Sunday Marks A Big Step in Roxanne Pringle’s UNGL Dream

Reported by Midwest Dave

Apparently, Roxanne Pringle has discovered the secret formula to create 48-hour days. She must have, otherwise, it is unfathomable that one can be the entertainment director for a new football league (the United National Gridiron League, or UNGL), working on a cheerleader reality show that she co-created with her brother, plus have a busy home life, including 21-month old twins!

Roxanne’s normally busy life will be extra busy this week, as she prepares to fly to Ohio from her home in California for this weekend’s UNGL auditions for cheerleader/dancers, choreographers, and dance squad directors. This regional audition will focus on filling dance squads for four of the eight teams in the inaugural 2010 UNGL season: the Ohio Marauders, Miami Scorchers, Virginia Swarm, and North Carolina Comets.

Roxanne’s connection to the UNGL began when her son, a senior footballer at Fort Lewis College at the time, asked her if the UNGL might be a good next step for his playing career. When she heard about the league, it dawned on Roxanne that the UNGL might also provide her an opportunity to be director of a team’s cheer squad, a role she had wanted to step into. After all, Roxanne has been a long-time member of squads, most notably she was one of Football’s Fabulous Females, the Oakland Raiderettes, from 1997-2001. In her typical pro-active manner, Roxanne contacted the UNGL CEO and asked what the plans were for dance squads, noting, “You’ve got to have cheerleaders!” The league officials realized that they had focused all their attention on the on-the-field talent, and not planned for the sidelines talent. Roxanne constructed a business proposal to be director of one of the UNGL dance squads, but the league was so impressed with the proposal and her resume, they asked her to be entertainment director for the entire league! Roxanne says to be in this position, it is a “dream come true.”

As a participant, cheerleading and dance has always been a big part of Roxanne’s life. But beyond her own participation, she has a passion to help and mentor the young women who aspire to be part of the sideline excitement, just as she has benefited from the mentorship she received throughout the years. Even as a Raiderette, Roxanne would find herself taking other candidates under her wing during the tryout process, trying to maximize their chances of making the squad, even though they were all really competing against one another. Now, Roxanne would like to have the kind of influence that NFL cheerleader directors have like the Cowboys’ Kelli Finglass. She knows her squads will not try to be NFL squads, but Roxanne hopes to maximize the exposure, personal growth, and future opportunities for women cheering for the segment of football that the UNGL hopes to fill.

The UNGL cheer squads will feature up to 30 members for each team. This year will start with eight teams, with plans to increase to 22 in the future, with new franchises coming to California in coming seasons. She is working with a designer to get uniforms ready for this season, and her master plan includes calendar shoots in coming years.

This sounds like such a full plate, but wait there’s more! When Roxanne’s brother, actor Derick Alexander, completed his degree in film, Roxanne’s brainstorming continued. Roxanne pitched an idea of a reality show of women competing to be reach the highest level of sideline super-stardom. After the pitch, Roxanne asked Derick if there was a place for this concept, and Derick absolutely agreed. The pilot for “Pro Cheer Danz” is currently in production, with women competing based on their acting, dancing, modeling and cheering ability.

There must be some serious “performing” DNA threaded throughout Roxanne’s family. Besides Derick’s television and film background, sister Diedra was also a Raiderette, serving one year on the same line as her sister, captain Roxanne, during her time from 1998 to 2002.

Deidra and Roxanne at the Ravens-Raiders AFC Championship Game.

But first things first, and that is this Sunday’s auditions for dancers and staff in Mason, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati. Auditions start at 9 am at “McGee’s Courts 4 Sports,” and will end at 5pm. Complete information is located at http://www.ungleague.com/cheerleaders.php and those interested are encouraged to register on-line this week. One of the league’s mottos is ““Developing Tomorrow’s Stars of the Game,” and this includes sideline stars. One can tell from Roxanne Pringle’s appreciation of her mentors, and her passion to helping others achieve their dreams, that she has complete dedication to every word in that motto.

[United National Gridiron League]