Alyssa and Vincenza
Phil has the report and the photos from Sunday.
Reported by Midwest Dave
The drive through the sunshine to on Sunday morning was a portrait of a perfect autumnal Ohio landscape, with sunlight falling to show bursts of orange and yellow through the trees. Why so poetic on Ultimatecheerleaders.com? Well, at the Cincinnati Bengals home game against the Titans, we all appreciated the sun hitting our orange clothing, because in the sun, it was a beautiful, perfect fall day. In the shade, it was a bit nippy. So I am sure the Ben-Gals noticed the change as they changed sides of the field in the second half, going from the balmy east, sun-coated side, to the shaded, “brrr” west side of the field. With their high energy routines and warm smiles, the Ben-Gals probably didn’t even notice the cool temps.
On the field, the impressive 2009 4-1 Bengals were seemingly replaced by a version of past years’ mediocrity for this day, despite some acrobatics of catches and near catches by Chad Ocho Cinco. The Texans looked quicker and took advantage of Bengal mistakes to take the win. As a fan near me mentioned, it was the triple crown of defeat in football crazy Ohio, with the Bengals, Browns, and Ohio State going down the same weekend.
Despite the Bengals mistakes, all was well with the world when the Ben-Gals took center stage. Between quarters, the Ben-Gals performed to a little AC/DC (“You Shook Me All Night Long”) and the traditional Ohio “Hang on Sloopy.” And there were some familiar faces serving as assistants, alumni Traci and Deanna were busy talking to the line captains and on their walkie-talkies. Choosing my Sideline Standout of the Game is way too hard. There is the always wonderful Tara in her eight season and the fun Laure
n A in her third, but I have chosen them before and I don’t want to be too repetitive. It’s difficult to choose with Alyson, Erin, Latasha, Rachel, Sarah G, Sunny, and Tersha around, but I have to go with second year Natalie, whose energy and smile captured the day.
Natalie
Patrick Douglas
Great Falls Tribune
It’s a bit like something out of a Hollywood script. A young farm girl from a tiny Montana town tries out and ends up being chosen for an NFL Cheerleading squad.
But that’s reality for Callie Yeager and her family after the Conrad native made the Arizona Cardinals’ cheer team last summer.
“I thought it was neat that she would at least give it a shot ’cause she’s always been real brave that way in going and trying out for something,” said Callie’s mother, Bobbi Yeager. “I thought ‘It’d be great if it happens,’ but I was always thinking ‘Wow, I don’t know.’ ”
Callie’s passion for dancing began when she was 3 years old and first took classes for fun. She attended college at the University of Montana where she was a member of the Sugar Bears dance team and then went on to Las Vegas where she danced in the Tournament of Kings show.
In between, she decided to try out for the pinnacle of NFL cheerleading squads — the Dallas Cowboys.
“There’s over 300 girls and they’re all beautiful, they’re all talented and they’re all pencil skinny,” Callie said of the initial tryouts. “It is intimidating but you’ve just gotta hold your own and be confident.”
While Callie didn’t make the final cut for the Cowboys in the spring of 2007, she took what she learned from the experience and used it to land the job with the Arizona Cardinals this past summer.
The tryouts required that the women showcase their talents in front of a panel of judges.
“They usually do it in groups of five and usually the first round is introducing ourselves,” Callie explained. “They put the music on, and we just freestyle dance which is just moving on your own. No choreography. Then they do their first cuts.
“In the second round, they teach you a choreography portion, like something they performed at their games last year. That’s a fast process. We had to learn and perform within an hour.”
The second round of cuts comes the next day, followed by an interview process.
“We have to dress in business attire and that’s the scary part,” she said. “Then we do our final dance. They post the results on the Internet a week later and … you’re just sitting by the computer waiting for it to pop up.”
Then the good news came.
“I couldn’t even believe it,” Callie said with a laugh. “I had to refresh the page to make sure it was me. Then I started crying. (It was) a roller coaster of emotions. Then I call everyone I know and they’re screaming. It’s so exciting, but then you realize that you have to move. It’s nuts.”
