By Sheila Stroup
The Times-Picayune

For Christine “Chrissy” Hamilton, cheering the Saints on Sunday in Sun Life Stadium still seems like a dream.

“I kept saying, ‘Please pinch me. This doesn’t feel real,’” she says.

The first half of the game went by in a flash.

“I couldn’t believe it was already halftime,” she says. “I didn’t want the game to be half over.”
Hamilton, 23, knew the Super Bowl performance would be her last one as a Saintsation.

Director Lesslee Fitzmorris lets cheerleaders stay on the team a maximum of four years and then launches them “into the real world.”

“I want them to be our leaders of tomorrow,” she says.

She asked Hamilton to stay for a fifth year because her first year as a Saintsation was interrupted by Hurricane Katrina.

“She’s a great role model, a great example of someone who has triumphed over adversity,” Fitzmorris says. “Chrissy lost everything in the storm.”

Hamilton grew up in Chalmette. She was a student at Xavier University College of Pharmacy in New Orleans in August 2005. Her family had moved into their brand new house earlier in the year.

“The storm left 15 feet of water in it,” she says.

Hamilton Enterprises, the 30-year-old family furniture and hardware business her dad and his three brothers ran, flooded, too.

“The store was our life. My mom and dad had never done anything else,” she says “It was such a heart-wrenching time for us.”

When her family evacuated, Hamilton took three days worth of clothes and her Saintsations uniforms with her.

“That was something Lesslee taught us,” she says. “Don’t evacuate without your uniforms.”
Her family stayed in Panama City, Fla., for three months, and Hamilton wasn’t able to get to the Saints games that were played in San Antonio. But she did make it to the game against the New York Giants that was played in Giants stadium on Sept. 19, 2005.

“That was great because a bunch of girls from other NFL teams sent us care packages,” she says. “They gave us underwear, pajamas, tennis shoes, toiletries — all the things we had lost. That really gave us some spirit and uplifted us in such hard times.”

The only other regular game Hamilton made it to that season was the game against the Carolina Panthers that was played at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.

“It was just such a hard year I didn’t want to go back for my second year,” she says. “But my mom said, ‘Just give it a try.’”

By then, her parents, David and Lisa Hamilton, had come back home to rebuild their home and the family business in Chalmette, and she was back in pharmacy school at Xavier.

She decided to listen to her mom, and she’s thrilled she did.

“I’ve had a blast ever since,” she says. “The Saintsations helped make me the person I am today, and I think Lesslee for that all the time.”

Hamilton says she used to be so shy she was reluctant to put in her own order at McDonalds. Now, she can walk into a room and carry on a conversation with someone she’s never met before. And the once timid young woman is on the cover of the 2010 Saintsations Swimsuit Calendar.

In addition to gaining confidence, she has learned time management, something you need when you’re a full-time college student, work at Walgreen’s in Chalmette, have dance practice three times a week, and make frequent public appearances.

“It’s been a busy year,” she says.

It has also been the best year of her life.

“When I think back to four years ago, when I didn’t what the future would hold, it just seems amazing,” she says.

One highlight of the season was having her sister Brittany, 20, join the Saintsations. Another was the Sept. 3 Saints game against Miami in the Super Dome. It was her birthday, and her boyfriend, Brandon Licciardi, proposed to her in front of 68,000 people.

“It was a complete surprise,” she says. “We’re getting married on April 2, 2011.”

Hamilton will cherish her years as a Saintsation, but she’s looking forward to getting launched into the real world.

She’ll graduate from pharmacy school, a six-year program, in May, and then she’ll have time to plan her wedding. She and Licciardi will live in St. Bernard Parish.

“My fiance is a police officer in St. Bernard Parish, and he’s committed to the parish,” she says. “And we’re both really devoted to our families. We could never leave home.”

A year ago, Hamilton was chosen by her teammates to represent them as part of the cheerleading squad at the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl in Honolulu, and she thought that experience would be hard to top.

“But being at the Super Bowl with the Saints was a hundred times better,” she says. “I can’t even put into words how great it was, but I will remember it for the rest of my life.”

