By HeatherNolan
Beaumont Enterprise
The first time Houston Texans Cheerleader Carrie Kaufman stepped onto the grass at Reliant Stadium, her toes went numb and chills ran up her body.
The gridiron field was nothing new to her – she was captain of the West Brook High School drill team during her senior year, and she was on the University of North Texas dance team.
The 71,500 fans – decked out in red, white and blue – cheering on their hometown team was something Kaufman could never prepare herself for when she hit the turf for the first time this fall.
“It was completely different from a high school or college game,” Kaufman, 27, said recently by phone. “There was so much excitement and everybody was screaming so loud. It was much more fun.”
This is Kaufman’s rookie year with the Texans. She’s hoping that by working as a Texans representative, she can help shake off the negative notions many have about cheerleaders.
“There is a stereotype that cheerleaders are bimbos and don’t have brains, that they are the silliest people,” she said. “But we’re really not. It’s frustrating that people see you that way.”
To be a Texans cheerleader, Kaufman said each woman must be either a full-time student or full-time mom or have a full-time job.
“That’s one thing that makes me really proud to be on the team,” said Kaufman, who works in the public relations department at a Houston-based oil and gas company. “I am a career-driven person. I take my career very seriously, and one of my long-term goals is to make it up the corporate ladder.”
As a member of the cheerleading team, Kaufman said she must make 40 appearances throughout the year at community events, including fund-raisers or charity events. She enjoys the appearances, she said, because it gives her and the other women a chance to get to know their fans and dispel stereotypes.
Each week, Kaufman said every woman on the team is challenged, having to try out to make it on one of the teams that dances during the game.
The West Michigan ThunderHawks of the Indoor Football League continued preparations for the upcoming 2010 season by hiring Kimberly R. Herr as Director of Dance Team. Herr held a similar position with the AFLs Grand Rapids Rampage over the past two seasons.
Herr, a resident of Hudsonville, Michigan, led a team of 18 dancers that performed during games and also made many off-field appearances in the West Michigan community. Even after the AFL suspended operations in 2008, Herr kept the team together to continue fulfilling a busy schedule of appearance obligations and event requests, including the annual RAGE Pom & Dance Challenge for statewide high school teams, performing at Davenport University basketball games and participating in the Girls on the Run program.
Herr, who currently teaches at Forest Hills Central High School in Grand Rapids, also has served ten years as the schools Varsity coach for pom and dance teams. Her teams qualified and competed in the UDA National Championships in Orlando, Florida from 2004-07 and earned Midwest Regional Class A Runner-Up in 2004.
Before receiving B.A.- and Masters Degrees from Grand Valley State University, Herr did undergraduate work at Central Michigan University where she was a co-captain on the CMU Chippettes Dance Team. Prior to that, Herr was a member of the East Kentwood High School Dance Team.
The girls on the team have a positive attitude, high energy level and are very team-oriented, said Herr, who is also a wife and mother. They put on fan-friendly performances, are good role models and represent the community and organization with class.
Herr added that her team worked with professional choreographers to enhance routines and practiced a couple of times per week. Team members must be polished dancers, high school graduates, and at least 18 years of age.
Jills Jess and Stephanie at the Bill Away Game Party
More photos and a full report.
Reader James was at the Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show in Oaks, PA, on Saturday. Four Eagles Cheerleaders there to promote the Radisson Aruba Resort. That resort is where the cheerleader calendar photos were taken earlier this year.
Jessica and Ayva
Tracey and Stephanie
Ayva
Stephanie
Tracey
Stephanie
Tracey and Stephanie again
[Chicago Slaughter Dance Team]
A second batch of TopCats photos from last Thursdays Dolphins-Panthers game courtesy of reader Kevin.
By Steve Mazzucchi
Esquire
After a tight loss to the Colts, a Ravenette vet accentuates the positives, including a fast-learning QB, a Peyton-foiling D, and a turf-chewing LB
So close, and yet so far. That’s how Baltimore must feel after holding Indianapolis to 17 points and reaching the Indy 12, down two, with under five to play. But thanks to a Gary Brackett interception — one of many Raven red zone failures — the Colts escaped with another narrow win as the Ravens lost by three points or less for the third time this season, falling to 5-5.
Still, if dark thoughts lurk on the sideline, you won’t hear them from fifth-year cheerleader Abbie. Quoth this Raven: “Don’t say if we’re gonna make the playoffs, we’re gonna do it!” And that’s not just pom-pom positivity. A nuclear power plant analyst and MBA student by day (“I majored in kinesiology and never thought I’d be here, but I love my job”), Abbie talked up her future trip in support of the troops (“I’m pretty sure we’re going to Djibouti and possibly Kuwait and Dubai — it’s gonna be amazing”), a secret weapon (“We’re the only NFL team with a male stunt team — it’s really cool to watch”), and why these birds of prey might yet soar into the postseason.
ESQUIRE: Was this game as frustrating from the sidelines as it appeared?