Growing up in Conrad
Callie’s mother Bobbi was a high school teacher and her dad Gary is a barley farmer. Callie was a four-year varsity cheerleader for Conrad before heading to Missoula. Even though her parents supported her love of dance, they took a sensible approach to Callie’s future.
“I kind of wanted her to be a nurse or something more practical,” Bobbi said. “She was always dance, dance, dance and I was always thinking ‘Go for something practical.’ Her older sister’s a banker, her older brother is a paralegal and those are both pretty staid and true occupations and here comes Callie dancing her way through everything.”
Now that Callie has made the Cardinal cheerleading squad, her path has taken a different turn. Her parents, avid Grizzly fans, didn’t have a favorite NFL team but of course that’s changed, and they plan to attend a Cardinals’ game in December.
“She always did really well with (the Sugar Bears) and I thought ‘Wow, if anybody could do this, she could.’ I’d see the girls on the NFL teams and she looked just as good to me as they did,” Bobbi said.
“When she was majoring in dance, I thought she could go all the way with it. I think that’s about as far as you could go in cheerleading.”
Down the road
Callie has aspirations to one day own her own dance studio, a dream that seems much more likely considering what she’s accomplished so far.
Knowing that young girls look up to her the way young boys admire professional football players is something Callie doesn’t take lightly.
“It’s very special. I love it because I want to eventually open my own dance studio and teach young children. I looked up to even just the high school cheerleaders when I was little, and I wanted to be them and I know how it feels,” Callie said. “It’s just special to make their day and make them smile and make them dream and be able to think that they can do it, too.”
Making the transition from small-town farm girl to big city cheerleader has been surreal, but rewarding, she said.
“I really miss home. I’m always still gonna be the small-town farm girl. There’s 6 million people in Phoenix and there’s 3,000 in Conrad with one stoplight. It’s hard to even wrap your head around it,” she said. “When you leave, you really appreciate what you had.”
“Moving here, I knew no one and now I have 32 great friends,” she continued.
“(Callie) was always just one of those easygoing kids,” Bobbi said. “She always loved anything to do with dance and was good at it. I guess I should’ve known. I kept thinking ‘She’ll get tired of it,’ or ‘She’ll outgrow it,’ but she never did.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders are in London in advance of Sunday’s game against the Patriots. 
And now we have an idea what the Bucs cold weather uniforms look like.
See all the photos here.
[Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders]
The Orlando Titans, Florida’s first professional lacrosse team, will hold open auditions for their 2010 Dance Team on Sunday, Oct. 25 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Starz Studio, 1271 State Road 436 in Casselberry.
In the preliminary stage, participants will be taught a routine and will then perform the routine in front of a panel of judges. Finalists will be invited for a Final Round Interview at the Orlando Titans Office on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The Titans Dance Team will perform at every Orlando Titans home game during the 2010 season and will represent the Titans at various functions and promotional appearances throughout the calendar year.
“We’re looking for professional dancers with personality, high-energy and showmanship to represent the Titans at games and throughout the Orlando community,” Dance Team Director Danielle Barnhart said.
There is a $25 registration fee on the day of the tryout. For more information contact Barnhart at 407-227-7115.
Titans Dance Team Director Danielle Barnhart was an Orlando Magic Dancer for 4 seasons, and directed the MISL Oralndo Sharks Dance Team.
[Orlando Titans Dance Team Auditions]
Reported by Midwest Dave
Sunday was a big first step to build the cheerleader/dance squads for fledgling United National Gridiron League. In Mason, Ohio, just across the street from the players tryouts, the UNGL held auditions for cheerleader/dancers, choreographers, and dance squad directors. This regional audition focused on establishing dance squads for four of the eight teams located in Ohio, Miami, Virginia, and North Carolina. Based on the all-star line-up of people interviewing for the choreographer/director positions, there are signs that the foundation will have some very strong building blocks, indeed! Among the women and men who are interested in being part of the UNGL cheer squad leadership, they total almost 30 years of NFL squad experience stretching from coast to coast, and also experience cheering for some of the biggest crowds in college football.
