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SI.com: The New York Islanders will cart plenty of tradition along with them as they make their move from the Nassau Coliseum to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for the 2015-16 season. But one longstanding tradition will be very noticeable by its absence: the Islanders Ice Girls. In their place will be a co-ed ice crew charged with “helping create the best ice possible as mandated by the NHL.” Back in 2001, the Isles were the first NHL club to create a cheerleader-style Ice Girls squad that, along with performing various promotional duties, was charged with shoveling loose snow off the ice at stoppages.

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By Andrew Koob
New Castle News
August 29, 2015

Constance Richards took her time to try out for the Cleveland Cavaliers dance team.

It always was a dream of the Neshannock High graduate to be a Cavalier girl, but her work as a student and cheerleader at Kent State University took top priority.

It wasn’t until after Richards graduated in May from Kent State with a bachelor’s degree in marketing that she finally pushed herself to audition.

“I had thought about it for years to audition,” Richards said. “I kept putting it back, saying ‘maybe I’ll do it.’ After graduation, I didn’t know what I was doing yet and Cleveland was definitely on my top places of where I’d like to move. This was a dream of mine, I just went for it and tried it out.

“I’m really happy that I did.”

That dream was finally realized as Richards officially was named to the 2015-2016 Cavaliers dance team. She joins 19 other dance team members that not only entertain on the court, but serve as ambassadors of the organization off the court.

“When I first found out, I was definitely in shock,” Richards said. “I started screaming, I think I woke up everyone in my house. It was honestly just the greatest feeling. To just know that there were a lot of girls, a lot of obstacles and that they picked me, it was just a dream. To make that dream come true was truly amazing and it’s an big honor that I can call myself a Cleveland Cavalier girl.”

The elation of making the team continues to stay with the 22-year-old, but now the real work begins. The team already has started practicing for the upcoming season, including training camp this weekend, and continues to make public appearances.

A hectic schedule is perfect for someone as active as Richards, especially since a whirlwind summer that started when she received her degree.

“We’ve had a couple of practices already and had the opportunity to do an appearance in Canton, Ohio,” Richards said. “The season hasn’t started, but we have, and every week we have something different, which is cool.

“As a dancer, I don’t really believe in days off. Every day I like to do something, even if it isn’t with the team in Cleveland, I like to try to work out or something like that. We have a little bit of time before it starts, but I’m ready for it.”

After growing up in Neshannock Township and spending four years at Kent State, which has an enrollment was just under 30,000, Richards is looking to make a new life in a city with a population of almost 400,000.

It will be an adjustment, especially as she searches for a full-time job, but the allure of a big city adds a bonus to a dream position.

“Growing up in such a small town, then going to a big university and now to such a big city is really exciting,” Richards said. “I think it’s fun to come down to where you grew up, you get to see everyone and everything, but I love the feeling of a big city. There’s always something different and I love meeting new people. That’s why, to me, it’s a great job. I love to meet different people and socialize. Cleveland will be a good city for me.”

Richards, who started dancing and was a teacher at Ludovici Dance Academy, is a part of the family that has become well-known through Zambelli fireworks. And, while she’s appreciative of a name well-known throughout New Castle, Richards is ready to make her own mark.

“It’s great and I love that my family have such a great name in New Castle. But it’s exciting for me that I just graduated and I’m making a name for myself,” Richards said. “My family worked hard, but now it’s my time to work hard and make a name for myself. I’m really excited about it.”

The newest edition of the Cavs dance team will debut on Oct. 13 when the Cavaliers host the Milwaukee Bucks for the first home preseason game.

Until then, all Richards can do is dream about performing in front of thousands of Cleveland fans.

“When we had the preliminary auditions, they were in the arena. I kept thinking to myself that this could be where I’m performing. It was the most unreal feeling, that’s all you hope for as a dancer, to have that chance to perform in front of all of those people,” Richards said. “I feel like I’ll definitely have some nerves, but you have to be a little bit nervous. It’s a normal thing, but I think I’ll just be too excited. I picture it every day, performing in front of all of those people.”

Bryan Van Balen
Redskins.com
August 28, 2015

The Washington Redskins Cheerleaders can usually be found at FedExField on Sundays rooting on the Redskins.

View Gallery | 62 Photos
Washington Redskins Cheerleader Calendar Reveal Party

On Thursday, however, the spotlight was all theirs as the First Ladies took the stage at the Fillmore Silver Spring to unveil their 2015-2016 Cheerleader Calendar, which can be purchased by clicking here.

The much-anticipated calendar, in its 18th year of production, is the result of a week of hard work earlier this year in Cozumel, Mexico, at the Occidental Grand Resort. There, the 1st Ladies spent early mornings, long days and late nights getting the perfect shots together to fill out each month of the year.

