Two local women picked to be Rams cheerleaders

By Patrick Erickson
The Southern
April 18, 2011

The St. Louis Rams family will have a local feel for the upcoming season.

Chelsea LaBrie, a former Saluki Shaker, and Kiley Herrmann of Marion were named to the squad for the 2011-12 season, and both are very excited about the opportunity.

“It’s definitely exciting to make the team,” LaBrie said, a captain on the SIU dance team this past season. “I wasn’t ready for my dance career to end just yet and this is along the same lines.”

The tryout process was a grueling, three-week ordeal that included learning and performing a dance routine, professional interviews and a sort of beauty pageant.

Also included was online voting that allowed fans, friends and family to help vote their cheerleader onto the squad from among the pool of 50 finalists.

All told, 35 women made the squad. Herrmann said she somewhat knew what was coming for the tryout, thanks in part to an old dance coach.

“My former coach, Ashley Tate, was also a former Rams cheerleader, so I felt prepared with what I was going to face,” Herrmann said.

While the cheerleaders do the obvious – cheer for the Rams and interact with the fans during each game – they also become a part of the community, something that excited both of the women.

“I’m definitely excited to do stuff in the community, especially with the Cheer for Cure in June,” LaBrie said. “It also allows me to present a good example and be a role model to my dance students.”

As a potential added bonus to both Herrmann and LaBrie, the St. Louis Rams are considering moving their pre-season training camp to the renovated football facilities on the campus of SIU. If Carbondale is chosen as the location, it would present a unique opportunity for the two to cheer in front of friends and family.

“I only went to Marion for my years in high school,” said Herrmann, a native of Edwardsville who attended SIUE. “But it would still be cool to be able to do this in front of friends.”

Even if the upcoming season is postponed or canceled because of the looming lockout of the players, the cheerleaders will continue to make public appearances and be active in the community. Both Kiley and Chelsea expressed an interest in doing this for several seasons and did not see it as a one-year deal. With official duties soon to begin, they both said they are excited about being part of the team.

“It is definitely something I am looking forward to,” LaBrie said. “I am excited about the opportunity to continue to dance.”

Added Herrmann, “I am very happy and extremely grateful to all my friends and family for their support throughout the whole process.”