By Jason Seidling
Pittsburgh Penguins
7/31/2010

The ice surface at the Iceoplex at Southpointe is usually home to shots, saves and checks as the Penguins use the Washington, Pa. skating rink to practice throughout the season. On Saturday it was spins, smiles and waves which filled the ice as the Penguins held Day One of female tryouts for the team’s first ever Ice Crew.

Male tryouts will be held on Wednesday, August 11.

Roughly 80 girls competed against one another in hopes of securing one of the 22 coveted invites to Sunday’s final tryout as Ice Crew coordinator Laura Spencer ran the group through tryouts.

While competition settings such as this can be mentally exhausting, Ice Crew tryouts had more of a family feel as many of the girls quickly formed a strong bond throughout the three-hour session.

“It was very refreshing to see all of the positive attitudes both on and off the ice,” Amanda Petrovich said. “Girls were clapping for each other when they came off the ice, especially if somebody fell, and that was very nice to see. Everybody showed great maturity out there today.”

“There was just a lot of encouragement today,” Megan Worbs added. “From Coach Spencer all the way down to my fellow girls, the support was just awesome to see. It made this a great experience.”

Saturday’s tryout began with a brief two-part interview session as the girls were divided into groups of five, with each group called into an interview room where they stood in front of three evaluators. Once in the room, the girls were asked why they want to be a member of the Ice Crew, and then they were asked to perform a spin or similar dance move.

There were two rooms conducting the interviews, so after the entire group went through once, the order was reversed and the girls were sent in a second time to the opposite room for Round Two.

Talking and performing in such a setting can be a bit nerve-wracking, but these girls seemed up to the challenge.

“I feel a little bit nervous, but I have auditioned before and nerves can actually be a good thing,” said Sonja Capuzzi prior to entering the interview room. “I keep reviewing some of the things that I plan on saying, so I hope that will help.”

Capuzzi’s practice must have paid off, because when she emerged from the first interview, she had a huge smile on her face and she was pleased with how things went.

“It wasn’t bad at all,” Capuzzi said. “You were able to feel very relaxed because Laura kept smiling at you and making you feel like a big deal. That made me even more comfortable. I think that helped me give a good answer. I told them I love to perform, I will work very hard for the team and I will do any tasks they ask me to fulfill.”

Carla Fuccaro agreed with Capuzzi that the interview process went well once inside the room.

“They really made you feel good,” Fuccaro said. “I think that allowed all the girls to give good answers. I thought that really helped me as I described myself as an outgoing personality and positive role model.”

Heather Martz said that getting a second chance to interview was a huge confidence booster for the girls.

“The first time through you are a bit nervous,” Martz said. “I realized that confidence matters and getting that second chance to show off a greater confidence was really important.”

Following the interviews it was time for the girls to hit the ice. Again, there was nervousness amongst the group as they all hoped to display their skills as best as they could.

“I am so nervous about having to stop,” said Ashley Faderewski just minutes before taking the ice. “I spent the whole week taking lessons on how to stop, so I hope they pay off.”

“I’m pumped to go out there even though I have never stopped before,” said Chelsea Garlick, Faderewski’s friend. “I’m hoping that I will have a wonderful first attempt.”

Faderewski, Garlick and the other girls had two cracks to impress during the on-ice portion of the tryout.

The first time the girls had to skate to the blue line, stop and wave, and then proceed to the next blue line where they had to properly pick up a puck. Finally, at the end they were able to perform a trick.

Speed was the theme the second time the girls hit the ice as they had to sprint to the opposite end, touch the far red line and then skate back. When they got to center ice on the way back they had to stop and do another wave.

“That went so much better than I expected,” said Dayna Jones following her second run.

“It’s such a rush and there is so much energy after you do that,” Tara Coyne added. “Everybody seems to have an extra bounce when they get off the ice.”

Nobody had more bounce it seemed than Faderewski and Garlick, each of whom was happy with how they performed.

