New Otani Tower for breakfast, and a kick off meeting with the team from NFL Japan. We learned, in more detail, about what is to be expected of us on this trip and the messages they really want us to communicate to gain a larger fan base here in Japan. Basically our mission was to communicate in our interviews key points about NFL football as if we were explaining the sport to someone for the very first time. We are introducing the sport and motivating them to tune in [to NFL football].

After our meeting we went straight to the studio and got to work. I led the team through a group stretch and then we practiced three sideline routines together. We had already learned the material via DVD prior to our departure. So when we got together it was basically cleaning the routines, formations, and just learning to dance together, as we all come from different teams, with different styles. Everyone was so professional, and prepared that practice went by quickly. We broke for lunch and then traveled by subway into the city where we were able to explore and sightsee a bit. When we returned to the hotel Lauren from the Eagles had arrived. She was my roommate for the remainder of the trip. We all went to Trader Vics for dinner, and quickly got ready for our first performance together. “Sporto” is the highest rated sports program on Fuji TV. It was a LIVE appearance, and it airs at midnight, which seems late for the most popular sports show, and is really late for us because we are still adjusting to the time difference, and have jet lag. However we managed to put on a great show, which consisted of one dance performance to Christina Aguilera’s “Keeps getting Better,” and an interview session with us as a group. We got back to the hotel around 1:00 a.m. to get some sleep.

Day 2:
Up at 6:30 a.m., and at 8 a.m. we had a quick group breakfast at the hotel then we got on our official NFL Japan Tour bus. We headed to the “Star Maker Studios” in Shiba, for a photo shoot. This was an extra special shoot because we were all posing in our team identified uniforms together for our “Team Photo Card.” This photo card will be used to sign autographs, and is given to the fans at our appearances.

Immediately after the shoot we went back to the hotel to practice. From practice we went to the Yokota Air Base. At this appearance we had to perform our solo introduction, all three sideline dance routines, and a trivia session with the audience. Each cheerleader made up two questions to ask the audience, one question was to be a difficult question, and the second to be easy. My difficult trivia question was a historical one, what is the name of the first Raider player ever to be inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame? Answer, my favorite, Jim Otto. My easy trivia question was who is the owner of The Oakland Raiders? Answer, Al Davis, of course (too easy). We then followed up this event with an autograph session and photo session. Then we went back to the hotel to change and we went to Zen in Roppongi for an amazing sushi dinner.

Day 3:
022409 Cole performs with NFL cheerleadersUp at 6 a.m., 8 a.m. group breakfast at the New Otani, immediately followed by a dance rehearsal for about an hour. Then we loaded up our tour bus and headed to Venus Fort, Odaiba for the event I have been looking forward to most, The NFL Cheer Challenge 2009. This event was such a special event because the Japanese dance teams were to compete, and we were to judge the competition. Over 200 fans showed up for this event. The competition consisted of teams with ages that range from 4 to 19. The performances were amazing, high energy, and great choreography, and technique. I especially enjoyed the younger girls, they were so cute, and we all were so impressed with how they managed to retain all the material for their dance routines. There were two awards given out, and the competition was fierce. We then performed with Q and A session and interview to follow.

Then we walked back to Fuji TV for “Mezamashi,” another TV appearance, this a morning show. We were all interviewed regarding our experience in Japan, our experience as NFL cheerleaders, and of course the Super Bowl. From there we went NTV which stands for Nittelle Television. NTV is the #1 watch network in Japan. The program we were on is “Urugusa” which is the #1 sports program in Japan, and we performed again LIVE at midnight. On this show we performed “Just Dance” by Lady Gaga, followed by an interview. This was a long, fun and productive day.

Day 4:
022409 Cole performs on Japanese TVOur first event was a viewing party at a western-style restaurant, where we mingled with the 100 plus fans that showed, signed autographs on our photo cards, and met with the executives for Coors Light Japan. This event ended with follow up interview for a behind-the-scenes segment they will be using for NFL Japan.com.

After this event we freshened up and went to Dentsu, Japan’s #1 Advertising Agency. This was not on our original Itinerary, this was an added special meeting because of all our exposure, the Dentsu executives invited us for a round-table meeting, Very intense. We introduced ourselves, answered questions regarding our respective teams, the Super Bowl, and our experience in Japan. This was a very exciting meeting, intense, but exciting because Dentsu is a very powerful company and can give NFL Japan top exposure.

After our meeting we walked to NTV studios for another LIVE performance on “Real Time.” Then we went to the TV shooting of “NFL Club.” We filmed this segment on location at “Ukaitei” restaurant. The setting was a traditional Japanese-style dinning and featured real authentic Japanese cuisine. We were to eat and enjoy the meal that is prepared for us, as we are being interviewed as guests on the show. Rather unusual setting, however delicious and fun. Nachi Abe joined us as a surprise guest. He is an ex-NFL football player with experience with NFL Europa and is now in broadcasting in Japan.