By Sheila Stroup
The Times-Picayune

When Lesslee Fitzmorris stands on the sidelines at Sun Life Stadium tonight, she’ll be watching the Super Bowl in a whole new way.

Fitzmorris, who has managed and directed the Saintsations since 2001, has been producing Super Bowl pregame shows and cheerleading clinics for the NFL since 1986. She has worked with everyone from Willie Nelson and Paul McCartney to Tina Turner and Beyonce.

So she’s still getting used to the idea of going to Miami just to watch the New Orleans Saints play.

“At the end of the Vikings game, I thought, ‘Oh, my God, my home team is going to the Super Bowl!’ I still can’t quite believe it, ” she says.

Fitzmorris’ parents were Saints season-ticket holders from the beginning, and when she was in junior high, she started going to games with her father, Bob Fitzmorris.

“I think about my dad all the time, ” she says. “On those drives from Slidell, I’d complain because nobody ever asked me out. He’d tell me, ‘If you want boys to notice you, you’ve got to learn to talk two things: fishing and football.’”

She was on the Slidell High School dance team, and after she graduated, her dad, who was the St. Tammany Parish clerk of court, encouraged her to try out for the LSU Golden Girls.

“I tried out just because he asked me to, and I made the team, ” she says.

Fitzmorris was packed to leave for Baton Rouge and her first dance team practice when her father died suddenly of a heart attack.

“He was only 41, ” she says. “I drove to that first practice, and then I drove home and we buried my dad.”

What got her through the difficult days that followed her father’s death was dance team practice and working with members of the LSU Tiger Band.

“Everybody just embraced me and kept me going, ” she says. “I couldn’t have made it through my freshman year without them.”

As a college student in need of money, Fitzmorris started working with high school dance and drill teams, putting on dance camps and teaching them routines. It was a natural progression. When she was a young girl, she liked to organize the kids in her neighborhood and put on little shows.

“People who grew up with me say I was always bossing people around, ” she says.

She was attending law school at Loyola University in 1985 when a bout with bacterial meningitis changed the trajectory of her life.

“I was in the hospital to have my spleen removed, and the doctors told me I had a 65 percent chance of not surviving, ” she says. “I learned at a very young age that time is precious.”

By then, her dance team camps had evolved into a business, American All Star Dance, and had spread all over Louisiana and to other states. When she was lying in her hospital bed, minus a spleen but happy to be alive, she had an idea: She knew a lot of young dancers with talent, and the Super Bowl was going to be in New Orleans in 1986. She could put on a little show in the Superdome.

“I called information and said, ‘Give me the number for the NFL, ‘ ” she says.

She figured she had nothing to lose. She got through to the director of special events. She talked. He listened. She went to Manhattan to meet with league officials. They said yes. And she put on her first splashy pregame show at Super Bowl XX.

After graduating from law school, she practiced law in Covington for a few years, but her dance team business and work with the NFL soon took up most of her time.

“I said, ‘I’m just going to do this until they quit calling.’ And they’re still calling, ” she says.

By the early 1990s, she had directed and choreographed the International Special Olympics closing ceremonies, an Academy Awards show and two Emmy Awards shows, along with her Super Bowl pregame shows. And she and her husband, Royce Mitchell, had a daughter, Caroline, and a son, William.

“And then the years just kept going by, ” Fitzmorris, 51, says.

When the Saints hired her company to produce and manage the Saintsations nine years ago, she wanted to make them “the best in the league.” She knew, from growing up a tall blonde dancer, that people have certain ideas about cheerleaders and dance teams.

“It’s not just about dancing, ” she says. “They are successful young women who will go out into the world and become leaders.”

Her Saintsations go through a three-part application process: First, they have a dance audition. Next, they have a formal interview with community business leaders. And to make the final cut, they have to pass a football quiz.

“They have to know the positions. They have to know every team and every mascot, and what division each team is in, ” Fitzmorris says. “I want them to know as much about football as the fans do.”

Most of them are college students or are starting careers. As Saintsations, they’re involved in community-service projects.

“They work with Angels’ Place and the Susan B. Komen Foundation, and they make dozens of public appearances, ” Fitzmorris says. “Some of them have been to Mexico. Some have gone to Iraq and Afghanistan.”

