Jackson, Florida Correspondent – Page 35

This past Saturday saw the Miami Dolphins hold their preliminary and semi-final 2018 cheerleaders auditions. Hundreds of very talented dancers tried out at the team’s training facility at Nova Southeastern University. The ladies advancing will now complete with returning cheerleaders this Sunday. All spots are up for grab, no guarantees to the veterans.

Enjoy our photos from last Saturday and follow us all week as we highlight the Dolphins Cheerleaders.

Elena stayed COOL under pressure because she learned as a Tampa Lightning Girl.

Whitley cheered for the ROAR of the Jaguars.

Selfie Time

The MDC gave a great performance to open the day.

Tamara and Etta

Good Luck to everyone.

Start of our FLICKR album is HERE

Age: 23

Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Favorite spare time activity: Binge watching Netflix shows and longboarding

Education: University of South Florida, Bachelors in Communications

Current job: Program Manager/IT

Favorite thing about hockey: I love how fast paced the game is. It’s so much fun to watch and it is so easy to get caught up in fans and the fun of the games!

Favorite food: Cuban food! I’m fully Cuban and I always crave homemade black beans and rice!

Jessica (click to enlarge)

Jessica and Alyssa on Thunder Ally pregame

Jessica

Lydia and Jessica

Jessica

Flickr album is HERE

NFL cheerleader auditions in Florida for the Jaguars, Buccaneers and Dolphins:

North Florida, the Jacksonville Jaguars ROAR: Online registration deadline is APRIL 4th

Jaguars link is HERE

Central Florida, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Cheerleaders: Register online.

Buccaneer link is HERE

South Florida, the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders: Register online or in person.

Dolphins link is HERE

The Miami Dolphins Cheerleader auditions will be held on April 14, 2018 at Nova Southwestern University (Baptist Health Training Facility). Link is HERE.

Let’s put a spotlight on Ally who will be trying to retain her precious roster spot.

Ally started dancing when she was three and has performed as a member of the All-American Cheer Squad at the 2016 London New Year’s Day Parade and at the 2017 Ruffles Super Bowl Party in Monterrey Bay, Mexico.

Ally has been privileged to travel with the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders on two trips to visit troops abroad, in Oct. 2016 to Guantanamo Bay and in Dec. 2016 to the U.K. Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Kosovo.

Photos are courtesy of Dolphins.com

Ally completed in her second year on the MDC and is from Coral Springs, Florida.

Ally is a student in broadcast journalist and aspires to work as a sports broadcaster.

Ally sang opera for five years.

Ally has swam with whale sharks in Cancun and been skydriving with the Army’s Golden Knights.

Workout where you can!

Ally profile on Dolphins.com is HERE

The Lightning keep winning on their race to the April NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Great support from the “fan favorite” Lightning Girls. Enjoy some photos from the recent victory shoot-out over the Montreal Canadians.

Click on photos to enlarge:

Makenzie Elena Ellie Liz Alyssa Emily Stephanie Lydia Morgan Erica

Captain Alyssa

Elena

Makenzie

Morgan

Makenzie Lydia Ellie Captain Liz and Emily

Victory Smiles

Our updated Flickr album is HERE

Hopefully you saw our interview yesterday of the talented Lightning Girl Taylor. Here’s some of the other squad members on game day.

Ellie and Kayla:

Lydia, Stephanie and Morgan:

Elena and Emily:

Captains, Liz and Alyssa:

Lydia and Stephanie:

Morgan:

Emily and Liz:

Flickr album is HERE

Taylor in the upper deck (click to enlarge)

Tampa Bay Lightning Girl Taylor Lokey walked away with the crown at the Miss Tampa Scholarship Pageant this month. She was gracious to sit for a quick talk with us at a recent Lightning game (in between goals of course!).

UC: Hello Taylor, welcome to Ultimate Cheerleaders. Before we begin our chat why don’t you tell our readers about yourself.

Absolutely! I’m twenty three years old and this is my rookie season with the Lightning Girls! I am originally from Maryland and graduated from The University of Maryland, College Park with a degree in communications and public relations. I worked in sales for about a year and am now studying to take my GRE to attend graduate school! Moving to Tampa was a spontaneous decision that I made about six months ago and I have been loving it ever since!

UC: Please share with us the highlights of your busy year. Representing the Lightning and now the “Miss Tampa Scholarship Pageant”. WOW, busy young lady.

It’s definitely busy but I wouldn’t want it any other way! Being involved with the Lightning Girls and now as Miss Tampa is really giving me a great opportunity to become involved and grow with our community. The lightning is hoping to have a long season, but before that we still have about 14 games left to cheer at! I will be balancing those games and other additional lightning girl appearances with my preparation for Miss Florida and volunteering at community service events as Miss Tampa. The Miss Florida Pageant takes place the week of June 30th in Lakeland, FL so there is still so much preparation to be done. Luckily, I have great time management skills and such a wonderful support system behind me to help keep me motivated and balanced during this busy time!

UC: The Lightning organization is always involved in charity and community initiatives. Tell us about your favorite participation and your platform for Miss Tampa.

We truly are one of the best organizations in all of sports for that reason! My favorite memories so far have been attending charitable events on behalf of the lightning and spreading joy to as many people as possible. One of my favorite events so far with the Lightning was with the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. It was such an incredible, uplifting event to be apart of and running the dance floor and hula hoop contest with one of the other girls was so much fun. It amazes me how one small interaction with someone can bring so much happiness to them. It’s humbling to know that you were the one to make a little girl or a little boys day just by giving them a high five or saying hi!

My platform as Miss Tampa is called “Lend a Hand; Heal a Heart.” My platforms main goal is to advocate for victims of sexual assault and abuse, specifically with children. I’m very passionate about this topic as I have volunteered for the past 8 years as a crisis call taker and patient advocate at multiple women’s shelters.Right now, more than ever, is a great time to get the word out there that it is okay to speak up, get help, and seek justice. My mission is to let every survivor out there know that they can use their voice and will have people on their side. It’s so important.

UC: It’s a great honor to be part of a small sorority of NHL cheer/dancers and now add in Miss Tampa activities. How exciting is that combined experience?

It’s very exciting! There’s not many opportunities where I am able to combine my love for cheerleading and the opportunity to make a difference in the community. It’s really neat to see that some of the appearances I will be doing as Miss Tampa will have the Lightning Girls there and it’s a really unique way to make an impact in a greater way. I also feel it’s a great way to promote both organizations! Everyone is always asking “Miss Tampa” where she works and being able to tell them the Lightning is fantastic! It makes me feel even closer to the community because we all know that Tampa is a hockey town!

UC: One thing fans would be surprised to learn about is ….?

I have a story for you all! I mentioned earlier that I made a spontaneous decision to move to Tampa about six months ago. Most fans would be surprised to learn that I made that decision after coming on vacation to Tampa in July! One of the other Lightning Girls, Morgan, and I saw that the lightning girls were having auditions and decided to try out on a whim. By our surprise we both made it and moved down here in about a week! It was quite the adventure but it has been so worth it!

UC: Thank you Taylor, you are a very impressive young lady. We are glad you gave up the beach on vacation to go Ice Skating, Tampa Bay is lucky to steal you away from Maryland!