Miami Dolphins alum Jaime Edmonson announced via twitter last month that she and her significant other are expecting. Congrats!

It’s time to play a little catch up with Sports Illustrated. Hit the links below to check out their NFL cheerleader galleries from the past few, several, ok let’s be honest. It’s been a lot of weeks. Many many many weeks.

Week 10 (Ravens, Panthers, Bengals, Jaguars, Dolphins, Vikings, Patriots, Saints, Eagles, 49ers, Seahawks, Bucs)

Week 11 (Falcons, Cowboys, Broncos, Texans, Chiefs, Raiders, Redskins -Military week!)

Week 12 (Cardinals, Cowboys, Jaguars, Chiefs, Dolphins, Saints, Chargers, Bucs)

Week 13 (Falcons, Ravens, Bills, Cowboys, Broncos, Chiefs, Dolphins, Jets, Raiders, Chargers, Rams, Titans, Redskins )

Week 14 (Panthers, Bengals, Colts, Jaguars, Vikings, Raiders, 49ers, Seahawks, Bucs, Redskins)

Week 15 (Cardinals (Patriotic this week!) , Falcons, Ravens, Bills, Cowboys, Texans, Dolphins, Saints, Raiders, Chargers, and Rams)

Week 16 (Ravens, Panthers, Cowboys (check out those new belts), Texans, Jaguars (new holiday outfits this year!), Chiefs, Dolphins, Jets, Seahawks, Bucs)

Week 17 (Falcons, Colts, Saints, Chargers, 49ers, Titans, and Redskins)

By Mike McDermott
Providence Journal
January 7, 2013

Lauren Marchetti, a former New England Patriots cheerleader from Cranston, will be a contestant on ABC’s reality show “The Bachelor,” which begins its 17th season tonight.

Marchetti, a 2007 graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a degree in psychology, is 26. She was once profiled in a “What’s Your Workout” piece in the Thrive section of The Providence Journal.

She’ll be one of 25 contestants vying for the affection of Sean Lowe, an insurance agent from Dallas.

The San Antonio Spurs recently profiled veteran Silver Dancers Lisa Colwell, an inspiration to her students, and no doubt to her teammates as well. Click here for a peek into what makes Lisa tick, and how much she has accomplished at Gervin in less than a year. I don’t know about you, but it kinda makes me feel I should be doing a lot more for my community.

Click here to check out the 2012-13 Ducks ice crew!

The Kansas City Chiefs will be the first to kick off this year’s tryouts. The team is offering a series of audition prep workshops, the first of which is on Tuesday, January 15th. (Two weeks from now. Aiieeeeee!) You can choose to attend zero, one, or all four sessions.

Those choosing to audition for the squad must attend at least one of the two mandatory pre-audition clinics on Saturday, February 16th. The open call audition is on Friday, February 22nd. Click here for additional details.

An unusual treat San Antonio Spurs fans: the Silver Dancers performing with the Dallas String Quartet.

Titans Cheerleader Molly’s experiences as a competitive figure skater helped her make a smooth transition.
TitansOnline
December 26, 2012

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Titans Cheerleader Molly loves to put on a good show.

It started at an early age when she was merely a toddler on the ice, seeking approval from the crowd. The only problem was that it was during a youth-league hockey game while the puck was at the other end of the playing surface.

Molly’s parents took the hint that she was less inclined than her older brothers to play hockey. The New Hampshire native and daughter of a hockey coach, however, applied herself fully at figure skating.

PHOTOS

Molly’s talents enabled her to represent the United States in prestigious competitions across the globe, appear on the British hit television show Dancing on Ice and even become a character in a Wii video game.

Her passion for the sport began on frozen ponds with much less fanfare and quickly accelerated with her first competition at Lake Placid, host of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, in 1988. It could have been intimidating for a child to compete in such a venue, but Molly found it to be inspiring.

