Cheer squad offers a real fitness blitz
By Mandy Stadtmiller
The New York Post
Question: What’s the one thing more heart-racing than this afternoon’s Jets playoff game? Answer: The Jets cheerleaders — and their sexy, athletic dance moves. And now you can get as fit as a Jets Flight Crew member by taking one of two special free classes being taught by actual Jets cheerleaders at New York Sports Clubs on Monday and Thursday.
“This is the first year that we’ve offered classes to give people a sneak peek into what it’s like,” says director Denise Garvey, a former dancer for the New York Knicks and ex-cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys. She’s been head of the team for three years since it was founded as the newest cheerleading team in the NFL.
Samantha (left) and Anne-Marie share the secrets of cheering with The Post’s beribboned reporter, Mandy Stadtmiller.So how hard is the 50-minute, cardio-intensive routine? Who cares! You get the chance to dance with NFL cheerleaders — and pretend like you’re performing privately for Jets QB and hottie Mark Sanchez.
“The difference between a good cheerleader and a bad cheerleader is execution of choreography and enthusiasm,” Garvey says. “We get the question all the time: How do the girls stay so fit? And the answer is nonstop cardio. If you think the cheerleader has the perfect body, then come to the class and find out how that happens.”
“It’s not something that you can go to Broadway Dance Center and do,” says cheerleader Anne-Marie A. (The cheerleaders don’t use last names to prevent stalker-y guys. So don’t get any one-true-love ideas, dudes. Ain’t gonna happen.)
“It’s not like Zumba. We’re more stylized. It’s sexy, fun. We’re very, very powerful dancers. As far as our moves, they’re punchy, which sets us apart from other NFL teams. We’re just very sharp.”
To fully investigate this exciting step forward in cheerleading sciences technology, The Post took the class and broke down the key moves so that you too can sh-sh-shake it like a Jets girl.
“I think we’ve brought them a lot of luck this year,” says Anne-Marie, who refused to specify a particularly “lucky” sexy move. “They’re all pretty special to us.”
Sweethearts for Soldiers, an organization whose mission is to support the troops by providing morale boosting and entertainment-type services to our men and women in uniform, is pleased to announce that it has been granted 501(c)(3) status by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS has classified Sweethearts for Soldiers as a public charity, which allows any donations or contributions received to be fully tax-deductible. Questions regarding any charitable contributions should be directed to a tax advisor.
Sweethearts for Soldiers was founded by two former NFL Cheerleaders, Bari Yonkers and Tonya Helman, in 2006 They wanted to give other former professional cheerleaders a unique way to continue their support for the troops, from the sidelines to the frontlines. The volunteer-led organization produces an annual troop charity calendar, boosting morale stateside and overseas with appearances and their variety tours to men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.
Tonya Helman, President/CEO/Cofounder said, “We are so excited about receiving this wonderful opportunity and it will give us the ability to raise more money for our mission, to brighten the day of every troop overseas. The 501(c)(3) status will give us the chance to provide a tax deduction to our donors which will help us bring in more donations from individuals wanting to support their troops and sponsorships from businesses, allowing us to make 2010 the year we reach every troop deployed overseas with our charity calendar and Entertainment Tours!”
“Receiving our 501(c)(3) status was a wonderful start to the new year. When someone donates to our organization, they get the benefit of a tax deduction for themselves and the benefit of knowing their money goes directly into producing top notch entertainment for the troops. Their donation also lets service members know they are appreciated and not forgotten about” adds Bari Yonkers, Cofounder and Vice President of Events.
Donald Wells, Vice President of Marketing, said “Receiving the 501(c)(3) status not only makes it known that we are here 100% for the troops, but it allows us to get funding and donations to make it possible to achieve our mission. Our donors are now able to get a tax credit for their generosity.”
Chickie’s & Pete’s in South Philadelphia was the site of an Eagles Pep Rally last Thursday night as part of the run up to yesterday’s Philadelphia-Dalla playoff game.
Fans pose with the Eagles Cheerleaders
Janelle
Danni-Lynn and Jessica
Stephanie S.
Jenna
Danni-Lynn
Ivelisse
Jessica
[Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders]
Last look at the Jills on the field this season.
Clare Farnsworth
Seahawks.com
The Seahawks will have a representative at the Pro Bowl after all. It’s Sea Gal Amanda Janner, who has quite a story of her own to tell.
As a cheerleader at St. Pius X High School in Houston, Amanda Janner never expected to become a Sea Gal – let alone the squad’s representative at the Pro Bowl.
But here she is, about to be the Seahawks’ lone envoy at the NFL all-star game, which this year is being held in Miami on Jan. 31.
“I was very surprised to be chosen,” Janner said. “Because this was never anything I planned to do. Once I finished my senior year of high school, I really thought that cheerleading would be something in the past.
“So it is very cool.”
How did this happen? How is it that an on-line media host who moved to Seattle three years ago, after getting her B.A. in broadcast journalism from Loyola University in New Orleans and marrying her high school sweetheart, is Pro Bowl bound?
“Amanda is absolutely a great choice,” said Sherri Thompson, director of the Sea Gals and a former member of the dance team that has graced the sidelines at the Kingdome, Husky Stadium and Qwest Field for the past 34 seasons.
