A Look Back at the Felions Season
By Jessica J.
BCLions.com
You always know the CFL season is just around the corner when advertisements for season tickets and cheerleading auditions flood the airwaves. Last season, we had auditions at the Scotiabank Dance Centre in downtown Vancouver which will also be the site of the 2011 auditions this March.
Being new to Vancouver, I didn’t know anyone except for Candice, who had also just moved from Toronto. As we entered the room, we saw numerous hopefuls, all with the dream and drive to own a pair of those orange boots! The auditions took place over one very, very long day, followed by interviews a couple of days later. I knew when I got that phone call inviting me to the team that it was time to get our butts in gear!
We started off the season with a bang! New routines, sidelines, Football 101 and photo shoots – everything felt like it was flying at us all at once! It was extremely challenging at first, but with our great support system of girls we pulled together and never let a Felion fall behind.
The 2010 season was a very special and memorable year for the BC Lions as we called Empire Field our home for the season. After being vacant for more than 25 years, the stadium was rebuilt and the Lions brought back the magic. With 27,500 seats to fill, hearing the first home game sold out was something that blew everyone away! I remember that first home game and how intimate and close the fans were. I felt as if we were singing Roar Your Lions Roar all together, standing right next to one another. You could feel the passion and pride of our fans!
We had a rough start to the season as the team struggled to win at home, but we turned it around mid season! The excitement of winning filled the stadium and put even more hope in the hearts of Lions fans. We can do it! The season ended too soon for the guys just missing the chance to go to Grey Cup. However, our season kept going! The Felions traveled to chilly Edmonton where the Eskimos hosted the 2010 Grey Cup. The girls kept busy doing events at hospitality suites, dancing our amazing Grey Cup routine, participating in the cheer extravaganza, being part of promos around the city and dancing at the Grey Cup Championship!
Just like that, the season came to and end. The pom-poms were returned and we said our goodbyes. It was an exceptional year for the Felions and we would like to give a special thanks to our amazing coordinator Alex Severyn for keeping it all together and our talented choreographer Aura Benwick who was a very patient, amazing teacher! Also, thanks to the BC Lions staff who worked so hard to make the season such a success! I also want to thank the fans for the continual support we received, whether purchasing one of our fantastic 2010-11 Felions calendars or coming to the games all decked out in Lions gear. We thank you! You are what takes our game day experience to another level!
The 2011 season is right around the corner, with our auditions coming up on Sunday, March 6th! If there are any Felions hopefuls out there wanting to try out, be sure to check out the auditions page at BCLions.com for more information. I strongly recommend it to anyone! As a Felion, you’ll get a chance to cheer on the best team in the CFL, dance and make long-lasting friendships.
Cross your fingers for me BC Lions fans and (hopefully) I’ll see you on the field next season!
Go Lions Go!
Jessica J.
