By Emiko Moore
Oxford Press
Reliving the “glory days” isn’t something only for former athletes — their ex-cheerleaders are going to have a chance to do that soon.
Deerfield Twp. resident Becky Lipps says she will have the chance of a lifetime Nov. 21 when she and more than 200 former and current Ben-Gals will perform together during halftime when the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Buffalo Bills.
Lipps, 47, was a Ben-Gal for the 1989 and 1990 seasons. She said she is thrilled to be part of the inaugural Ben-Gal alumni reunion.
Mason resident and former Ben-Gal cheerleader during 1989-1990 season, Becky Lipps, center, with daughters Katie, Lynn and Carrie and husband Bernie pictured Sunday, Nov 7, 2010 outside the Five Seasons Family Sports Club near Mason, Ohio
“When do you get a chance in life to go back to do something you loved to do? I am so grateful to the Bengals for this chance,” Lipps said.
She and about 50 other alumni have been practicing once per week since early October.
For the halftime show, all the performers will wear black warm-up suits with orange and white stripes on the sides. The 15-minute routine includes a section in which each decade of Ben-Gals will take the spotlight and cheer with moves and music reflective of their era. Lipps is participating in the combined ’70s and ’80s decade, which is choreographed to Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.”
A Kettering native, Lipps cheered all through her years at Fairmont West High School. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati, Lipps thought her cheerleading days were behind her. But in 1989, she tried out for the Ben-Gals when a friend asked her to go along.
She made the cut.
Lipps perks up talking about the celebrity-like treatment she received as a Ben-Gal, from seeing her pictures at local restaurants to the fans who stopped her on the streets.
“It was the high point in my life,” Lipps said.
Lipps regrets that she didn’t try out again the next year when she had the chance.
“Here is my chance to go back. It’s even more meaningful today,” she said.
I’ve got a penchant for making lists. And with my post back on election day about politically connected cheerleaders, I started a new one. First on addition – former Raiderette Alicia:
Alicia – Oakland Raiderette
Alicia worked for both the California Senate and Assembly and currently works for Assemblyman Steve Knight (R-Palmdale) in Sacramento.
The complete list is here.
The Charlotte Lady Cats calendar show, Under the Lights, will air this Friday night on Fox Sports South. The show airs at 6:30 pm and then replays later that night.
Watch the video trailer here.
Bonus! Check out the Lady Cays Halloween Gallery
By Beth Gore
Chicago-Slaughter.com
Katie and Katie, the same-named dance captains of the Chicago Slaughter dance team, had their hands full on Saturday November 6th at Shark City Sports Bar in Glendale Heights. It was tryout day for the squad and the Katie’s’ responsibilities included helping the girls in attendance prepare for their final auditions in front of both fans and a panel of judges.
‘I’m just getting up to speed myself” said the newer Katie, who joined the Slaughter days ago. “My job here today is to keep the girls motivated today and to help them with anything they might need to make the day a productive one.”
The second Katie has been with the Slaughter for a while now. “I’m entering my third year with the team,” the veteran dance captain Katie said. “It’s a wonderful chance for me to interact with these girls, to meet the fans, and to learn more about indoor football.”
Both captains see the opportunity to work with the Slaughter as more than another part time job.
“It’s a lifestyle,” both agreed. “We are in the public eye yet we form close bonds with our teammates. Here at the Slaughter we have the opportunity to encounter girls from all over the Chicago area. They come from different backgrounds but all are united both by their love of dance and their interest in performing. The fact that all of them also get the chance to learn about football is a bonus. This is a unique job that presents wonderful opportunities for professional development and personal growth.”
Wynne Lacey, owner of Wynning Teams and the person most responsible for training Slaughter dance team recruits, has five years experience as a dancer and captain in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks. Now in her third year with the Slaughter, Wynne has also appeared in local newspaper articles, in dozens of TV and radio spots, and on posters. “I’ve been doing this for a while” Lacey said, ”but it never gets old. I love to meet the new girls and to watch them develop into polished performers. The Slaughter is a wonderful organization to work with. We work hard, but we also have a lot of fun.”
The backgrounds of the girls seeking an opportunity to join the Slaughter dance team is as varied as the girls themselves. Some are students at local colleges. Others work as hairstylists and cosmetologists. There are several teachers trying out for the team as well as an applicant who works in banking. Two of the girls said that they hoped to be in sports broadcasting eventually. And although making the squad will require hours of effort devoted to learning and perfecting performance routines, each applicant sees the additional workload as a positive.
Cassie has been with the squad for two years and is back to audition for year number three. “I love to perform. It’s so much fun to go out there on the field in front of the fans. Sure my schedule is full, but that’s the way things should be. To me this is relaxing. I get to dance which is something I truly enjoy.” Does it get easier with each successive year? “Hardly,” she says. “In fact if anything, there is more pressure. I’d feel really bad if I’d been with the Slaughter Girls for this amount of time then didn’t make it on my third try.”