Then we went back to NTV studios for our usual midnight LIVE appearance but this time on “News Zero.” Were we a featured on the sports corner of the program. We performed our solo routines, followed by interviews. Then we went right back to the hotel to rest a bit before our next appearance.

Day 5:
022409 Cole and cheerleaders gets ready for video shootUp at 4:00 a.m., call time 5 a.m. We headed back to NTV studios for an early morning show called “Zoom-In Super.” This show is equal to “Good Morning America” in the United States.

IT WAS FREEZING! They had us perform outside. They gave us huge down jackets and coffee to stay warm. We took our coats off literally seconds before our performance. Immediately after our performances the hosts of the show interviewed us as we shivered in our uniforms. At least I have sleeves, if you watch the clip Fabiola from Miami is shivering uncontrollably. We then wrapped up the show, joining the hosts say their famous catch phrase, “Zoom-In”

We went back to the hotel to rest for a bit, because we only had three hours sleep the night before. After resting we jumped on our tour bus, with our NFL entourage and went to Asakusa, Harajuku for some sightseeing and shopping on the Takeshita Dori street. This is where we were able to get our friends, family, and teammates souvenir gifts. We visited the Temple, and were blessed by the smoke with health, wealth and happiness.

Later that day we arrived in Shibuya for a quick dance rehearsal, and changed for our next performance, which was actually my favorite performance of our tour. This event was called “The NFL Night Special.” This was a talk show/ performance/ Super Bowl trivia/ Live event. The venue had a nightclub feel with great lighting, and was sold out with a capacity of 200. We performed all three dance routines. We had a Q and A segment. Then the award-winning dancers form the Cheer Challenge performed. We did a raffle drawing for prizes (team autographed footballs and t-shirts). Then we had our challenge, The Super Bowl Trivia Challenge. Audience members were selected at random to form a team and they were to compete with us! It was a close match. However they won by only one point, they were very knowledgeable. We ended this event with a photo session. After the event we shot a quick commercial teaser for “Sporto Ladies Day.” Then we ate at the Hard Rock Cafe Tokyo, for well-deserved American-style burgers!

Day 6:
022409 Cole in JapanUp at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m. group breakfast. It was starting to sink in that our trip was coming to an end. We all started to get a little sad because this was our final day, and final performance. We got on our tour bus and went to J-POP cafe in Shibuya. The TV shooting for NHK’s “Best Sports” show. We performed one final dance routine, to “Keeps Getting Better,” which was so fitting because we had all gotten better, and each of us had grown so much from this experience. From traveling to Japan, to celebrating our NFL, to sharing what we are a part of in our individual organizations, and celebrating our communities. It made me feel so proud to be an NFL cheerleader, and justified my role as a role model within our community and as an ambassador for our organization.

That evening we had a farewell dinner at the famous restaurant Nobo. NFL Japan presented us with a very special necklace which I found to be so generous and thoughtful. If there is one thing I could expose to you all about the Japanese culture, it is that the people are so polite, kind, and generous. We went out that evening and explored the night club scene in Tokyo. Interestingly enough, they all play American music!

Day 7:
We said our goodbye’s to the NFL Japan crew, which took such great care of us. We exchanged email addresses and contact information with all the members of the tour, and I slept the entire plane ride home.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank The Oakland Raiders, Karen Kovac, Maria Giannini, E2k entertainment, Jiro San, NFL Japan, and the NFL for this opportunity. I feel so blessed to be able to live out my dream of being an NFL cheerleader. This is an experience I will cherish because it validated my purpose in this great sport we are all so passionate about, and my contribution as an ambassador for our organization.

Many Cheers!
Cole

By Madeleine Marr
The Miami Herald
02.16.09

Ashley Allen caused a scene at her local Barnes & Noble in Boca Raton on Thursday. That’s when the rookie Miami Heat dancer, 20, got her first look at her spread in the 2009 Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

”I was jumping up and down with my mother,” Allen said Friday on her way to Disney World. “She is so proud — she knows how hard I’ve worked to get here. And to be chosen as a rookie, wow!”

Last fall, after SI selected Allen — who sent the magazine a picture of herself in a skimpy training outfit — she and nine other NBA dancers were flown to New York for the one-day shoot. They posed at a downtown pier from 8 in the morning till 8 at night.

Though Allen, a double-major in communications and business at Florida Atlantic University, is thrilled, she realizes now the pressure is on to look good.

”I’ve got to continue watching my eating habits and training really hard,” Allen says, adding, “Our outfits are a little bit revealing.”

Also, such international exposure can be career-altering: the issue’s cover gal, Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriend Bar Refaeli, is really on the map now.

”I’m still trying to process it all,” Allen says. “I haven’t gotten used to the idea.”

Are the other Heat dancers just a little bit jealous?

“Not at all. They know everyone has their moment in time to shine.”

Short look at Fly Khicks (former Miami Heat Dancers) from our good friend Aubrey Aquino. They’ve made it to the final three on this season’s America’s Best Dance Crew.

Aubrey has also been busy at the Super Bowl and the NBA All-Star Game. See what else she’s been up to at AubreyAquino.com.