The Saints cheerleaders also put on workshops for Junior Saintsations.

“They’re role models for little girls, ” she says.

They learn how to dodge players, referees, camera operators, and those guys who run around with the flags when the Saints make a touchdown. They learn what it means to be celebrities, too. The 10,000 2010 Saintsation Swimsuit Calendars that were printed are nearly sold old. People constantly ask them for autographs. And they saw country superstar Kenny Chesney snapping pictures of them during a recent Saints game.

“They figure out that celebrities are just people, ” Fitzmorris says.

She calls this season’s Saintsations “the dream team.”

“There’s something really special about them, ” she says.

She started the season by taking them on a three-day retreat in Destin, Fla., last spring.

“It was 34 girls and three bathrooms, ” she says. “And I took their cell phones away, so they had to connect with each other.”

It ended up being a wonderful experience for them. They shared the bathrooms and their lives, and they vowed to be there for each other on and off the field.

“They’re good girls, ” Fitzmorris says. “I’m strict with them, but they know I love them and care about them.”

And she’s thrilled that her dream team is going to have the best seat in the house for Super Bowl IVXL.

“I’m proud of them, and I’m proud of our football team, ” she says. “Now, we just want to bring that Vince Lombardi Trophy home.”

Fitzmorris already knows what her favorite part of the Super Bowl will be: watching the faces of the awe-struck Saints players and cheerleaders while they listen to Carrie Underwood sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and realize the final football game of the season is about to begin.

“The national anthem is always very moving, ” she says. “I think when people go there and see it, they’ll understand why I’ve been going back for 25 years.”

By Ted Sillanpaa,
Napa Valley Register

Don’t try to tell Napa native Jackie Rowan that the cheerleaders will be a mere distraction during Super Bowl XLIV today in Miami.

“Cheerleaders play an important role in the atmosphere surrounding the game and the franchise,” said Rowan, who will be on the sidelines today as a member of the New Orleans Saints cheerleading squad. “To refer to us as sideline ‘eye candy’ fails to account for the countless hours we spend at appearances for charity and as volunteers in the communities.”

Rowan, who has been in Miami through the week leading up to the showdown between the NFC champion Saints and the AFC champion Indianapolis Colts, actually believes she and her peers are part of the much larger team.

“We cheer and hope alongside Saints fans,” Rowan, 24, said. “We are a constant reminder of the special bond between New Orleans and the Saints.”

Today’s kickoff might be a bit of a breather for Rowan and her cheer teammates after a hectic week.

“Our schedule is crazy! I’ve never been to Miami before, but the city has just been buzzing with excitement,” she said. “There isn’t a place I go without overhearing someone talk about the Super Bowl.”

Rowan spent hours involved in Super Bowl media appearances and other events.

“Some of us did a swim suit show and after that it was press, press and more press,” she said. “We practiced in the hotel ball room until Friday and then practiced in the stadium.”

She’s excited about the opportunity to be part of the biggest game of the National Football League season.

“Each cheer team performs a pregame dance, and then of course we’ll be on the sidelines dancing the whole game,” Rowan said. “It’s amazing to think that I’m going to have the best seat at the Super Bowl … on the field right on the 50-yard line.”

Napa High grad Jackie Rowan, shown signing autographs as a 49ers Cheerleader Ambassador, has spent the season on the cheer squad for the NFC champion New Orleans Saints.

Rowan, who danced at Napa High School for four years before graduating in 2003, began as part of the San Francisco 49ers cheerleaders.

“I was working in San Francisco and thought the opportunity would be exciting and challenging,” Rowan said. “I wanted to apply my passion for dance to a professional yet heart-pounding environment. I tried out and was thrilled to be placed on the 49ers Gold Rush Ambassador Squad.”

Rowan moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane University, where she studies anthropology.

“More specifically, I’m studying primatology,” she said. “I decided to pursue job opportunities after high school. I do envision graduate school in my near future.”

Rowan went through the challenging process of trying to earn a spot on the Saints cheerleading squad after arriving in Louisiana.

