Yes, the baseball season ins’t even over yet and the Marlins have announced the audition date for the 2011 Mermaids.

From Marlins.com:

With the end in sight for the 2010 baseball season, the Florida Marlins announced today their call for talented and energetic South Floridians interested in joining the Mermaids for the 2011 season. Open auditions will be held on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at the Peacock Foundation Studio in the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County (located at 1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, 33132).

The Marlins Mermaids are Major League Baseball’s first and hottest dance/energy squad. The team is seeking dynamic and talented young women who have drive and passion to perform and entertain for Marlins fans. The Marlins Mermaids perform at all Marlins home games and represent the Marlins at various community events throughout the season. Mermaid hopefuls must be 18 years or older, arrive in dance attire and shoes and bring a resume and headshot. Registration will open at 11:00 a.m. with auditions beginning at 11:30 a.m.

A select number of Mermaid hopefuls will be chosen from the January 23 open auditions to take part in the Mermaids Boot Camp before competing in the Final Audition Show. During the Final Audition Show, three members of the brand new Mermaids team will be selected to join the Marlins contingent traveling overseas for the 2nd annual Marlins Visit the Troops trip in early February.

Click here for a couple of photos from the Ben-Gals’ appearance at a recent Cincinnati Reds baseball game.

If I had abs like that, I would never wear a shirt like that. I’d spend the whole day looking at my own stomach like “holy crap, do you guys SEE this?”

Tonight the Mermaids will unveil their 2010-2011 calendar (July-June) with a fashion show at Gulfstream Park’s MI-VI nightclub (901 S. Federal Highway, Hallandale Beach). Best thing: Admission is free for those 18 and older. Info: mi6ent.com, 954-457-6464.

[Florida Marlins Mermaids]

When the Miss USA Pageant aired a couple of weeks ago we neglected to mention that Miss Wisconsin USA 2010 Courtney Lopez is a member of the Milwaukee Brewers Diamond Dancers. Courtney was also Miss Wisconsin Teen USA 2008.

[Milwaukee Brewers Diamond Dancers]

[Miss Wisconsin USA]

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]