ABBIE: There were a few mistakes, but we played awesome. The Colts were 9-0, so we didn’t know what to expect. A lot of times with a close loss, the fans are down, but people were just excited we played so well. There aren’t many games Peyton Manning throws two interceptions. It sucks we couldn’t get into the end zone, but we did show how well we can play, and I know we have what it takes to beat the Steelers next week.
ESQ: Linebacker Terrell Suggs, who’s started 105 straight games, sat out with a knee injury. How much did you miss him today?
A: He’s one of our best defensive players, but it’s hard to say how things would have been different because our defense stepped up to the plate and played really well. We stuffed them in the red zone. I was very impressed.
ESQ: Last week, the Ravens cut kicker Steve Hauschka after he missed a 36-yarder and an extra point against the Cleveland Browns. Today, you faced the team that used to play in Baltimore, the Colts, whose kicker is Matt Stover, who had been with the Ravens franchise since 1991, when they were the Cleveland Browns. And Stover, your franchise’s all-time leading scorer, booted the game-winning field goal against you. How did that feel?
A: Obviously, Baltimore misses him. He’s a great guy. But our new kicker, Billy Cundiff, made five field goals. He tied Stover’s record. He missed one, but Matt missed a couple when he played for us. It’s a bummer seeing him kicking the game-winner, but he’s good, he deserves to be in that situation.
ESQ: Do you think it was a mistake to not re-sign Stover before the season?
A: I don’t really have much say in that. I think the team and the coach do what they feel needs to be done at the time, and I support them. And Cundiff is gonna keep us on the right track. They just got him last week, so I give him props for everything he did in today’s game.
ESQ: What are your thoughts on the progress of young Joe Flacco from last season to this season?
A: This season, he just came out passing the ball over the place. He’s got a great arm, and he’s so confident. He has the trust of the players, and even though we lost today, he threw for 256 yards. That’s huge. Peyton had 299, and he’s one of the top QBs, if not the best. Flacco’s very modest, too. Watching him out on the field, he seems so comfortable. Even when guys are attacking him, he’s looking to make plays.
ESQ: Does the fact that Ray Lewis ate a bit of Cleveland’s turf last week change your feelings about him being your favorite player?
A: It’s funny because when he comes out onto the field, he always has his piece of grass that he rips up and does his dance. It doesn’t surprise me. He will always be my favorite player, because he plays his heart out, and he’s never missing in action. He’s the one that pumps the team up. He played very well today — he had a few big hits, as usual.
ESQ: Are you planning to see The Blind Side, the new movie about rookie left tackle Michael Oher, based on the Michael Lewis book?
A: I’m familiar with the story. I haven’t read the book, but I’ve heard it’s a great movie and I definitely want to see it. It’s very inspiring. It takes a strong person to overcome all the stuff he’s been through.
ESQ: Three of your last six games are against teams you’ll likely be battling for the AFC wild card. What’s going to happen?
A: If we make fewer mistakes, get into the end zone, and our defense plays like it did today, we can win games going forward. We were a team to beat in beginning of the year, and we can get that back. We always play big and hard against the Steelers. It’s a Sunday night game. The crowd’s gonna be awesome. So much adrenaline. It’s gonna be exciting.
ESQ: Most importantly… does the male stunt team have a calendar?
A: No, but the girls do! It’s only our second one. I am August 2009, the first thing you see besides the cover, so that’s pretty cool.
[Abbie at BaltimoreRavens.com]
The Sunday Night Away Game Party in Richboro featured Eagles Cheerleaders Michelle and Kristin Rose:
Michelle and Kristin Rose with Swoop
Michelle and Kristin Rose were among the 2 dozen or so Eagles Cheerleaders that were involved with the new Owen Wilson-Reese Witherspoon movie due out next December.
Kristin Rose has already been on the big scree. You might have seen her in the Sex & The City movie.
Another shot of Kristen Rose and her calendar photos. (Sorry for the glare!)
Michelle is an accounting major.
[Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders]
Lyndsay
Friday night the Washington Wizard Girls unveiled their ǘber-hot 2009-10 Swimsuit Calendar. The calendar was shot on location in the British Virgin Islands making the Wizard Girls the first NBA squad to shoot their calendar outside the USA.
The event was held at the swanky Liason Capitol Hill. I took a half day at my boring day job to ensure that I wouldn’t miss a moment. Wizard Girl Director Jessica Pikulski even allowed me in to cover part of the rehearsal.
Kahla rehearses
The planning for the party, the catering, the music, the sponsors, was all put together by Four-year captain Teneii. And she did a fabulous job.
Teneii (but you can call her ‘T’)
Friends turned out and there were load of picture taking opportunities.
Alumni Cherry, Sandy and Katrina
Wizard Girl Jessica and Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader Amanda became good friends while attending Towson University.
The party featured several Wizard Girl performances. The dancers also took to the runway modeling evening wear and swimsuits.
Alicia performs
Erica on the runway
Marina
Thanks for everyone who participated in our Mystery Uniform Quiz. Once thing I learned is that if there’s anything this world needs, it’s more opera gloves!
I’m going through all the entries now, and hope to announce the winners in a couple of days.
See the answers here.
Didn’t take the quiz yet? Check it out here.