Chrissy and Elle hope that their first audition will the lucky one. “It’s a great challenge,” Elle says. “I love sports and I enjoy seeing the fans. This would be the perfect place for me.”
More than beauty and talent is involved in the auditions, with all candidates also scored on personality and knowledge of the team in particular, and indoor football in general. Would you know how many players are on the field at any one time? Or the length of the field? What year the Slaughter won the championship, and with what record? If you were a member of the dance team, you’d already have these facts down cold.
So remember the next time you see these proud dancers sporting Slaughter colors and revving up the crowd, there’s a lot more to making the team than just having a pretty face. These are accomplished and talented young women. A great deal of effort has been expended in reaching this level, and for that, we Slaughter fans salute them.
By Tom Nader
Recordpub.com
It has happened to all of us at some point in our lives.
That moment when you wake up in the morning, glance at the clock on the nightstand next to your bed and realize that you missed something important because you slept in.
That is exactly what happened to Ravenna’s Megan Jones on one of the biggest days of her life.
On the day of her Cavalier Girl dance team audition, Jones found herself running behind by two full hours.
Her first instinct?
“I just wasn’t going to go,” she said. “I thought that there is no way I could get to Cleveland in time for them to still let me tryout.”
Taking a chance, she drove to Quicken Loans Arena anyway.
“The door was locked when I got there,” said Jones, who is a 2007 Ravenna High School graduate.
Then, fate intervened.
Just as Jones was turning around to leave, a Cavs cameraman happened to be entering the same door that was locked. When he noticed that Jones was locked out, he let her in.
Jones bolted to the audition, becoming the 498th girl to tryout — out of 498. The judges were impressed and asked Jones to return for the second-day tryout.
The tryout eventually lasted four consecutive days for Jones, with each day including a series of cuts. When the final day was over, Jones had become one of the franchise’s newest Cavalier Girls.
For Jones, the excitement of a dream coming true was immediate.
“Growing up in Northeast Ohio I have always been a huge Cavs fan,” Jones said. “Being a Cavalier Girl is such a prestigious honor, and I am very proud to be a part of the group.”
With the season only nine games old, it has already been a whirlwind for Jones.
“Every single day there is just so much new stuff that is thrown my way,” Jones said. “Photo shoots, appearances and commercials … it is a little overwhelming, but I am looking at each day as a great opportunity.”
Jones started dance classes when she was six years old through the Ravenna Parks and Recreation Department. While in high school, she was a Ravenna Raven cheerleader for four years.
But cheering in front of a couple thousand fans on a football Friday night is a little different than performing at a sold out arena that seats 20,562. Not to mention the millions that could be watching on TV each night.
“Honestly, when I am out there on the court, it is almost like I black out in a sense,” Jones said. “It is such a rush and so much fun, that I am not focused on how many people are there. My concentration is on the routine and having fun.”
“I am so lucky to even have this opportunity that I don’t want to stress about the things that could make me nervous,” said the managerial marketing major and pre-law minor student, who transferred to Kent State this semester from Ohio University to accommodate her busy schedule with the Cavs.
Appearances will make her schedule even more hectic after Jones was voted to appear on the cover of the team’s annual Cavalier Girl calendar.
“I was shocked to be honest,” Jones said of the unveiling that was held at the Barley House in Cleveland last week.
In just a couple of weeks, all of it has turned a girl from small-town Ravenna into a celebrity.
“I don’t know how to react,” she said. “When I am leaving the games, girls come up to me and ask for my autograph. I just smile, because I can’t believe they want my autograph.
“It is such a great feeling to be a part of this, and I feel like I have accomplished something very special and very important in my life.”
2010-11 Golden State Warrior Girls
The new squad is online with individual bios and photos here.
The latest from our friend Phil:
Courteney, Amanda F, Meghan, and Gina at the Shredd and Ragan Tailgate Party
As always plenty of photos and video at the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog.
This week VH1’s Don’t Forget the Lyrics features Cheerleaders as Contestants. Here’s Raiderette Kelly on her experience:
By Raiderette Kelly
Raiders.comRaiderette Kelly was a contestant on VH1’s Don’t Forget the Lyrics playing on behalf of the Oakland Police Activities League.
Raiderette Kelly stands with Don’t Forget the Lyrics! host Mark McGrath.
Raiderette Kelly here to tell the Raider Nation about my whirlwind and fabulous trip to TV land in Southern California! I was chosen to represent the Oakland Raiderettes as a contestant playing for a charity on the hit game show Don’t Forget the Lyrics! The following is a little bit about my journey to Los Angeles and my “movie star for a day” experience!