“It’s wonderful to see our hard work come to fruition,” Redskins Cheerleader Taylor said. “It’s just great to be able to show the calendar to the world and share the product of our work with everyone.”

Kicking off the event, all 36 members of the squad mingled with fans and VIPs, signed copies of the new calendar, took pictures and showed the crowd what the First Ladies are all about.

“It’s awesome to see the fans. We feel really supported,” 1stLady Christa said. “We think that the cheerleaders are such a big part of the Redskins organization and the proof is in the pudding when we have so many fans coming out for this.”

After getting up close and personal with fans, groups of Cheerleaders took the stage for the first of many performances: some that have been seen on the field, and others that were brand new.

In between performances, the Ladies were joined on stage by members of the Women of Washington Fan Club and Redskins Salute to strut their stuff down the runway, modeling outfits from STUDIO D’MAXSI, D’Milikah, CABI, “And Such,” South Moon Under and the Redskins Hall of Fame Store.

Josie Claiborne, one of the WOW members selected to participated in the event, was thrilled to share the stage with the Cheerleaders.

“I’m so proud,” she said with a smile. “I have my family here – my husband and two friends – and I’m so excited to be a part of it.”

Following the final performance, the three cover girls — Maigan, Rachel K. and Taylor — returned to the stage to share their favorite memories from the shoot in Cozumel which included burying teammates in the sand, hosting a “Beauties on the Beach” TV show and building friendship bonds that will last a lifetime.

Victoria Leigh Miller
Yahoo TV
August 27, 2015

“Get right, or get all the way left.” That’s the mantra of Traci Young-Byron, former Miami Heat dancer/team captain, and current dance studio owner and star of the new eight-part Lifetime docu-series Step It Up. Based on the preview, it looks like Traci’s students better step it up – or step outta there. This outrageous dance studio owner makes Dance Moms’ Abby Lee Miller look like a wuss. For realz.

Lifetime’s latest fierce, fabulous (and feared) dance diva has a rival: Bring It’s Miss D and those Dancing Dolls, so she resorts to some unconventional methods to train her co-ed troupe at the Young Contemporary Dance Theatre in Miami. This dancing drill sergeant wields a purple baseball bat and pits her students against one another to earn a spot in weekly performances, which means students can get can get cut at any time. If you can’t take the heat…

Step It Up premieres Friday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. on Lifetime.

MyLifetime.com
August 27, 2015

In the all-new Lifetime docu-series “Step It Up,” Traci Young-Byron, a former Miami Heat Dancer and longtime team captain, is the owner of the elite dance company, the Young Contemporary Dance Theatre (YCDT). Traci’s competitiveness, especially her fierce rivalry with “Bring It!’s” Miss D and her Dancing Dolls, leads her to use unconventional methods to motivate her co-ed dance team. For this company, the biggest competition isn’t other teams; it’s each other, as they must dance their hearts out to earn a coveted spot in a high-stakes performance each week. “Step It Up” (#StepItUp), premieres Friday, September 25, at 10pm ET/PT following the “Bring It!” season finale.

The following week, the series moves to its regular time period airing on Friday, October 2 at 9pm ET/PT. Over the course of eight hour-long episodes, the YCDT dancers push themselves to the limit to perform at high-profile events. Traci’s tough, no-nonsense attitude prepares her meticulously trained and always-on-point dancers, who vary in age, for the myriad dance genres they face, including ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, West African and hip-hop.

“Step It Up” is produced by Pilgrim Studios. Executive producers for Pilgrim are Craig Piligian and Derek W. Wan. Eli Lehrer, Mary Donahue and Colleen Conway Grogan executive produce the series for Lifetime.

By Thomas Liljedahl Staff Writer
The Bristol Press
August 27, 2015

While the New England Patriots fought all last season to reclaim the Vince Lombardi trophy, Terryville native Karen Link has been fighting since she was 16, and is now living out her dream as a cheerleader for the Super Bowl champions.

“I’ve always been really motivated,” the 24-year old Link said. “When someone tells me I can’t do something, it just makes me want to do it more.”

Link had a lot of people telling her what she could not do after a near fatal car accident changed her life forever.

The date was Oct. 27, 2007, and Link had barely begun her senior year at Holy Cross High School in Waterbury.

“My friend and I were actually on our way to take our SATs,” Link said. “It was a rainy day and the roads were wet. The driver hydroplaned and lost control of their car around a corner, crashing head on into another vehicle.”

As the passenger, Link sustained the only serious injury, a fracture in her spine. Following the accident, she was presented with two options.

“I was told that I could either go on bed rest for months, or get a spinal fusion,” Link said. “I chose to go with the surgery because I was never one for staying still.”

