Vote for the Big League Cheerleader of the Year – NOT.

In Australia, the big sport is rugby. Their National Rugby League (NRL) is, I think the Down Under equivalent to the NFL. (Interesting factoid: Although it is Australia’s league, there is one team from New Zealand. Kind of like the Raptors are included in the NBA. Another interesting factoid: all of the teams are clustered along the Eastern perimeter of the country. They aren’t spread out over the whole of Australia. No clue why that is.)

There are 16 clubs in the league, and all but one have a cheer team. The one that doesn’t is the South Sydney Rabbitohs. They used to have cheerleaders, called the “Bunnies” (of course), but Russell Crowe put the kibosh on that when he got involved with the club’s leadership. Yes, that Russell Crowe. Not that we care about him.

Every year, each of the fifteen remaining teams nominates two cheerleaders for the “Big League Cheerleader of the Year.” Big League is, I gather, a major sport magazine. In the first round, voters decide which of the two reps from each team will compete against the other teams. Once they’ve narrowed it down to one cheerleader from each team, then they vote to select THE winnner. I think they do 2×2 matchups. The one who wins the whole shebang is named Cheerleader of the Year. I don’t know what all that entails. Maybe just bragging rights. But still, those are some pretty rad bragging rights. You can tell everyone that YOU are #1 out of the whole entire league.

We should try that here. Presenting the UltimateCheerleaders.com NFL Cheerleader of the Year…year…year…year (< --that's the impressive-sounding echo.) Come on, who wouldn’t want that title?

Sidebar: Big ups for The Pom Pom Paparazzi. This is a shout out that’s been on my to-do list for ages. The site is administered by a Hayley, a current member of the Manly Sea Eagles Sea Birds. She provides a birds-eye view (bad pun intended) of the world professional cheerleading in the National Rugby League. DO check it out. TODAY. [click here]

But back to the subject at hand. The NRL season is winding down (Finals start in August), and so it is also time to wrap up this year’s cheerleader vote. Unfortunately, you and I are furriners, so we don’t get to vote. Regardless, this is a good time to take a look at this year’s NRL cheerleader squads. Shall we?

We shall.

  1. Brisbane Broncos Cheer Squad – Mariah

  2. Canberra Raiders (Raiderettes) – Shaunee

  3. Canterbury Bulldogs (Belles) – Darcie

  4. Cronulla Sharks (Mermaids) – Joanna

  5. Gold Coast Titans (Sirens) – Leah

  6. Manly Sea Eagles Cheerleaders (Sea Birds) – Belle

  7. Melbourne Storm (Stormers) – Eloise

  8. Newcastle Knights (Maidens) – Crystal

  9. New Zealand Warriors Cheerleaders – Megan

  10. North Queensland Cowboys Cheer Squad – Prue

  11. Parramatta Eels Cheerleaders – Leah

  12. Penrith Panthers – Amy

  13. St George Illawarra Dragons (The Flames) – Tahlia

  14. Sydney Roosters Cheerleaders – Madeleine

  15. Wests Tigers – Sam

Congrats to all the ladies in the running, and best of luck to you all.

The Other Raiderettes

Raiders cheerleaders play with power and style
Jenna Clarke
Canberra Times (Australia)
May 20, 2013

[photo gallery]

The bad boys of the Canberra Raiders like disgraced former star Josh Dugan could learn a thing or two about discipline, hard work and personal branding from the 17 scantily clad women who cheer them on at every home game.

The smiling Raiderettes – the women who spend the majority of a freezing Canberra winter accessorising the aforementioned grins with crop tops and fish nets – put the ”leader” in ”cheerleader”.

While they didn’t pick up the pom poms for the NRL’s official Women in League round when the Raiders lost to the Cronulla Sharks at Sharks Stadium on the weekend, Raiderettes coach Kait, who has been a part of the official squad for six years, says the Raiders community has more girl power than Beyonce.

”All the canteen mums, the physiotherapists, the receptionists at the club are so highly regarded,” Kait said. ”I’ve been involved with the club for around seven years and it’s a great, female-friendly environment. I actually say to the girls at every home game, ‘Not everyone watches what we do but remember to smile as your mum is out there watching’. It’s funny but really nice that all of our mums come to games to cheer us on.”

For Kait, spray tans, hair flicking and thigh slapping is just one, albeit shiny, aspect of her life.

By day, the 23-year-old University of Canberra graduate is climbing the corporate ladder in her classified government job.

Fellow Raiderette ”veteran”, 22-year-old Sam, who has also been with the squad for six years, juggles full-time study – she’s completing a degree in business informatics – with a full-time job as a legal assistant. Cheerleading is her hobby and dancing her passion.

Kait and Sam are the Raiderettes’ version of the friendship between players Sandor Earl and Blake Ferguson, also known as ”#Dorguson”.

Kait and Sam

During rehearsals they laugh, joke and poke fun at each other and finish each other’s sentences. Although they admit they would rather drink Red Bull than green tea – the boys’ drink of choice. They originally decided to try out for the Raiderettes after being encouraged to do so by their childhood dancing teacher.

”All of the girls are so talented and strong – seriously, we are like heavy lifters thanks to all the routines which involve us tossing girls in the air, but we’ve all been dancing or doing gymnastics since we were all really young. Cheerleading is one way we can continue to keep doing what we enjoy,” Sam said.

Each dancer must undertake individual weights training, strengthening and cardio fitness and also attend a four-hour training session each week to learn new routines.

The Canberra Times went along to one of the high-intensity sessions where formations for upcoming home games were discussed and learnt.

Their professionalism filters down to the squad’s fraternisation with the team. ”We do socialise together sometimes but only really after Saturday games, other than that the players do their thing and we do ours,” Kait said.