“Lake Placid did it all for me,” Molly said. “I thought I was in the Olympics in my very first competition, so I was hooked instantly of course. That was amazing. I had just started out so I couldn’t do a whole lot yet. I could do one or two jumps but that was it.”

Molly’s ambitions and achievements continued. Four years later, when she was 12, she trained in the same facility Massachusetts where Nancy Kerrigan and Paul Wylie were training for the 1992 Olympics.

Molly’s family moved to Virginia Beach the following year when her father’s job changed. It made it more difficult to train at the level she wanted, so she went back to Massachusetts the first summer and to the University of Delaware the next summer, where Tara Lipinski was also training.

Fate took hold of Molly’s future at a competition in Knoxville in 1995 when she met Bert Cording, who said he was moving to Nashville and encouraged her to consider doing the same because of the need for partners in pairs skating. She tried out that spring and moved to the area without her parents that summer. She lived with her coaches: Bill Fauver, a former Olympian, and his wife Laura Sanders until Molly’s mother moved to Nashville for her junior year at Hillwood High School.

Molly kept skating in senior ladies and in senior pairs competitions with Cording, and the duo blossomed. They made the U.S. Figure Skating Team and competed for America in international competitions where they placed second in Zagreb, Croatia, and fourth (in 2001) and sixth (in 2002) at the Nebelhorn Trophy in Obertsdorf, Germany.

They also competed in U.S. Nationals each year and placed eighth, which landed Molly and Bert as fifth alternates for the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

“I like to say we got as close as we could get without going,” Molly said with a laugh.

Molly is one of a handful of people who competed at a high level in singles and pairs and found herself in elite company at a singles competition before the Olympics.

“I skated after Michelle Kwan and before Sarah Hughes, and a month later, Sarah Hughes wins the Olympics,” Molly said. “I remember having to wait in my warm-up until they cleaned up all the goodies that people throw on the ice.”

Waiting on ice for the flowers, stuffed animals and good-luck charms to be picked up by ice attendants is a memory that’s gained significance with time because its significance has become more clear.

“I’ve gotten to work with and skate along so many of my idols, so that’s just been — I’m completely blessed,” Molly said. “For not being a big dog, I got to run with them.”

Molly decided to become a professional skater in 2003, working for traveling shows and performing at theme parks and on cruise ships. She also became an Ice Girl for several seasons with the Nashville Predators and began teaching and coaching, which she continues to do at A-Game Sportsplex in Franklin.

Molly decided she wanted a new challenge in 2011 and auditioned for and made the Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders.

Cheerleaders coach Stacie Kinder said Molly has been a great addition to the squad because she delivers a high level at every practice and performance.

“The Titans Cheerleaders are so fortunate to have a talent like Molly grace our team,” Kinder said. “Having an elite-level athlete join our group elevates the rest of us. Molly’s work ethic, her professionalism, her experience, all of it shines through in all that she does, and it makes all our other team members strive for excellence.”

Molly has enjoyed the camaraderie with her teammates and the way that being a professional cheerleader filled the void she missed by no longer being a competitive skater. She said she’s been blessed by the experiences she’s had and the opportunity to stay connected with the ice by teaching skating lessons and coaching hockey.

“I’m in transition,” Molly said. “I’ve gone from the hard work, crazy, I don’t know how I’m getting up every morning and doing this daily grind to ‘Wow, I get paid to do this.’ ”

Beyond that, skating remains one of Molly’s favorite forms of artistic expression.

“The ice is my canvas,” Molly said. “I love to express my emotion, and it is like a therapeutic release for me sometimes, and I think if you’re having a bad day, you just go out there and get away from it all. Where some people blast the radio in their car, I go and play. I like to say the ice is my canvas, the blades are my brush, the movement is the color on my frozen stage.”

The NFL’s 10 Best Cheerleading Squads 2013
By Daniel Bukszpan
CNBC.com
December 28, 2012

When the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers faced off at Super Bowl XLV, an estimated 11 million U.S. television viewers tuned into the 2011 game. Despite those numbers, something was missing — cheerleaders.