“I stopped!” Faderewski exclaimed.

“I tried to stop and it ended up turning out decent,” said Garlick. “No matter what happens, though, at least we had fun out there.”

Once all the participants went through twice, all the girls left the ice and removed their skates. They then waited as Spencer and her group of evaluators deliberated who would make the final cut.

Following a one-hour break, Spencer emerged, gathered the group together, thanked everyone for coming out and delivered the news on who was advancing to Sunday’s final tryout.

Naturally, there were screams of joy and long faces of disappointment depending on the news each girl received. While a large majority of the ladies saw their dream come to an end on Saturday, perhaps Martz summed the day up best for everybody as she talked about what an honor it was for each of the girls to try out no matter what the end results were:

“This was just a great experience for everybody, whether you advanced to Sunday or not. I know that this is something that I will take with me as a positive experience and I hope all of the other girls do as well. What a great day the Penguins gave each one of us!”

The Arizona Republic
July 31, 2010

Arizona Cardinals players and cheerleaders were in the West Valley passing out backpacks and school supplies to hundreds of area children as part of “Operation Backpack.”

It’s that time of year. West Valley schools open as early as Monday in the Glendale Elementary School District.

Children in Peoria Unified School District and Glendale Union High School District head back to classes on Aug. 9. In Deer Valley Unified School District, the first day of school is Aug. 16.

School children on July 24 lined up at Covenant International Church, 8807 N. 61st Ave., to pick out just the right supplies.

Hope Endures, a Glendale-based non-profit, has provided back-to-school supplies to families in need for 12 years.

They expected to pass out about 2,000 backpacks filled with supplies and 1,000 pairs of shoes and socks.

By Brittney Burns
Staff Writer
WesternCarolinian.com
July 29, 2010

With football season right around the corner, Panther fans are gearing up and anticipating a good season. Panther fan and Western Carolina University alumni, Tara Mull Ryan, isn’t just excited to watch the games, but is excited to start her fifth year as a Panther “TopCat” Cheerleader.

Ryan, who currently lives in Charlotte, graduated from Western in December of 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in social work and a minor in dance. When asked if Ryan had any memorable professors she excitedly responded, “I LOVE this question! I have a lot of teachers that I still think about quite often, but there are two who I have also kept in touch with over the years.” Ryan demonstrated her appreciation and respect for Amy Dowling from the dance department and Jeanne Dulworth from the social work department. She said, “These two ladies were very influential in my education and helped push me to my potential and guide me to where I wanted to be. I really admire them for their passion and how they affect their students. I hope to stay in touch with them in the future!”

Before her success as a TopCat, Ryan made her dancing debut on the WCU dance team. She was a member of the dance team for four years and describes her experience as “an incredible time both for the friends I made, and also for what I learned about dance performance and commitment.” Not only was Ryan an impressive dancer, she also excelled in intramurals; she played co-ed intramural softball and won “all-campus champions” one year. Ryan gained leadership skills during her two years as a Resident Assistant for an all girls hall in the Walker dorms. She said she enjoyed getting to know the girls and staff each year and that she still talks about her experience as an RA to this day.

Aside from being a Carolina Panther Cheerleader, Ryan also works for Duke Energy; she works with technology for the corporate side of the company. She is with a team that is geared toward improving and upgrading internal applications as well as work with technology business managers to update and make changes whenever they are needed. As a TopCat cheerleader, Ryan has just started practicing for the 2010 season where she will take on the responsibility as line captain for the first time. One of her favorite aspects of working with the Panthers is having the opportunity to volunteer throughout the community as well as being able to interact with fans and increasing the Panther and TopCat fan base.

Even though Ryan didn’t major in a technology related field, she said, “my time and education at Western prepared me to go out into the professional world and prosper in a field that has endless opportunities for growth and learning.” She intends to someday return to the social work field and pursue a master’s degree. Ryan is thankful for the volunteer and community outreach opportunities she is exposed to through the Panthers because it “helps quench her desire to work with people and make a difference in the community.”

