But Amanda Cameron says contest, Super Bowl experience were winners

By Dan Bennett
The North County Times

Landing the job of NFL Director of Fandemonium is good work if you can get it, and Solana Beach resident Amanda Cameron came awfully close.

Cameron, 29, was one of two finalists for the honorary position, finishing second to Miami Dolphins fan Ralph Lanier Jr. when the winner was announced during pregame festivities for Sunday’s Super Bowl in Miami. Though the NFL Director of Fandemonium is not an actual job, the contest winner receives $100,000 and travels to numerous high-profile NFL games and events during the next year, representing football fans everywhere.

Lanier and Cameron spent the week leading to the Super Bowl participating in a variety of competitions designed to demonstrate their love for football and their total dedication to the game.

“I’m bummed that I didn’t win, of course, but it was an amazing experience and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Cameron said Monday just before boarding a return flight to San Diego.

“It was a fantastic week,” she added. “I had a couple of friends with me and we went to parties and had a great time, then the game itself was fantastic. Really, it was everything I could hope for.”

The contest was a promotional partnership between the jobs board Web site Monster.com and the National Football League. The winner was chosen by fans who voted on a Web site dedicated to the contest, and the competition also included interviews with former NFL players and other game experts.

As runner-up, Cameron receives $10,000.

A San Diego State University graduate, she works in brand management and media relations at Sea World and is a member of the Padres baseball team cheerleaders the Pad Squad.

In the Fandemonium contest, she started as one of 200,000 hopefuls and eventually made it as far as the final two, using Web sites such as Facebook and Twitter to publicize her campaign and lobby for votes.

Even though she didn’t win the honorary job, she said the contest may have shaped future career possibilities.

“I’ve realized even more how much I love sports,” Cameron said. “I think sports marketing is something I might want to get into.”

For now, she said, she’s just savoring the opportunities the contest brought her.

“I went to New York for the first time, and the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl for the first time, so I’m not going to cry in the corner,” Cameron said. “The entire experience has been a blessing.”

Click the links below for photos from the recent Mermaid tryouts.
[Gallery 1]
[Gallery 2]

The Finalists from the Mermaids Open Auditions will move on to perform at the Marlins Mermaids Audition Finals Show. Prior to the show, the Finalist will be put through a week of intensive dance training & at the Mermaids Audition Finals Boot Camp.

The 2010 Marlins Mermaids Squad will be announced at the Marlins Mermaids Audition Finals Show. The Marlins Mermaids Auditions Finals show will be at Seminole Hard Rock Casino on Friday, January 22, 2010 at 9 p.m.

[Florida Marlins Mermaids]

Is it too early to start thinking about baseball season? Apparently not!

[Marlins Mermaid Auditions]

Major League Baseball’s Florida Marlins have Sideline Distractions of their own…the Marlins Mermaids! Stay tuned as Mermaid Dancer Carin chats it up, On The Flipside!

[On The Flipside]

[Aubrey Aquino]

[Florida Marlins Mermaids]

New profiles are online!. Go there now.

By Sarah Lysne
Post-Bulletin, Austin MN
8/24/2009
[Diamond Dancers Website]

Sandy Larson, of Austin, has watched her granddaughter dance for years — since she was in the Just for Kix program in Austin.

Now that Kaitlan Heiny is dancing with the Milwaukee Brewers Dance Team, the Diamond Dancers, Larson’s perhaps as proud as she was watching her at her first recital.

“Every time I watch her dance, I cry. I have been crying since she was in grade school and dancing with the Just For Kix program in Austin,” Larson said.

Larson credits the Just For Kix dance instructors for being a driving force in her granddaughter’s love of dance.

Heiny is a 2007 graduate of Austin High School and the daughter of Susan and John Howe, of Austin.

The Diamond Dancers dance team has been in existence since 2004. It performs at the Milwaukee Brewers weekend home games. It is also involved in charity and sponsored events throughout the community, including programs and classes for children and adults.

Heiny was one of 26 dancers chosen from more than 100 who tried out for the team last winter. She then spent a month learning the routines and requirements in “boot camp.” After camp, Heiny was selected as part of the 24-member dance team.

“Some of the other members chosen had been on the team last year, but each year they have to try out again,” Heiny said. “I always dreamed of continuing with dance after high school, but I never thought I would be dancing professionally.”

Heiny started dancing with AHS’ Dance Team in eighth grade. During her five years on the team, she competed in the jazz and high kick competitions, and the team placed third at state competitions four out of the five years.

This will be Heiny’s third year on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee dance team, the Panthers, and her first year as a team captain. She is a junior at UWM and is pursuing a degree in nursing.

Heiny is proving that her love of dance at age 10 was just the beginning of the endless opportunities available to those who want to work hard and are not afraid of competition.

Her advice to anyone who wants to continue to dance after high school is, “You can make it happen for yourself. Try out for as many teams as possible, and don’t give up.”

First 5,000 fans on Aug. 30 to receive 2009-2010 edition

Major League Baseball’s premier dance team celebrated the unveiling of their latest calendar with a fashion show and party at one of Miami’s hottest clubs.

Chelsea (left) and Alessandra were revealed as the latest Mermaids calendar cover girls

The Marlins Mermaids strutted their stuff at the exclusive LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau Miami Beach on Friday night as they debuted their 2009-2010 calendar before a packed venue.

The Mermaids, which were recently named the second sexiest job in Miami by E! Entertainment’s Sexiest Miami Jobs, modeled designs by LF Miami, Nikki’s Beach House Boutique and Eva Danielle to the latest beats as a crowd of fans cheered them on. The ladies also performed some of their dance routines before revealing the highly anticipated cover of this year’s calendar.

Chelsea and Alessandra, a pair of second-year Mermaids, celebrated after they were revealed as the latest Marlins Mermaids calendar cover girls. Both Mermaids made the calendar as rookies but never expected to have the honor of gracing the latest cover on the Mermaids calendar.

“It’s a really amazing feeling,” Chelsea said. “Being a Mermaid has been so much fun for me. It’s been the best thing I have ever done. The Mermaids have given me a lot of opportunities to further my career as well as make a ton of great friends.”

Alessandra agrees with her cover mate and was equally as surprised when DJ M. DOT, the official Marlins DJ and Friday night’s master of ceremonies, revealed this year’s cover for all to see.

“It was shocking,” Alessandra said. “It’s such a big deal to make the cover and I never would have thought I was going to be one of the ones to get on it. It was a lot of fun participating in the making of this calendar and I’m really excited to have been chosen as a cover model.”

The calendar, which contains twelve months of sizzling hot photos of some of Miami’s sexiest ladies, will be exclusively distributed one day only. The first 5,000 fans in attendance at the series finale against the San Diego Padres on Aug. 30 will receive a Marlins Mermaids calendar. The game starts at 1:10 at Land Shark Stadium

[Florida Marlins Mermaids]

Back in June the South Jersey town of Pitman held its Community Appreciation Day. Lots of food, fund and entertainment were the order of the day. Loyal reader Mike was there and sent us a few photos.

Sixers Dancers do the hula

Phillies Ball Girls

Sixers Dancers Chenell and Lauren
[Philadelphia Phillies Ball Girls]

[Philadelphia Sixers Dancers]