As one would expect with a regional audition, most of the focus was interviewing candidates for the choreographer/director positions, who would then go back to the team’s region and complete a local try-out process. UNGL Entertainment Director Roxanne Pringle interviewed several candidates for these positions, and it felt like a “who’s who” of cheerleading. Among those interviewing for these squad leadership positions were Shannon, an ELEVEN NFL year veteran formerly a member of the Carolina Panthers squad; Rolleen and Laura, both veterans of two NFL squads; and Patrick, a 4-year member of the Ohio State cheerleading squad. Roxanne was impressed with the strong candidates that applied for these staff positions.
Shannon
When I arrived, Shannon, who is still affiliated with the Panthers squad, was helping the women who came to tryout as cheerleaders with some routines. For Shannon, whose love for both dancing and football is immediately apparent, the UNGL opportunity came up at the perfect time. Shannon retired from the Panthers squad in April, and she is ready to break out and try something different. She wants to stay in shape, stay fresh, and to be part in some element of dance. She was the director and choreographer of a squad in the AIFL just to see how she liked the new role, and it prepared her for new challenges. She is excited for the UNFL’s future, because with the loss of NFL Europe and the AFL, Shannon believes the league is a much needed door where players can “sparkle and shine” as they try to move up to the next level.
For Shannon, the Panthers cheerleading squad is a family to her in many ways. She has built strong friendships over the years on the squad, including the current director and assistant director. Plus on this Sunday, Shannon would normally be helping with the junior cheerleaders, but since she was in Ohio, her mom stepped in and is helped out. Quite an inter-twined family indeed!
Roxanne and Rolleen
Rolleen cheered for both the Niners and Raiders, and not only known as a cheerleader but as a guitarist who has played on stage with some of the greats of rock. Rolleen loved her time with the Raiderettes, particularly the appreciation of the Raiders fans. Rolleen said that during the pre-game Raiderette walk through the parking area, it felt like they had 50,000 bodyguards. Rolleen still teaches dance, particularly tap, but still loves the idea of branching out and running her own squad. Rolleen misses being part of dance squads and loves the idea of mixing it up to try something new. Besides the “on the sideline” activities, Rolleen is very interested in having a squad that would be part of the community, performing charitable event support.
Laura and Kristen
Laura has also been part of two NFL squads, and always wanted to move to the director level at the pro level. She has coached high school and college squads, and is ready for the next challenge. Laura said she would like her squad to be more than a dance team, in that the members should gain friendships, opportunities for professional growth, and leadership skills.
Patrick
Patrick’s sideline experience was to cheer on the Buckeyes at the college level, but he has a passion for dance choreography. With his love of dance, he is excited about the opportunity to both teach and create. With a degree in business marketing from OSU, he still looks for choreography opportunities to use his artistic side. Patrick said the two sides of his brain constantly struggle, but artistic normally wins out.
Danielle and Michelle
As expected, the women who arrived to try-out for the cheerleader/dancers slots were mainly local from the Ohio area. Some had never tried out before, so the opportunity to work with and speak to such experienced cheerleaders will help them prepare to be part of the sidelines entertainment. Even a four-year Raiderette veteran like Roxanne didn’t make the squad the first time she tried out. So these try-out experiences will be valuable to build upon. Among those trying out for squad slots were Nicole, an aspiring actress and professional model, who is interested in the UNGL squads. Michelle was a dancer for the University of Cincinnati, and both her and friend Danielle were intrigued by opportunities to try-out on the pro sports level.
Shannon and Danielle
So that was step number one for building UNGL cheerleading, and certainly it appears building blocks are in place for a strong foundation. But there is much left to do! Now, each of the four teams will hold auditions locally to fill the Ohio, Miami, Virginia, and North Carolina squads by December. Plus, the second of the regional try-outs will be held in November in the cheerleader-crazy state of Texas.
Nicole
Nicole and Shannon
Lots to do, but lots of energetic people are going to make it happen!
Congratulations to good friend of the blog Elizabeth Guaraldo, who is the new Director of Cheerleading for the AIFA Baltimore Mariners.