Of the 32 teams in the NFL, six don’t have squads, and Super Bowl XLV happened to feature two of them. The 2012 Super Bowl champion New York Giants also doesn’t have a cheerleading squad, but the team they beat, the New England Patriots, does, providing a morale boost from the sidelines.

CNBC.com listed the best cheerleading squads in 2011 and 2012. The 2013 rankings have been provided by Michele Crawford-Carnegie, a seven-year veteran of the Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders and the current owner of the Alumni Cheerleaders social networking site.

Read ahead to see the NFL’s 10 best cheerleading squads for 2013, as chosen by Crawford-Carnegie:

10. Miami Dolphins
“These ladies are exciting like the team and the city they cheer for,” Crawford-Carnegie said in an e-mail. The Dolphins’ cheerleaders have also found ways to use technology to their benefit, which hasn’t escaped the notice of even their fiercest competitors.

“This year, the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders found an innovative way to entertain their fans by creating a rendition of a music video for the song ‘Call Me Maybe’ filmed during their calendar shoot,” Philadelphia Eagles Director of Cheerleading Barbara Zaun said in an e-mail. “It currently has over 15 million views on YouTube. Very impressive!”

9. Denver Broncos
Broncos Director of Cheerleaders Teresa Shear said in an e-mail that the squad takes advantage of the Internet in ways that could teach others a thing or two. Their Facebook page has been “liked” by over 187,000 people, and their photo galleries are the most-viewed content on the team’s website.

Offline, the squad performed over 1,500 hours of community service in 2012. “They are very active in the community with helping those less fortunate,” Crawford-Carnegie said.

8. Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins cheerleaders were founded in 1962. They have seen numerous luminaries pass through their ranks, including 2012 Miss District of Columbia Monique Thompkins, 2007 Miss Maryland Michae Holloman and Maureen Gardner, wife of Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

“These beautiful ladies cheering in the nation’s capital are known for showing support for our armed forces and honoring our veterans,” Crawford-Carnegie said. “They also have one of the largest and strongest Alumni Cheerleader groups in the league.”

7. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders return to CNBC.com’s list after disappearing from it last year. “The cheerleaders found a way to keep the spirit and enthusiasm for fans when the exciting Peyton Manning era ended,” Crawford-Carnegie said.

She also cited cheerleaders Megan M. and Crystal B., who memorably had their heads shaved as part of a challenge to raise money for leukemia research. “They did this live at a football game and helped to raise over $20,000,” she said. “This showed character and heart along with their beauty.”

6. Houston Texans
The Texans’ cheerleaders are recognized as an outstanding squad who always make time for the people watching the game. “These beautiful cheerleaders are very connected to their fans,” Crawford-Carnegie said, and according to Jayme Lamm, columnist for The Blonde Side sports blog, they’re second to none when it comes to fan interaction.

“The organization has only been around for 10 years, but there’s so much pride you can feel it from top to bottom,” Lamm said in an interview. “They do more than 40 appearances a year, and when they’re requested, they never turn it down. You can tell they have really good guidance and leadership.”

5. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles cheerleaders are widely viewed as exceptional. They were the only squad selected to perform at the amFAR Inspiration Gala in New York, where they hobnobbed with the likes of Marc Jacobs and Hugo Boss. This is fitting, since they’re the only squad in the NFL to wear uniforms designed by Vera Wang.

“In 2012, the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders became the first squad in the NFL to produce a Cheerleader Calendar Mobile App,” Eagles Director of Cheerleading Barbara Zaun said in an e-mail. “It ranked on Android Market’s Top 5 Paid Sports Apps.” She also said that they take fan outreach to the next level. “During the NFL’s ‘Back to Football’ week, Eagles Cheerleaders show up unannounced at fans’ houses to surprise them with season tickets,” she said.

4. Atlanta Falcons
Since Crawford-Carnegie is herself a former Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader, it’s not surprising to see her alma mater make the list. However, she insists that the squad earned its spot. “They’ve had great team spirit over the years, whether the team is doing bad or great,” she said.