“We went through a series of intense auditions, evaluating our dance abilities, physical fitness, and personalities,” she said. “The panel looked for energy, confidence, enthusiasm, and the willingness to work towards a common goal. I made it through the rounds of selections and, before I knew it, I was at the new team orientation retreat on the beaches of Destin, Fla.”

Between school, a job and cheerleading, Rowan has been busy.

“I must balance school, internship, and cheerleading in what often seems like an impossible schedule,” she said. “Most days I’m running out of class to head to the practice facility or squeezing in a late workout after a long day at my primate internship. This has certainly been a wild ride, but provided important lessons in time management.

“Cheerleading dominates Tuesday, Thursday and often Saturday nights in addition to Sunday afternoon or evening home games. We put in extra practice time for prime-time games on Sunday and Monday nights and for the playoffs.”

Rowan is a football fan, but acknowledges that devotion to the sport is different in her new hometown.

“I have always enjoyed the game of football, but the experience is incredibly different in Louisiana,” she said. “From the ear-piercing screams from fans in the Superdome to massive block parties before and after games, I have grown to love the excitement and hype surrounding football.”

Still, she admits that her love for dancing drew her to the Saints.

“The opportunity to dance and cheer under the spotlight was at the core of my interests,” Rowan said.

Saints cheerleaders are especially busy on game day.

“We generally arrive at the stadium up to six hours prior to game time,” she said. “We have some time at our lockers to do some essential touch-ups before dealing with press appearances, etc. We will go through some progressions of player introductions, quarter-break dances, and halftime entertainment.”

It’s harder than some might believe to keep pace as an NFL cheerleader.

“We’re constantly and rapidly learning new dances with different alignments and positions,” Rowan mentioned. “We have to have flexible memories to master dances for stadium and television audience in just a few days.”

Her year with the Saints cheerleaders has been rewarding.

“I have so many friendships that I developed with my fellow teammates,” she said. “These amazing girls gather from all corners of the state of Louisiana, and come together to form a family. We have all grown so close over the course of this remarkable season, and have made memories that will last a lifetime.”

Rowan knows her time at Tulane will lead to her ultimate career goal.

“I would like to continue to work with animals, and specifically primates, in a research capacity,” she said. “I want to explore the intersection of primate behavior and environmental change, and address issues relating to captivity habitat management.”

The Picayune Item

When the New Orleans Saints go marching into the Super Bowl this Sunday, one fortunate local woman will be with them every step of the way.

Rachel Selzer, a former Pearl River Community College student from Carriere, excelled in the three areas of competition to win a coveted position on the prestigious Saints’ Cheerleaders Saintsations team.

In addition to advanced dance technical skills, applicants were judged by area professionals in one-on-one interviews, and tested on football fundamentals.

Rachel is currently attending Loyola University of New Orleans where she is an accounting major. She is on the Dean’s List, dances with the Loyola Ballet, is an active member in Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, and volunteers with Loyola Community Action Program.

Besides being on President’s List at PRCC, she served as president of both Student Government Association and the Iota Mu chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. Rachel also served as co_captain of the fall squad of String of Pearls Dance Team.

Rachel is also a 2006 graduate of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science located in Columbus.

Rachel was a 2009 summer intern at the New Orleans office of Ernst & Young. She works at the Joseph A. Butt S.J. College of Business at Loyola University during the school year.

Rachel’s success with Saintsations and life in general goes back to her loving family and her wonderful experiences at Leisha’s School of Dance in Picayune. Her family and fellow dancers have continually pushed Rachel to do her best and work hard to achieve her dreams.

Anyone close to Rachel knows it has always been her dream to represent the city of New Orleans by cheering on the Saints. Rachel elaborates that, “Even though I still don’t know what it truly means to be a Saintsation, I am learning and growing as a dancer and as a young women while doing my best to fill these great shoes with which I have been blessed.”

In addition to performing at NFL Saints home football games, the Saintsations have traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan to visit troops and were recognized for their community service efforts by the Louisiana Legislature.

The Saintsations support community projects through the “Saintsations Inspiration Program.” The primary focus of the 2009 program is to promote positive initiatives geared toward women and children. They have worked hand_in_hand with Angel’s Place in New Orleans. This non_profit organization provides care and comfort for terminally ill children.