”Because Canberra is so small and the club has a real community feel about it, the cheerleaders and players are most likely related to each other rather than in relationships with each other.”

In response to the Raiders scandalous start to the year caused by off-the field dramas of Ferguson and Dugan, she said there were strict rules regarding personal conduct which each member of the squad adheres to when joining the Raiderettes.

”It’s not just about being pretty – if you can’t hold a conversation, be charming and engage with the crowd, the fans and the general public then doing this and being a Raiderette isn’t for you,” Kait said.

Cheer Feature from Down Under

Flames cheerleaders out to bust ‘dumb blonde’ myth
By ANGELA THOMPSON
Illawarra Mercury
May 16, 2013, 10 p.m.

NRL cheerleader Jessica Gallimore loves the roar of the crowd and being on the field when the atmosphere lifts at big games.

Less endearing, though, are the comments. She gets them at every game, shouted from the sidelines or from cars driving past the stadium.

“[Comments] range from ‘you look good’ to things I can’t repeat,” said 23-year-old Miss Gallimore, who has cheered with Wests Tigers and, now, with the St George Illawarra Flames.

“There’s always some young, drunk guy yelling out … things like wanting to take you home and what they would do to you. I wouldn’t say it’s flattering at all to be spoken to like that.

“I’m always really self-conscious about what people there with families are thinking.

“[Those making the comments] wouldn’t objectify their own mother or daughter or sister. Don’t treat us any different to how you treat them.”

Miss Gallimore and fellow Flames member Stephanie Buncombe are part of a push to debunk the “cheerleader myth” on the eve of the NRL’s Women in League round this weekend.

According to Miss Gallimore the myth – which casts cheerleaders as “girls that just dance [with] blonde hair, big boobs” – is outdated, if it were ever true.

She points to the occupations of Flames members and her own academic achievements – a double degree in Dance and PDHPE from the Australian College of Physical Education and, in progress, a bachelor of social science in criminology and criminal justice at the University of Western Sydney – as proof that the stereotype is undeserved.

It’s a slow news week, so let’s see what’s new Down Under

Hog’s Breath Cafe Sirens to wow fans
Gold Coast Titans
12 Mar 2013

[Watch the video]
[Photo gallery]

The iSelect Gold Coast Titans have today unveiled an exciting new look for the club’s cheerleaders, with the newly named Hog’s Breath Cafe Sirens** to light up Skilled Park in 2013.

No longer labelled the ‘Titanettes’, the Hog’s Breath Cafe Sirens will form part of the club’s off-field entertainment for 2013 in a re-brand under a new two-year sponsorship agreement.

The name ‘Sirens’ relates to the origins of the Titans in Greek mythology, where the Sirens were dangerous and beautiful creatures, portrayed as femmes fatales who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island.

In a reflection of the Hog’s Breath philosophy to “have fun and enjoy yourself” – the Hog’s Breath Cafe Sirens have a clear vision to become of the fittest and most entertaining cheerleading squads in the NRL.

Hog’s Breath Cafe representative Greg “Disco” Miller said he was excited about his organisation’s involvement with the Sirens for the next two years.

“This is the perfect partnership – the Titans are known for being a family focused club and Hog’s Breath prides itself on being a family focused restaurant,” said Miller.

“We are all about fun and the Sirens are a perfect fit for our brand. Not to mention the great fun the Hogster will get to have with all the Titans fans at each home game. It’s a great association for us to have.”

Kicking-off with the Titans’ opening home game against the Canberra Raiders on Sunday, the Sirens plan to introduce a more commercial dance style to their routines and take a step back from their previous American-style cheerleading stunts.

Part of the new agreement will also see the Sirens have more of a public presence outside of Titans home games, with members of the squad to conduct community visits to the Titans Learning Centre (TLC) at Mudgeeraba Creek State School throughout the year.

Sirens spokesperson Megan McInally said she was excited about the squad’s new direction.

“The girls are really excited about the new direction Hog’s Breath is taking with the squad. It has really given them a huge boost and a great new focus,” she said.

“The girls have been training their routines at Ikin Dance adopting a new commercial style as well as working on their strength and conditioning. We are looking forward to showing off our fittest squad yet as well as having a stronger focus on community involvement in the TLC program.”

What a change from last year's look!

**sidebar: things work a little differently in Australia and New Zealand. The cheerleaders have their own corporate sponsorship, which includes naming rights, and signage on the team uniforms. The Hog’s Breath Cafe is a popular chain of steak houses, not a reference to the ladies’ dental hygiene. This particular company sponsors several of the cheer teams in the National Rugby League. Sponsorships change fairly often. Before they became the HBC Gold Coast Sirens, they were known as the Norco Titanettes. Before that, they were the Chill Titanettes. And before that, they were the Jetstar Gold Coast Titans cheer squad. And this team has only been around for 6 years! No offense Aussies, but I’m glad we don’t do that over here.

USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship Dance Team

The USA Sevens Collegiate College Championship featuring 24 men's and women's rugby teams was held at PPL Park in Chester back on the first weekend in June.
The USA Sevens Collegiate College Championship featuring 24 men's and women's rugby teams was held at PPL Park in Chester back on the first weekend in June.
But why am I taking photos at a college event, when we usually only cover cheerleaders/dancers from professional sports?
But why am I taking photos at a college event, when we usually only cover cheerleaders/dancers from professional sports?
The USA Sevens Dance Team. Recognize these ladies? Most are current/former members of the Philadelphia Wings Angels Dance Team.
The USA Sevens Dance Team. Recognize these ladies? Most are current/former members of the Philadelphia Wings Angels Dance Team.
Lauren
Lauren
Cary
Cary

Continue reading “USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship Dance Team”