Link had been dancing since the age of 3, and started running cross country in middle school. By her senior year, she dropped running competitively to focus exclusively on dance. Several times a week, she and several friends would practice at Dance Arts Centre in Bristol. They often attended competitions on weekends.

“I danced with the same core group of people since fifth grade, they are like family we spent so much time together,” Link said. “They were some of the first people to visit me in the hospital.”

According to Link, the support was overwhelming when she emerged from the eight-hour procedure the day after the accident. She was showered with cards, flowers, candy, and close to always had a family member or friend at her side.

On the following Monday, Holy Cross made a school-wide announcement, informing the student body of Link’s condition. From there, the influx of support increased and Link could not have been more grateful.

“There was so much uncertainty at the time for me,” she said. “All the love that was being shown definitely helped.”

If she ever hoped to regain the athleticism she once knew, Link had to get to work. With two rods in each side of her spine and screws throughout, she began the arduous recovery process.

First came aquatic therapy at a rehabilitation center in Waterbury. Aqua therapy consists of a series of movements in water, designed to make a recovering body feel weightless and relaxed. After a few months of regaining her strength in the pool, Link was walking, and eventually jogging, on a treadmill.

When she began attending Endicott College in 2008, the school had just created their first ever dance program.

“I was nervous, but interested in getting back into dance,” Link said. “I made them aware of my injury and limitations and we were able to work around it.”

During her freshman year, she focused on modified movements, but felt nearly 100 percent as a sophomore. It was during her sophomore year that she first attended a New England Patriots game at Gillette Stadium.

“As soon as I saw the dancers out there I had my mind set,” Link said. “I wanted to be on that platform. I wanted Gillette Stadium to be my stage.”

So in 2012, the same year she graduated from Endicott, Link tried out for the Patriots’ cheerleading squad in March. Out of over 300 entrants, she was one of the final 40, but was not selected to the team.

With Gillette Stadium still on her mind, Link moved to New York for a year, where she worked at a fashion and beauty public relations firm.

“I always envisioned myself doing something with dance,” Link said. “I hadn’t given up on being a Patriots cheerleader, so I tried again.”

In preparation for the 2014 tryouts, Link ate healthy, worked out, and danced incessantly. This time around, she was selected to the final squad. She was taken on quite the ride when the Patriots went on to become Super Bowl champions for the first time since 2004.

“It was an amazing season for the team and for us,” Link said. “These girls have become like my sisters.”

After a short offseason, there was no guarantee Link would earn a spot on the team this season. Just like the last open tryouts were held, over 300 prospective dancers showed up. Once again, Link proved to be one of the best, and was selected to the squad for a second consecutive year.

All year round, Patriots cheerleaders attend everything from charity promotions to parades to events with sponsors. Their real season begins Thursday, Sept. 10, when the Patriots play host to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium for their home opener.

“I knew it would be a lot of hard work and I went through it, I’m here,” Link said. “A lot of the doctors and experts and people around me told me that I would never be the same again. They were right. I’m better.”

I have met a lot of great people through this blog. One of my favorites is Audrea Harris. I met Audrea through the Los Angeles Clippers years ago. She immediately struck me as such a class act and she became a wonderful friend. I was so incredibly jazzed a year or so after we met, when she took over direction of the Clippers entertainment teams and really put her stamp on the organization.

Audrea (at right) with her mom and sister Adrianne

Last month Audrea decided it was time to move on to new challenges and part ways with the Clippers.

WHAT????

I will admit to being totally gutted by the news at first. It was bittersweet. You know how it is when you know your friend is making an important and right decision for herself, but your inner 7 year old is all “But whyyyyyyyy?????”

It is the end of an era, that’s for sure. Audrea had been with the Clippers organization for 16 years, including four as a member of the Spirit Dance Team. (Cue the vintage awesomeness.) It is difficult to imagine the Clippers in general, and the Spirit in particular, without her.

Well, c’est la vie! Off with the old and on with the new! I am pleased and proud to announce that the Clippers’ loss is the Phoenix Suns’ gain. Audrea is packing her bags and next month, will start her new job as Game Entertainment Coordinator for the Suns! It’s a big promotion, a big step up, and a very exciting new opportunity. I cannot wait to see the creativity, professionalism, and fun she will bring that that new role.

Game on, Suns fans! Please join me in saying congratulations!

BTW, I already checked Google Flights and I can get from Burbank to Phoenix in 90 minutes. Don’t think I won’t do it. Mwahahahahahaha….

The Cincinnati Bengals website has been updated with individual headshots and profiles for this year’s team of Ben-Gals. (Fingers crossed that uniform shots will follow, although it’s been 2 or 3 years since they’ve done those.) Click here for more!

Patriots.com has been updated with individual profiles, uniform photos and headshots for this year’s team of cheerleaders. Click here for more!