Univision Network, one of the top five networks in the U.S. regardless of language, announced today that Emmy award-winning journalist Pamela Silva Conde has been named the new co-anchor of “Primer Impacto” (First Impact). Silva Conde will join the news magazine’s team, serving as host and conducting interviews, beginning Tuesday, July 5, during its regular time, Monday through Sunday at 5pm ET/PT (4pm Central).

 

“As part of Univision’s continued commitment to deliver the best news and most innovative programming, we are honored to welcome Pamela into her new role,” said Daniel Coronell, vice president of Univision News. “Pamela’s extensive experience, tremendous passion and exemplary reporting make her an incredible asset to the ‘Primer Impacto’ team.”

As one of the highest-rated news shows in the United States and 12 Latin American countries, Univision’s award-winning news magazine, “Primer Impacto,” offers viewers the most complete news coverage and human interest reporting on the issues of most importance to the community. Silva Conde, who has been preparing for this new role for some time, will join “Primer Impacto’s” talented team, Bárbara Bermudo, Satcha Pretto and Jackie Guerrido. Seasoned journalist Ilia Calderón, who served as the news magazine’s co-anchor, recently joined Noticiero Univision’s late evening edition, “Noticiero Univision Edición Nocturna,” alongside Edna Schmidt, will continue to present news and interviews with some of the most influential national and international political figures and celebrities.

Silva Conde began her career at Univision in 2003 as coordinator of community service, reporter and producer of the community show, “Miami Ahora,” on WLTV Univision 23. She then became a reporter for Univision’s entertainment show “Escándalo TV” on TeleFutura, and was also an official spokesperson for WAMI TeleFutura 69. In 2005, Silva Conde joined WLTV Univision 23’s news team as a reporter and host for the ¡Luces, Camara, Accion! (Lights, Camera, Action!) entertainment segment. Later, she became co-anchor of “Noticias 23 Al Amanecer” on WLTV Univision 23 and WAMI TeleFutura 69 in Miami. Most recently, Silva Conde has served as a correspondent for Univision’s news magazine “Aquí y Ahora,” in addition to reporting for the network’s news team where she interviewed several heads of state, including the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, and the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon Hinojosa.

Silva Conde has received several professional awards and accolades. She has won six Emmy awards for her exemplary journalistic work. In 2006 she won her first Emmy award for on-camera talent, followed by three Emmy awards in 2007 for writing, news feature story, and human interest story. In 2009, she won her fifth Emmy for a feature story about Facebook.com and was awarded her sixth Emmy in 2010 for investigative special feature.

Silva Conde graduated with honors from the journalism school at Florida International University (FIU), institution that named her as the “Communications Graduate of the Year” in 2009. She is finishing a Master’s degree in Bilingual Communications from St. Thomas University and is currently enrolled in a second Master’s in Business Administration at her alma mater, FIU. She is a board member for the Miami-based not-for-profit “Amigos For Kids,” which provides services to children in South Florida who are abused and/or abandoned.

By Jon Busdeker
Orlando Sentinel

Kim Coon’s uniform is black, form-fitting and will keep her from igniting.

“This is definitely the only job I’ll ever have where I get to wear a fire suit,” said Coon, a 27-year-old Orlando native who is the newest Miss Sprint Cup.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Coon, who now resides in Charlotte, N.C.

Coon is one of three women who travel the U.S. and appear at every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, 36 in all, to promote Sprint products, interview drivers and interact with fans. They also offer a behind-the-scenes account of NASCAR to their more than 300,000 social-media followers.

“I just try to make race day that much better,” Coon said.

Since last week, Coon has been in Central Florida for the run-up to the Daytona 500, the opening race of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Fans can meet her and the other Miss Sprint Cup representatives at the Sprint Experience outside Turn 4 at the speedway or at the Sprint Fanzone next to the garage area.

“It’s a huge party,” Coon said about the Daytona race. “It’s like starting off our season with the Super Bowl.”

Growing up, Coon didn’t know the difference between Dover and Darlington (racetracks in Delaware and South Carolina, respectively).

A graduate of Lake Highland Preparatory School, Coon, whose parents and sibling still live in the area, played softball, track and danced. NASCAR just wasn’t her thing.

“I didn’t really give it the time of day,” Coon acknowledged.

In 2005, she went to her first race at the Daytona International Speedway and experienced the sight, the smell and the sound of cars zooming by at 180 mph.

“Once you go to a race, you’re hooked,” Coon said.

She’s not a fanatic, though — just an average fan who likes Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart.

After high school, Coon studied broadcasting at the University of Miami, and later earned her master’s degree in public relations at the University of Alabama.

“I bleed orange and green, but I root for ‘Bama,” Coon said.

She moved to Charlotte to work in marketing and public relations, later joining the Carolina Panthers cheerleading squad. Earlier this year, Coon appeared on ABC’s “The Bachelor,” an opportunity that arose when her sisters sent in an application.

Coon made it to the third episode before being cut.

“That was just the right amount of time,” she said.

Before leaving to tape the show, Coon applied for the Miss Sprint Cup job. She figured her background in public relations, marketing and broadcasting made her a perfect candidate.

“They just don’t want a pretty face out there,” Coon said.

She went in for a few interviews, which combined the usual question-and-answer sessions with mock on-camera and radio interviews. She didn’t hear back until the same night she was kicked off “The Bachelor.” She quit her public-relations job and began training for Miss Sprint Cup.

Veteran Miss Sprint Cup Paige Duke, best known for her thick Southern accent, gave Coon a few insider tips. Duke told Coon that the fire suit is hot in the summer, so wear an ice pack underneath. And to keep her eyes closed when the drivers celebrate by popping open champagne because the bubbly “burns.”

But most of all, Duke told Coon that being a Miss Sprint Cup is a blast.