With all the changes that have occurred to our campus in the past few years, it’s understandable that the biggest change Ryan has seen is in the structure of the campus. She confessed, “I remember the first time I went back and I tried to take a road that had grass where two lanes used to be!” Helder, the dorm that Ryan stayed in her first two years and where she had her first roommate, is no longer standing and has been replaced with the new dining hall. She said the changes are “bittersweet” and is anxious to see what the campus is going to look like when everything is finished. She said, “regardless of the changes, I hope the dynamic of WCU is the same as it always has been!”

Aside from wanting to return to social work in the future, Ryan wants to work with kids in some capacity because she enjoys the interaction and energy children have to offer; she wants to someday teach dance and said, “What way to enjoy doing what I love than to pass it on?”

Ryan has two pieces of advice to offer current students: first, “Enjoy your time as a student. Looking back, I wish I would have ‘enjoyed’ more classes rather than seeing it as ‘work
and second, if a Masters is a goal of yours, do it while you are still in ‘student mode’. After you have graduated and started working, if it is something you would like to do, do it while you can!”

Tampa Bay Online
July 29, 2010

Cloe Cabrera
The Tampa Tribune
May 20, 2010

TAMPA – Every year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer cheerleaders make waves with their annual swimsuit calendar.

In 2011, they’ll add an extra splash with swimwear by a local designer.

The team tapped St. Petersburg designer Essence Flowers to create all of the swimsuits the cheerleaders will wear in next year’s calendar.

Flowers came up with a look for each of the women incorporating Buccaneer colors – red, white, black, pewter and orange – and the team’s logo.

The weeklong calendar shoot, which wrapped up Tuesday, features the cheerleaders posing on the beach at Longboat Key and Jewfish Island. The photographs were shot by Jorge Alvarez.

It’s the first time the Buccaneers have used a local designer for the photo shoot, said Cathy Boyd, cheerleading manager.

“We’ve always used our uniform designer or had a store sponsor us,” Boyd said. “(This year), we wanted to use our brand in the suits. And we wanted to use someone locally. We have so much talent right here in our own backyard; we really didn’t need to look anywhere else.”

Flowers launched her clothing line in 2005, then took the plunge last year into swimwear with RDE, Remarquable Designs by Essence Flowers.

Her swimwear celebrates women, their curves and shapes, she said, and she designs for every mood and occasion.

Flowers met one-on-one with the cheerleaders to talk about swimwear likes and dislikes, and to customize the suits to their needs.

“I wanted the team to look cohesive, but at the same time be different,” Flowers said. “I wanted to design suits that were classy, sexy and memorable. I wanted to keep with the theme of the Buccaneers, but I didn’t want to make them out to be characters. I wanted them to look like cheerleaders. And I wanted them to like their suits.”

Most are two-piece suits; but there are also a few monokinis and one-pieces with plunging necklines.

Flowers said she finished most of the looks in about a week, though a few of them were completed just hours before the shoot began.

“That’s just me,” Flowers said with a laugh. “Sometimes I get inspired up until the end.”

One of Flowers’ favorite suits, worn by veteran cheerleader Jennifer Summers, is a throw-back-inspired, two-piece with an orange corseted top featuring the number 12 (Doug Williams’ old number) and the orange and red Bucco Bruce holding a knife in his mouth.

“Some of the girls are sexier than others,” Flowers said. “And some of them wanted to be a little more covered up. I got a feel for what they wanted, and that’s what I tried to do. They were easy (to design for) because they’re all in shape.”

Flowers can custom make any of the swimwear pieces shown in the calendar. Prices start at $90.

By Jason Seidling
Pittsburgh Penguins
7/29/2010

Fifty potential female candidates for the Penguins’ first-ever Ice Crew descended upon the Penguins’ practice facility at Southpointe on Wednesday night as Ice Crew coordinator Laura Spencer hosted the first of two practice skating sessions leading up to this weekend’s tryouts.