“She’s extremely well-spoken and, with her background, working with a microphone and public speaking and all that, it’s just easy for us. She’s just very well composed. She’s obviously beautiful. She’s got a ton of energy in her dance. And she’s photogenic. That’s why she was chosen.”
That might be how Janner got from Seattle to South Florida. But what about the Houston-to-Seattle segment of this saga?
“It was just time for us to move,” Janner said. “We were getting married and decided that we wanted to start our life in a different part of the country and experience something different from Houston.”
The decision process came with a quartet of destination must-haves: A major city; career opportunities; climate; and a NFL team.
Seattle won out as far as size and climate. “We visited Seattle and just loved it,” she said. “It’s just so naturally beautiful. The mountains, with skiing nearby, and the water. Just all these things to do.”
Her husband, Adam, got a job as a financial analyst.
Then there was that fourth item. “One of my criteria was I had to have a NFL team, and it had to have a cheerleading squad that I would want to dance for,” Janner said.
Once here, however, she still had to make that squad.
“Having come from another professional team, and knowing that my director and Sherri knew each other, I felt more pressure,” Janner said. “I thought, ‘Well, Sherri is going to expect a lot from me.’ And I’m not a trained dancer. So it really put on the pressure.”
Pressure that Janner, 27, obviously was able to handle, since she just completed her third season as a Sea Gal.
Janner had put cheerleading, competitive cheerleading/dance and gymnastics on hold after high school to focus on her studies at Loyola – while Adam attended the University of Houston.
Then her present crossed paths with her past, and set the stage for her future.
“My first job out of college was for a local ABC affiliate close to Houston (in Bryan),” Janner said. “And my first assignment was to go and interview the Texans Cheerleaders, along with the players. They were in town visiting the Boys and Girls Club.
“I didn’t know that side of NFL Cheerleading. I didn’t know they did all these appearances and all this charity work. It was obvious they really liked what they were doing and when I talked to them I saw their passion and just how enthused they were to be there.”
Janner had missed the camaraderie, which she still labels as the most enjoyable aspect of being part of a dance team for a professional sports team. So when she moved back to Houston, she spent three years as a member of Texans Cheerleaders before she and Adam decided to make the move to Seattle.
“I love it,” Janner said of being a Sea Gal. “And I’m so happy I made the squad, especially my first year. Not knowing anyone here it made the transition easier because I had 27 friends automatically. They’ve been my family away from home, so I’ve been really thankful for that.”
Now, she gets to add another line to her already impressive resume: Pro Bowl representative.
This wasn’t just an oh-yeah-her selection. Thompson has a list of criteria that a Sea Gal must meet before she gets the annual nod: How she will photograph with representative from all the other teams; how well she will learn the dances; being punctual; appearance when not in uniform; and approaching the game and everything that will surround it as a business trip.
When it came to Janner, it was check, check, check, check and check.
“She’s always on time. She always wears the right thing. She always looks good. And in her free time, she also will make really good choices and represent us well,” as Thompson put it. “It’s an honor and an opportunity.”
Janner is making the trip a family affair. Her husband is going. So are her parents, as well as Adam’s father and brother.
“I feel a lot of responsibility, because I will be the only Sea Gal there,” Janner said. “To be the only representative to show everyone this is what a true Sea Gal is, it’s a difficult task.
“It is an honor, but I do feel a lot of responsibility with it.”
Three-year veteran Amy will represent the Cardinal Cheerleaders at 2010 Pro Bowl.
Amy current works as a Dental clinician and as a dance teacher. She’s making her transition into the medical field to be a surgical nurse.
Before discovering her love for dancing, she twirled as a Young Olympian in competitive baton for more than ten years and retired after winning the national title.
Her real experience with dance started when she received one of the thirteen dancing scholarships to The Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood, California. It was here that she discovered her passion for dance and was given many opportunities to perform for various artists and events including Brooks and Dunn, P-Ditty, Wyclef Jean and at the 2001 Presidential inauguration.
Sharp-eyed readers will recognize Shannon McClattie, the Comets Cheerleaders Director/Choreographer, as a long-time Carolina TopCat.
Congratulations to Shannon on her new position!
[Carolina Comets Cheerleaders]
Three-year veteran Randi will be representing the Texans Cheerleaders at the 2010 Pro Bowl.
Last year Randi was selected by Maxim as the NFL’s Hottest Cheerleader.
Watch a video interview with Randi about her selection here.
The Director of the Diamond Dancers is former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and Dallas Mavericks Dancer Maya Hayes.
The Sioux Falls Storm in conjunction with Boston’s is pleased to announce that a meet and greet with the Lightning Girls will take place on Saturday, January 9 at Boston’s located at 3202 E. 10th St. in Sioux Falls.
The meet and greet will run 7:00pm to 10:00pm. The $5 All You Can Drink fundraiser will include $3 Kamikaze shots and a 50/50 Raffle. There will be give-aways throughout the night including two $50 bar tabs to Boston’s and Storm apparel. 2010 Season Tickets will be available for purchase as well.