“She’s going to have the time of her life,” Duke said.

[Miss Sprint Cup Interview with Kim Coon]

The Timberwolves Dancers have always strived to be one of the elite performance teams in the NBA and this year they introduced their new coach Natalie Alvarado. Alvarado has over 15 years of professional dance experience, including seven years as a dancer and assistant coach with the NBA’s Houston Rockets where she also split time as a professional back-up dancer and choreographer. Additionally, Alvarado toured the nation as a music performer with Universal Records and her self-titled debut album (“Natalie”) premiered at No. 16 on the Billboard Top 200 Charts. After all of these experiences, Alvarado was determined to return to her greatest passion: dance. With her vast experience and knowledge of the entertainment industry, Alvarado looks to take the Timberwolves Dancers to the next level with jaw-dropping performances and hard-hitting choreography.

Previous posts on Natalie’s recording career here, here and here.

[Timberwolves Dancers]

From The Manly Daily

For the first time, The Manly Daily presents the Manly Sea Eagles cheerleaders out of uniform and like you’ve never seen them before.

Tomorrow night marks the first time the girls will strut their stuff outside a Sydney venue when they perform in front of an estimated crowd of 35,000 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane for the Sea Eagles’ round 12 clash against the Broncos.

Monique Carroll, choreographer for The Seabirds, as they are known collectively, says tomorrow will be one of the most significant performance for the girls.

“I know Broncos fans are crazy and love their cheerleaders so I can only hope they embrace us,” Mrs Carroll said. “We’re taking one of our favourite routines and it’s a big thrill for the girls to travel to Suncorp.”

The glamorous girls are not relying on their good looks to set themselves up for life.

There are law students, a web designer and pharmacist within the squad. Kahlia Hill, a 26-year-old meteorologist with a PhD, is one of the three team leaders of the squad.

She said the trip would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “To dance at Suncorp is something that’s pretty insane,” she said.

[Sea Eagles Cheerleaders Gallery]

[Manly Sea Eagles Cheerleaders]

Chris Garry
The Queensland Times

Purga girl Megan McInally traded working beside straight-laced suits in a law firm to captaining the trend setting Gold Coast Titans cheerleader squad, the Titanettes.

Ms McInally, 26, leads one of few NRL cheerleading squads who actually perform American-style cheers, complete with double back flip throws and pyramids, a style referred to as “stunting”.

Ms McInally is far removed from a blonde bimbo stereotype.

She left her conveyancing job at a law firm to study at university and pursue her cheerleading career.

She said the days of cheerleaders who just shook their pom poms in skimpy outfits were fading.

“We are not just a group of girls wearing boots with short skirts and dancing,” Ms McInally said.

“We are athletic and perform hard routines filled with actual throws and pyramids.

“Cheerleading, the way it’s done in America, is a sport and that’s why I became interested in it.”

There has been endless debate in rugby league circles about whether cheerleaders should be involved in the game.

South Sydney Rabbitohs boss Russell Crowe famously sacked his cheerleaders four years ago, saying that short skirts did not foster a family atmosphere at home games.

Ms McInally, who fell in love with cheerleading while working in New Zealand, said the Titanettes were family orientated.

“Cheerleading is more advanced in New Zealand. They only do American style,” she said.

“Australia is catching up slowly and hopefully the attitudes will change.”

Ipswich is proving to be a fertile breeding ground for acrobatic cheerleaders.

Goodna teenager Stephen Holdsworth, 18, became the first male cheerleader for the Brisbane Broncos this year.

And Rosewood 22-year-old Kady Ahearn is a team-mate of Mr Holdsworth in the Broncos’ cheer squad.

Ms Ahearn said cheerleaders defied stereotypes and were far removed from the catty antics of characters from Bring It On.

[Gold Coast Titanettes]

Last weekend the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders headed to mountains of western Maryland for their annual training camp at Deep Creek Lake. Pro Bowl Dan was there and he was nice enough to share a few photos with us.

[Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders]

Professional Cheerleaders Alumni is now offering clinics for dance teams, cheer teams, summer camps, community organizations and groups in the Jacksonville area.

PCA focuses on mentoring young girls so that they have an opportunity to learn from the lessons and experiences that led our NFL alumni cheerleaders to their success, whether as a professional cheerleader or in life. This is accomplished through our cheer, dance and team building programs and by sharing our life skills with those we work with in a mentoring role.

Our goal is that every participant has a positive and enjoyable experience regardless of her skill, ability, experience. Each clinic includes instruction of dance routines, short cheers, and group team building sessions. We also allow time to sit and talk with the groups about PCA’s mission: Dreams…Goals…Actions to empower girls to set goals and take action to follow their dreams.

2010 AYC Cheer ClinicEach participant will have the opportunity to develop new skills, gain confidence, and learn life-lessons regarding the importance of teamwork, responsibility, sportsmanship, and discipline.

Our alumni will come to your school or location to teach- a great opportunity for new teams and summer activities!

2 hour clinic – $15.00 per participant
3 hour clinic – $20.00 per participant
4 hour clinic – $25.00 per participant

 

[PCA Clinic Request Form]

Thanks to reader Scott for a few photos of the Houston Dynamo Girls from a recent game.

[Houston Dynamo Girls]

After nearly four months of preparations the Miami Dolphins have selected the women that will represent the organization as the 2011 Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders. The final selection took place on Saturday, May 7 at the Aventura Mall in Aventura, FL, as 42 ladies were chosen by a celebrity panel of nine judges along with votes that were placed online, via text messages and in person by mall patrons.

The all day competition included all 76 finalists from around the country presenting a self choreographed performance as well as taking part in a group performance. The performances concluded an intense week of preparations for the finalists who were chosen just six days earlier from a field of over 400 applicants.

(more…)