Spencer, a Pittsburgh native who spent two seasons with the Dallas Stars Ice Girls team, ran the girls through a one-hour practice session which was designed to mirror what the ladies should expect when they arrive for Saturday’s tryout.

“I would say that they got a good understanding of what we are looking for in a female Ice Crew team member,” Spencer said. “It takes a lot more than just skating well. It’s how you present yourself on the ice and how you carry yourself.

“Saturday will be very similar to what the girls saw on Wednesday. On Saturday the girls will audition by performing skating drills that showcase their speed, agility and ability to stop quickly. Sunday is going to be more focused on the on-ice positions. There are six on-ice positions (Snow Plow 1 and 2, Benches, Bucket and Long and Short Goal), and we are going to be performing 2-3 of those.”

Considering the excitement and energy level from the girls who attended on Wednesday, Spencer is excited with the group she has to work with.
“I was extremely pleased with the large turnout we had Wednesday night,” Spencer said. “Not only because of the large turnout we had, but also because of the talent level we had there.”

Spencer will have a second chance to work out potential candidates prior to Saturday’s tryout when another group of potential team members arrives for a second prep class on Friday night. In total, 88 of the roughly 160 girls expected to try out will have the chance to experience one of the instructional sessions. Spencer had to cut off the number of girls at 88 because of the high interest level among the girls.

“Due to the great interest in the Ice Crew I had to shut the prep class off at 88 girls,” Spencer said. “I wanted the classes to be helpful and productive.”

Things certainly figure to get pretty crazy on Saturday morning when Spencer needs to take the 160 girls trying out and then pare that number down to a more manageable figure. To help her with that process, she will have a handful of talent evaluators on hand, including a former NHL Ice Girl.

While it won’t be easy for Spencer to narrow down the list, which includes several candidates with impressive resumes, she does have a checklist of criteria she will follow to help herself out.

“Speed would definitely be the first criteria we are looking for,” Spencer said. “We only have two minutes to clean the ice. You also need agility because you never know when a player or referee is going to stop right in front of you so you have to be able to account for those things. Finally, the personality that they are going to bring to the ice is going to be very important.”

Wednesday night’s practice, which included a small crowd in the stands and sports bar overlooking the ice, began with Spencer watching each of the girls skate and then dividing them up into two groups at opposite ends of the ice.

Group 1, which was a little smaller than the second group, spent most of the hour working on their shoveling and figure skating skills.

Because removing excess snow from the ice during television timeouts is going to be among the girl’s most important duties, Spencer spent more time focusing on the finer points of snow removal. Towards the end Spencer began going over more figure skating techniques, as another function of the Ice Crew squad will be to entertain fans during the intermissions.

“When we do the TV timeouts, it is strictly the on-ice positions,” Spencer said. “When we go out there during the intermissions I want them showing off and showcasing their talent.”

At the opposite end of the rink a larger group of girls focused more on skating and stopping techniques. Many of these girls were taking advantage of the hour-long practice to get adjusted to the hockey skates that the Ice Crew will wear after growing up on figure sktates.

Once both ends finished working on their specific drills, Spencer brought the entire group back together at center ice for a five-minute review session that encompassed everything the girls learned. After a brief pep talk from Spencer, the girls then called it a night as they prepare for what should be a fun and demanding tryout on Saturday morning.

The Milwaukee Bucks are still in the process of choosing their 2010-11 Energee! Dance Team. In the meantime, they’ve posted new photos from the callbacks. Click here to see who advanced to the second day of tryouts!

2010 Laker Girl auditions are over! While we wait (on pins and needles) to find out who made the team, check out these photos from this year’s tryouts! Click here for photos from the open call. Click here for photos from finals.

Profiles and individual photos of this year’s team have been posted on the Cards’ website. Click here to go there now.

MiamiHeat.com has tons of new photos from this year’s open call auditions. I have to hand it to those Miami girls. They really know how to grab your attention! Click here to go there now.