Chato Hendrix, coordinator of the Falcons Cheerleaders, said in an e-mail that the squad has high standards. “As a requirement specified in their contract, our cheerleaders must have full-time jobs or be pursuing a college degree,” she said. “The Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders are definitely some of the most cheermazing attorneys, chemists, psychologists, accountants and educators you will ever meet.”

3. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys’ original cheerleading squad was a co-ed group founded in 1960. By the end of the decade, the males were kicked off the squad and the females that remained were clad in skimpy attire. The rest is history.

“Great marketing from the organization and TV shows have always kept these beautiful ladies in the public eye,” Crawford-Carnegie said. Indeed, the squad has appeared on such television shows as “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” and “The Love Boat,” and they are currently the subject of the CMT reality show “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.”

2. New England Patriots
Ellen Mahoney, chief human resources officer at Harvard Business School, is a former New England Patriots cheerleader in the 1980s. She has high praise for the organization. “The women on the squad are uniformly intelligent, charming, informed, and honored to be representing one of the best teams in the NFL,” she said in an e-mail.

The team’s director of corporate communications, Jeff Cournoyer, cited their involvement with the community off the field. “They have continued to expand their community outreach initiatives, including a new ‘Cheers for our Heroes’ program to recognize deserving military members, a new partnership with P.A.W.S. Cat and Kitten Rescue,” he said in an e-mail.

1. Oakland Raiders
In a test of its fans’ loyalty and patience, the Raiders football team moved from Oakland to Los Angeles and back to Oakland within a span of 13 years. But while the stadiums may have changed, the fans’ love of the Raiderette cheerleaders never wavered, and they have remained “Football’s Fabulous Females” through all the ups and downs.

“The Oakland Raiderettes’ are the hottest NFL squad this season,” Crawford-Carnegie said. “Their performances are exciting and thrilling to watch. Their hard work is obvious at every game, and that kind of commitment is very special.” She also pointed out another vital attribute that makes the Raiderettes exceptional. “Their iconic uniform is a part of what makes them so appealing and sexy.”

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Continue More Than 30-year History of Supporting our Men and Women in Uniform
PR Web
December 27, 2012

[USO Tour Photos]

Arlington, VA (PRWEB) December 27, 2012

True to their long history of supporting troops and military families the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC) recently set out on their 75th USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour and are busy spreading holiday cheer to troops in the Middle East. Among the most traveled of USO tour veterans, the DCC have traveled to more than 200 locations since their first USO tour in 1979, lifting the spirits and delivering a touch of home to countless troops and military families around the world.

DETAILS:

So far, the DCC have uplifted the lives of hundreds of troops spending this holiday season deployed overseas.
As part of their longstanding USO history, the DCC have visited troops and military families in locations such as Afghanistan, Bahrain, Cuba, Germany, Iceland, Iraq, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, as well as numerous stateside visits.
Always looking for ways to show their support of troops members of the DCC attended the USO’s 2012 Gala to help celebrate and thank troops for their service and dedication.
The team wrapped up the 7th season of the hit reality series “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team,” which airs on the CMT network.
When getting into the holiday spirit this season, remember our deployed servicemen and women, wounded troops and military families. Visit usowishbook.org and recognize a special occasion while directly benefiting troops and their families.

QUOTES:
Attributed to Sloan Gibson:
“The USO and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have been delivering life-changing experiences to troops and military families for more than 30 years. We are both proud and thankful for the DCC’s continued commitment to supporting our troops and their families. This 75th tour is a momentous occasion in USO history and we couldn’t be happier about sharing this milestone with an organization like the DCC.”

Attributed to Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Cassie Trammell:
“We’ve seen so many service men and women so far and it’s been a blast. We are so grateful for the opportunity to extend America’s thanks to our troops during this holiday season, a time when they miss their families and comforts of home the most. Being able to distract them, even for just a little while, from what they are missing back home is such an honor for all of us. ”