Jonathan Webb
StLouisRams,com
While tuning in to the season premier of the hit CBS reality show ‘Survivor’ this week, there will be at least one contestant with a familiar tie to the area. Former Rams Cheerleader Latasha Fox, a longtime fan of the show, finally got her opportunity to match wits and toughness with 15 other contestants.
“I always felt like I could play the game better than a lot of the contestants,” Fox said. “This time was actually my third time applying for the show, over the course of the 13 years it’s been on. I didn’t hear anything the first couple times, but the third time was the charm. I was just very persistent.”
Persistence is certainly a trait that could fare well in the made-for-TV competition, which has been one of the most successful reality shows since first airing in 2000. This year’s competition pits three tribes broken into categories of ‘brawn, brains and beauty.’ Equipped with nothing more than a bag of rice, a machete, and a pot, the three tribes negotiate alliances and rivalries until one ‘Final Survivor’ outlasts the competition. Fox, who currently works as an accountant in St. Louis, was one of six chosen among the ‘brains’ grouping.
Though not at liberty to divulge the details of this season’s show, Fox was rather pleased with her ability to successfully navigate the competition.
“The actual experience was better than I even imagined,” Fox said. “I thought my ability to really adjust my strategy depending on who I was playing the game with, or depending on various situations, being able to do that definitely helps out in the game. It’s something I always thought I could do, and I actually did it. I must say that it worked very well.”
Fox, whose career transitioned from the Rams Cheerleading squad to an accountant at Edward Jones, prepared for ‘Survivor’ by strategically cutting calories to competition levels weeks prior to the event. While she could prepare physically for the event in a matter of weeks, Fox looks to her time as a Rams cheerleader as beneficial in a competition that relies so heavily on the success of a group.
“The friendship and the great girls that I got to know really stuck out to me,” Fox said. “I think when you’re on any type of team, including the Rams cheerleaders, you really have to be a team player and it’s about the group as a whole. Building those relationships and sustaining them, that kind of ties into Survivor. In the game, you have to form relationships and be able to do it in a matter of hours. Weak relationships, those people will stab you in the back. Making connections will make you make you successful in your alliance, or in the case of the Rams, make you successful on your team.”
Top Row (L-R) Heather – Lyndsee – Staisha – Ashley W – Rebecca
Bottom Row (L-R) Danyelle – Maya – Jackie – Ashley F – Brett
The Charlotte Knights are pleased to announce the 2014 KnightinGals — the team’s official Dance Team. The KnightinGals are presented by Hickory Tavern and will perform before and during all 10 Saturday home games in 2014 at BB&T Ballpark.
2014 Schedule:
April 12
May 10
May 24
June 7
June 21
July 5
July 12
July 19
August 9
August 23
[Jessica at the Stars Website]
From Saturday Evening – A Baltimore Blast Cheerleader
From 9News.com
Molly Shattuck was a 38-year-old mother of three when she picked up her poms for the Baltimore Ravens, making her the oldest cheerleader in NFL history. Her “Vibrant Living” offers a 21-day plan to “transform your body, burst with energy and live your life with purpose.”
The rules she created are based on decades of careful study – of herself.
“My experience comes from my years of living,” says Shattuck.
When she retired a few years back, she took everything she learned from her time in training and created a program for wellness. She now crisscrosses the country leading workshops and teaching people how to live better. Her book is based on the premise that we are all a product of our decisions, not just our DNA.
One fundamental: water.
“Water is the wonder drug,” says Shattuck, who realized the power of hydration after the birth of her first child. The more water she drank, the more milk she produced and the faster she lost the 50 pounds she’d gained during the pregnancy.
Her recommendation for people trying her program? Drink at least 90 ounces a day. The first 30 should come within 40 minutes of waking up, and before eating breakfast. Finish the second 30 before lunch, and the final 30 before dinner.
“You’ll be so much more awake, and it keeps you from overeating,” Shattuck says.
That’ll help you stick with her 21-day meal plan, which limits processed foods and loads up on fruits and veggies. And when you want to splurge? Just have a little.
“Put seven french fries on the plate, chew them slowly and enjoy it,” Shattuck says. Then, “walk away, drink water, brush your teeth and be done with it.”
You can balance out any extra calories by embracing Shattuck’s strategy of exercising daily. When it comes to what to do, Shattuck is open to any activity – and the more you can mix it up, the better.
She recommends copying her every-other-day pushup routine, which she credits for keeping her stomach taut. (“I’d heard of an NFL player who didn’t lift any weights and became muscular from push-ups. I decided, ‘I’m going to try that.’ Now I’m 100 percent convinced,” Shattuck says.)
In her book, she offers 21 days of workouts. On top of that, she tacks on an additional daily “knockout move,” such as leg lifts and lunges. Get up during commercial breaks when you’re watching TV to check those off your list, Shattuck suggests.
Besides the many other reasons why sitting is bad for you, Shattuck is convinced that pressure on your rear end can make it get wider.
The last piece of her plan: “living for others” – by volunteering in a soup kitchen, reading books to the elderly or finding another way to help out in your community. Shattuck says it has a real impact on how you feel.
“I know it doesn’t sound as important as exercise, but it elevates your spirit and mood,” says Shattuck.
Kings Vision was on hand for the 13-14 Ice Crew calendar photo shoot presented by Zerorez! Check out this profile featuring Ms. March 2014, Chelsea!
From Sunday Afternoon – Jorina of the Philadelphia Wings Angels
The Blast Cheerleaders on the field after Saturday night’s victory over Syracuse. More photos later this week.
Date: Sunday, Mar. 2
Time: Check-in: 12:30-1 p.m., Preliminaries: 1-3:30 p.m., Semifinal: 3:30-5 p.m.
Location: Red & White Club, located at the north end of McMahon Stadium (1833 Crowchild Trail NW)
Cost: $10 online pre-registration fee or $20 walk-in registation fee
Attire: Dance or athletic bra top, short dance shorts (hot pants), dance shoes or runners. Wear hair and make-up as you envision wearing it on game day. Hair must be worn down.
Criteria: You must be 19 years of age by July 1, 2014. You must be able to attend all rehearsals and other related activities. The auditions are also closed to the public for viewing.
Additional information: Please arrive with enough time to warm up on your own before the audition. We will start with some across the floor exercises, including but not limited to: walks, high kicks, jete and pirouettes.
You will have one hour to learn a one-minute routine similar to what we do on the field during home games. You will perform this routine for the judges in small groups, after which the first cut will be made.
If you are invited to stay for the semifinals, you will be performing the routine in smaller groups for the judges. Those being invited to our 2014 training camp will be notified by noon the following day.