According to team manger, Lesslee Fitzmorris, “the Saintsations are influential role models to the youth in our communities and the judges felt that Rachel could live up to the expectations the fans have come to expect from these young ladies.

“We look for young women who are committed to leading a healthy, productive lifestyle both on and off the field. Rachel is a true representative of the youth and talent in the New Orleans area. We are proud to have her as a member of the 2009-2010 team.”

Rachel is the daughter of Jerry and Bonnie Selzer of Carriere, and granddaughter of the late Jerry and Mabel Selzer of Slidell and the late Jean and Frances Milloit of Metairie.

From WDSU.com

Dancers Taking Super Bowl Field After First Quarter

The Saintsations dance team is in South Florida and ready to cheer the team.

It’s a first for NFL’s New Orleans dance team, but it will be a bittersweet game for Amanda Scott.

The 23-year-old Saintsation is a Chalmette resident who lost everything during Hurricane Katrina. She said the game is more than just a Super Bowl for New Orleans.

“It’s a rock for the city, a foundation, something that unites everybody after everything we’ve been through,” she said.

Scott said the recovery from Katrina brought her to tears at her very first game as a Saintsation. It was the day that players and fans returned to the Superdome after the storm.

“Green Day performed with U2 to ‘The Saints Are Coming.’ Every time we play that song — actually, we’re dancing to it in the Super Bowl — I still get the chills from watching them perform,” Scott said.

Scott’s four years on the dance team have come full circle — from her first game and the “domecoming” to her last game this Sunday in the Super Bowl.

“I think it’s going to be final closure for me, just because it has been such a toss up,” Scott said. “I know this is my final game. Of course I’m tearing up right now, but I know that it’s going to be the end. So it’s just really hard, but I’m at the big game, so that’s all that matters.”

The Saintsations said it’s also the first year that an NFL dance team has been allowed to perform on the field in the Super Bowl. They’ll perform after first quarter and the Colts Cheerleaders will take the field after third quarter.

By Thad Angelloz
The Daily Comet

Being a New Orleans Saintsation has its share of benefits.

Just ask Terrebonne Parish resident Erin Buxton.

Buxton, who has traveled around the globe as a Saints cheerleader, finds herself smack dab in the middle of the Super Bowl where she and her teammates will get the chance to dance during the pregame festivities.

Buxton says she’s excited about the experience and her team’s manager, Leslie Fitzmorris, said the group is better because of her.

“The Saintsations are influential role models to the youth,” Fitzmorris said. “Erin is a true representative of the youth and talent in the New Orleans area. We are proud to have her as a member of the 2009-2010 team.”

Fitzmorris said she excelled in a competition last April to win a coveted position on the prestigious team.

During Super Bowl week the team has made appearances on Fox and Friends, the CBS Early Show and Bill O’ Reilly, to name a few.

The current Saintsation has been a dedicated employee at JL Salon in downtown Houma for three years.

James LeCompte, owner of JL Salon, said fellow staff and clients are happy for Buxton.

“People made it a point to stop by and tell her congratulations when they found out she was going down there,” he said. “It makes all of us feel a bigger part of it (game) knowing she’s going to be there cheering the guys on.”

By Robin Miller
The Advocate

They’ll never pass this way again.

Oh, there will be other football seasons. There may even be another NFC championship.

But none of it will happen as it did this year, when the Saintsations fielded a “dream team.”

That’s what former LSU Golden Girl Lesslee Fitzmorris, the Saintsations’ manager, calls this year’s Saints’ cheerleading squad.

“We all knew that this season was going to be special,” Fitzmorris, of Covington, said. “We knew it last summer, when we had our retreat in Destin, Fla. Never have I had a group like this.”

First, squad members posed no intrasquad competition, meaning no one tried to outdo anyone else. Criticism was replaced by support.

Those attitudes forged an instant bond among the 37 — 34 Saintsations plus choreographers, Blair Buras and Eileen Arnold, and Mama, as Fitzmorris calls herself. The closeness had to be a good omen, right?