The show’s producers decided to have a “Cheerleader Week” theme. Football’s Fabulous Females were chosen to be 1 of 4 cheerleader groups to compete and play for charity on the show. When I heard about this opportunity, I thought I would be an ideal candidate because I love karaoke and can entertain a crowd. The producers held interviews where we were quizzed on our knowledge of lyrics, sang 2-3 popular songs, and were asked about our lives outside of the Raiderettes. When I was chosen to be a representative, I was thrilled and began to study lyrics like a mad woman.
The charity I picked was the Oakland Police Activities League (Oakland PAL). The organization provides free education and recreational activities to Oakland’s youth and provides positive mentors to keep kids safe and off the streets. I was excited to participate on the show for such a meaningful organization and I wanted to get them as much money as I possible.
July 22, 2010- At 3 AM, my alarm went off and I jumped out of bed. I felt a surge of energy and excitement, with a hint of anxiety. I managed to do my hair, makeup, put on my Raiders gear, and was off to the San Jose airport.
During my one-hour flight to LA, my nerves began to set in, and it showed to the point where it was noticed by the man next to me. We conversed about my trip and he tried to reassure me that I would do great. I became more relaxed when he started quizzing me on songs. He would sing one unfinished line from a song, and I would finish the lyric. It probably looked silly to the other passengers, but it definitely calmed me down. We finally arrived in LA and I was off to The Culver Studios.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by my producers, Iris and Bobby, and was shown to my dressing room. From then on, it was a quick moving day. I met other contestants including a 49ers Gold Rush cheerleader and a Sacramento Kings dancer. We all sat in on a meeting explaining the game rules, what they look for in a contestant, and what not to do while on tape. The main points that were instilled in us were to sing loud, entertain and be loveable. I was glamorized by the hair and makeup team, put on my official Raiderette uniform, and sang my heart out in a practice session with my producers.
Raiderette Kelly poses with Don’t Forget the Lyrics! creator Jeff Apploff.
Mark McGrath, lead singer for the band Sugar Ray, is the new host of the syndicated version of Don’t Forget the Lyrics! As they say in the commercials, “You don’t have to sing it well; you just have to sing it right.” The top prize is $50,000, and the contestants sing 4 songs of different genres ranging from Country, Rock, Pop, and various decades. The contestant chooses a genre, picks from two song options, and is told by Mark how many words are needed to complete the lyric. Music is played and the song’s lyrics appear on a screen for the contestant to sing. When the music stops, the contestant must finish the phrase correctly in order to earn prize money. The levels of prizes go from $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, and $10,000. If a contestant misses a lyric, they stay at the same prize level and pick a new category. After a contestant sings all 4 songs, they have the option to sing an “Encore” song, which is usually a more challenging song and requires you to provide 10-15 lyrics. Done successfully, one could go home with $50,000!
After my practice session, I was ready! I applied things learned from the Raiderettes while being a contestant, including my traditional “Raiderette run,” entertaining performances, and even my high kicks (I thought this might be really funny to have Mark McGrath participate in the kicks as well! I guessed right – it was hilarious). Even though I threw in some goofy dance moves and may have cracked on a few high notes, I had a great time and rocked that stage! Although I can’t tell how much money I won for Oakland Police Activities League, I can tell you this: I did my very best and LOCKED IN THOSE LYRICS! Tune in for my episode airing on VH1 on Friday, November 19th. Check your local listings for the time.
The San Jose SaberCats will be holding open tryouts for the 2011 SaberKitten Dance Team on Saturday, December 11, 2010 with callbacks taking place the following day. The tryout will take place at the Fry’s Electronics Gym located at 380 Portage Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306.
Auditions will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 11, 2010. A choreographer will teach a short dance combination for each phase of the audition. Dancers will be required to learn and perform these dance combinations in small groups in front of a panel of judges with a cut after each phase. Throughout the day, dancers will be judged on dance/cheer ability, showmanship and crowd appeal. Participants are required to wear a two-piece leotard with flesh colored nylons as well as jazz or athletic shoes with a non-marking sole.
Dancers wishing to tryout must fill out a registration form posted at www.thesanjosesabercats.com. Applications may also be printed out and mailed to the San Jose SaberCats office at 600 East Brokaw Rd, San Jose, CA, 95112. Those wishing to participate may also contact the SaberCats office at (408) 673-3400 to have an application mailed out. Photos are not required, but recommended for identification purposes and may only be submitted on the day of the audition.
The SaberKittens practice one or two nights during the week and on weekends. All home games are mandatory and the 2011 schedule can be found on the SaberCats website.
For more information in regards to the tryout please email saberkittens@thesanjosesabercats.com.