This will be Elizabeth Guaraldo’s first season with the Baltimore Mariners. Guaraldo has been the Director of the National Indoor Soccer League’s Baltimore Blast Cheerleaders since 2007. The Blast Cheerleaders have released two swimsuit calendars, performed at the AST Dew Tour and have traveled to Bermuda to participate in the Island Soccer League (ISL) All Star game that took place this summer. Prior to working with the Mariners, Guaraldo was a 2005-2006 Washington Redskins Cheerleader. She went to college at UMBC where she was on their dance team as both a member and a captain.
Liz tells us that she’s still with the Blast Organization as well, so she’s going to be handling two dance teams at once. If anyone’s suited to handle such a incredible time commitment, it’s Liz. She earned her Masters in Education from Johns Hopkins, completing 39 credit hours in just one year, all while working an internship and coaching the Blast Cheerleaders.
Kyla is a member of three Calgary Dance Teams: CFL Outriders, NLL Drill Crew and NHL Ice Crew. (Photo courtesy of Mark Mennie)
Kyla was born and grew up in Sydney, Nova Scotia, studied Art at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, Newbrunswick and moved to Calgary almost 5 years when I was 21,where she now works as an Executive Assistant for a Buying group.
She’s been dancing now for 22 years. She danced competitively in Nova Scotia, and upon moving to Calgary she joined Outriders, the cheer team for the CFL Calgary Stampeders, and has been taking any opportunity to dance ever since.
This is Kyla’s 4th season with the Outriders. She is in her first seasons with the NLL Calgary Roughnecks Drill Crew and the NHL Calgary Flames Big Country Ice Crew. She also got married this past June, and says her husband is very supportive of her commitment to dancing.
Kyla took some time out of her busy schedule to answer a few of our questions.
(Photo courtesy of Mark Mennie)
UC: How cold does it get at the end of the Canadian Football League season?
K: It can get extremely cold at the end of the season. Come Grey Cup we are in the -20C (-4F) range. For a game in early October we had our winter hats and gloves added to the packing list. The forecast was calling for snow. Sometimes we are lucky and can make it to the end of the year with no snow but it looks like we won’t be so lucky this year. We are tough girls though. We still have fun in snow, rain, or whatever else is thrown at us. The key to keeping warm is to keep on dancing.
UC: I saw that your squad traveled to Edmonton for a game? Did you cheer on the sidelines? Is this What’s the fan reaction like when you are on the road?
K: We travel to Edmonton every year for the Labor Day rematch game. The Edmonton team travels to Calgary for the Labour Day game as well. We both perform on the sidelines and do a performance during one of the time-outs. The fan’s reaction is funny. They think we hate each other when that is not the case at all. We decorate The Edmonton team’s locker room in green and the do the same for us (in red of course). The guys on their team even barbecued us hamburgers before the game. We get along great and get to see them again along with the rest of the CFL cheer teams when we all get together for Grey Cup.
UC: What do fans think of Pro Cheerleading in Canada?
K: We have a great fan base here in Canada. People really respect what we do and take the time to tell us so and thank us. I think the main thing people don’t know about us is this is a volunteer position so when you see us on the sidelines or working at promotional events that is all simply for the love of the sport, dance, and the fans. I think our fans realize all our hard work we put in and appreciate it.
UC: Any hobbies?
K: I love to cook. Being in the kitchen is calming for me.
UC: What do you like to do to relax?
K: Relax is not something I do very often. When I find I have a free day I usually sign up for something else or volunteer and that is the end of that. When I do have free time I like to hang out with my girls, laugh with my sister or cuddle up and watch a movie with my husband. Since I am always on the go, when I do have free time I like it to be low key.
(Photo courtesy of Mark Mennie)
[Calgary Stampeders Outriders]
[Calgary Roughnecks Drill Crew]
Lauren Gardner no longer cheers for the Denver Broncos. but remains Denver’s “Queen of the Sports Air Waves” in her multiple roles as the In-Game Host at the Colorado Rockies, as well as, an on-air personality at Altitude Sports and Entertainment for the Colorado Mammoth Lacrosse Team and the Colorado Eagles of the Central Hockey League. In her spare time she works full-time as a real estate sales assistant for the Spire Denver.
Todd Civin at BleacherReport.com has as interview with Lauren that you can read here.
Here’s your first look at the 2009-10 Boston Bruin Ice Girls.
More photos here.
Watch a video of the photo shoot here.