“I remember coming back from the retreat and telling coach Payton, ‘I have the Dream Team this year,’” Fitzmorris said.

Of course, as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Sean Payton was working on his own dream team, one that’s played its way to the Super Bowl for the first time in the team’s 43-year history, a journey that somehow seemed predestined.

“We just knew,” said Brittany Hamilton, a political science major at LSU. Her sister Chrissy Hamilton also is a Saintsation and is a student in the Xavier University College of Pharmacy.

But Brittany Hamilton also knows that this group will never pass this way again. Friendships are lifelong, but Dream Teams are rare. Membership will change next year. Some members will leave; others may not make the team. And even if the Saints were to make a repeat Super Bowl appearance in 2011, it wouldn’t be the same. You have to have been there. But that’s past tense. The 2009 Saintsations are there now.

On Jan. 28, squad members, dressed in identical two-piece practice uniforms of black and gold, were running through their final home rehearsal before leaving for Miami.

“They have all kinds of uniforms,” Fitzmorris said. “They’re girls, so, of course they love clothes.”

But the most coveted perks are the game day parking passes.

“They say the pass, alone, is worth being a Saintsation,” Fitzmorris said.

Bruce Brown
TheAdvertiser.com

Macie Brown picked a great year to join the Saintsations.

In fact, it’s been super.

As a first-year member of the New Orleans Saints dance team, the Breaux Bridge native and Teurlings Catholic graduate has performed on the sidelines for every one of the club’s home games in the Superdome.

She’s been there every step of the way for a magical season.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” Brown said. “Before the game, when they say ‘Presenting the Saintsations,’ it gives you such an energy boost. Your heart starts pumping and you feel all the emotions in the Superdome. It’s unbelievable, really.”

It’s more than that. It’s perfect.

Brown and the rest of the squad are in Miami for Super Bowl XLIV as the NFC Champion Saints meet the AFC’s Indianapolis Colts for the NFL championship on Sunday.

The Saints swamped Arizona 45-14 and edged Minnesota 31-28 in overtime to sweep both playoff games in the Dome after posting an NFC-best 13-3 regular season finish, the best in team history.

“The championship game was quite a nail-biter,” Brown said. “Each game has been a different experience.”

The Saintsations were given a send-off party at the Royal Sonesta Hotel before departing for the game, arriving midweek for what promised to be a busy week of preparations.

“We’re supposed to make an appearance at Universal Studios, and do the Ellen (DeGeneres) Show,” Brown said on Monday. “Nothing is locked down at this point. They’ll tell us as we go.

“We’ll also rehearse our routines. We didn’t know we were supposed to perform pregame, but we and the Colts dancers will both perform. That’s pretty new. But, we’re always prepared.”

Brown excelled in three areas of tryouts last April to make the Saintsations, following in the footsteps of her sister Keisha Borel, who was a member of the squad in 1998.

“I remember going to (Saints) games and watching her, and being so jealous,” Brown said. “I always wanted to do it. I thought I could, if I put my mind to it.”

Borel provided a tip or two before the auditions with 100 other aspirants.

“She always tells me to be myself, that God created me for me,” Brown said. “She told me to just go and have the best time of my life. I love it. We all get along really well.”

Each Saintsations prospect is judged not only on dance skills, but is also quizzed on football fundamentals, handles one-on-one interviews and spot questions, and is graded on public speaking ability.

With support from her husband Timothy and parents Gerald and Cindy Borel, Brown is balancing coursework at UL in business management, with a minor in dance, along with her full slate of Saintsations obligations.

Macie was a member of Teurlings Catholic’s competition dance team for four years and was nominated captain her senior year, a natural fit after attending Liz Trahan’s School of Dance in Cecilia from an early age.

She has taught at that studio for the last six years, and is experienced in jazz, tap, hip hop and lyrical. She has also choreographed competition routines for numerous junior high and high school cheerleading squads and dance teams.

“My mom started me at the studio when I was 3 years old, and I thank her every day for that,” Brown said. “Whatever I end up doing, I could never see myself not dancing.”

The Borels and Timothy Brown will be in Miami to share the Super Bowl experience, while Cindy Borel also has a ticket for the game.

From St. Tammany News:

Slidell resident, Jennifer Thomas, a New Orleans Saintsation, headed out for Miami Tuesday to cheer on the Saints to victory in Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Thomas is a member of the New Orleans Saintsations, the official cheerleading team for the New Orleans Saints.

Thomas won the competition last April to win a coveted position on the prestigious team. In addition to advanced dance technical skills, applicants were judged by area professionals in one-on-one interviews and tested on football fundamentals. The final round of competition included on the spot question and answer and public speaking skills.

Thomas is the daughter of Adam Owenton Thomas Jr. and stepdaughter of Gretchen Kay Thomas of Slidell and the daughter of Cheryl Lynn Thomas of Gonzales. She is the granddaughter of Bobby and Kathleen Waters and of the late Adam Owenton Thomas Sr. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in graphic design from Samfor University in Birmingham, Ala., and also received a minor in fine arts in the spring of 2008. Thomas graduated high school from Northshore High School in 2004.

Currently, Thomas works as the director of marketing and public relations for McDonald’s in the greater New Orleans area.

In addition to performing at NFL Saints home football games, the Saintsations have traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan to visit troops and were recognized for their community service efforts by the Louisiana Legislature. Team members recently returned from a week long NFL promotional trip to Mexico. Team members have competed in the NFL nationally televised Cheerleading championship, appeared in events surrounding the NFL Super Bowl and competed against other NFL cheerleading teams at the Super Bowl Beach challenge. Last season, the entire team was featured at the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio as well as the London regular season game in October.

The Saintsations support community projects through the “Saintsations Inspiration Program.” The primary focus of the program is to promote positive initiatives geared toward women and children.

They have worked hand-in-hand with Angel’s Place in New Orleans. This non-profit organization provides care and comfort for terminally ill children. They also work with more than 700 young girls in their Junior Saintsation program.

“The Saintsations are influential role models to the youth,” said team manager, Lesslee Fitzmorris, “ e look for young women who are committed to leading a healthy, productive lifestyle both on and off the field. Jennifer is a true representative of the youth and talent in the New Orleans area. “

The Saintsations left Tuesday for Miami. They will make an appearance at Universal Studios prior to their arrival in Miami. The team is schedule to appear on Fox and Friends, the CBS Early Show, the Bill O’Reilly show and make numerous appearances. On Super Bowl Sunday, the team will perform at pre-game.

They will be one step away from the action on game day, cheering the New Orleans Saints in their first Super Bowl game.

By Debra Braggs
al.com

Look closely at the sidelines during Sunday’s Super Bowl and you just might spot Mobile native Jasmine Smith.

Smith is a member of the Saintsations, the official cheerleading squad for the New Orleans Saints, and she’s smitten with the idea of cheering the team to victory in the Super Bowl.

“It’s so amazing to be going to the Super Bowl,” Smith said in a telephone interview last week. “This experience has been indescribable and I know it’s going to get even better.”

Cheering and dance are this 20-year-old’s expertise. At Murphy High School, the daughter of Stevie and Anissa Smith of Mobile was a member of the cheerleading squad and the track team, and maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her high school career.

She attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she was a member of several organizations, such as the Co-ed cheerleading team, SOBER, NAACP, BSAC, and Alpha Lambda Delta an academic scholars program. Currently, she is pursuing a Doctorate of Pharmacy degree at Xavier University.

Smith said she is living out her dream to be a professional cheerleader.

“I’ve been dancing since age six. And I’ve always watched the Saints cheerleaders closely, hoping someday to be standing in their shoes,” she said.

Relocating to New Orleans last year to study at Xavier offered Smith the opportunity she had hoped for. She said that even though she began her studies at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, her hopes of becoming a Saintsation never died. The move to New Orleans made it all possible.

“It was a very long, hard process and the tryouts were tough. But it has been an amazing opportunity to meet so many intelligent and goal-oriented women. They are great motivators.”

While Smith is away cheering the Saints on this week, her classes will go on and she worries about the effect he absence will have on her studies.

“I know that I’m going to be behind, but I’ll catch up,” she said. “This is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity. I’ve got to be there.”