Minnesota Vikings
6/16/2009
After several weeks of voting on vikings.com, Vikings fans have once again helped determine the ladies who will grace the cover of the 2009 Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar.
are the three ladies who came out as the winners after the process started with eight candidates vying for a spot on the cover.
“We have a beautiful team for 2009-10 and have our most gorgeous cover to date,” said MVC Head Coach Tami Krause. “I know Vikings fans are going to LOVE the new team calendar! This season will be memorable in every way.”
Annalisa is an elementary school teacher who is entering her second season as a Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader. She was named the 2009 MVC Rookie of the Year and hails from Tomah, Wisc.
Kristina, who is from Vadnais Heights, has been a MVC for three seasons and is a Marketing and Administrative Assistant. Her favorite Vikings player is Chad Greenway and is the 2009 Team Glamour Captain.
The third cover girl is Melissa, who is currently a student at the University of Minnesota. She has been on the team for four seasons and is from Burnsville. Like Kristina, her favorite current Vikings player is Greenway.
Calendar sales will launch during the Fourth of July weekend. Cheerleaders will be out in the community at calendar sales events and we will begin taking online orders shortly thereafter. Calendars will be available during Verizon Wireless Vikings Training Camp, at the Metrodome during all home games and at official Minnesota Vikings Locker Room stores.
With help from the “Making the Squad” forum on CMT, and from all of you who’ve emailed me, I’ve managed to identify most of the girls in the 2009 DCC Training Camp photo. Some of these are guesses, so if you have corrections, let me know at sasha@procheerleaderblog.com. (Click the photo to view full-size.)
2009 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Training Camp
* = veteran DCC
Row 1
1 Ashton Torres
2 Grace Sells (Dallas Stars alum)
3 Joannah Liad (Dallas Desperados alum)
4 Amy Reese *
5 Sunni Cranfill (Dallas Mavs alum)
6 Brittany Evans *
7 Crystal Trevino * (Dallas Mavs alum)
8 Trisha Trevino * (Dallas Mavs alum)
9 Sydney Durso *
10 Nicole Hamilton *
11 Margaret Martinez
Row 2
12 Cathleen Williams
13 Michelle Keys * (Dallas Mavs alum)
14 Kenley Minchew
15 Lacey Minchew (Yes, they’re sisters. Lacey is 3 years older than Kenley)
16 Jackie Bob (SF 49ers alum)
17 Meagan Sharp *
18 Ally Traylor *
19 Brooke Sorenson *
20 Tobie Percival *
21 Meagan McVay
22 Megan Martinez
Row 3
23 Vanessa Jenkins (Houston Texans alum)
24 Evan Anderson
25 Kaitlin Ilseng *
26 Brandi Kilby
27 Whitney Isleib *
28 Kristen Gauthier *
29 Justine Phillips-Orf * (Dallas Mavs alum)
30 Ashley Kelly
31 Mia Greenhouse
32 Sarah Gourley *
33 Jordan Baum * (Dallas Mavs alum)
Row 4
34 Zoe Szekeres
35 Malia Morales (Houston Texans alum)
36 Jordan Chanley *
37 Rachel Buckmaster
38 Melissa Kellerman *
39 Kelsi Reich *
40 Meredith Oden *
41 Tia Williams *
42 Abigail Klein *
43 Carey DePasquale (Atlanta Falcons alum)
44 Cassie Trammel *
Click here to check out the Los Angeles Laker Girls on game day, at SportsIllustrated.com
Click here to go to the Atlanta Hawks website and vote for your top three picks to make the 2009-10 Atlanta Hawks A-Town Dancers!
You can also click here to view photos from finalist boot camp!
It’s down to the final four. Who will win the coveted cover spot on the annual Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders swimsuit calendar? Click here to cast your vote.
It has come to my attention that this post disappeared into the ether at some point during the transition, so I’m reposting it. For those who have seen this already, bear with me.
As always, you can view tons of photos in my Flickr gallery. Click here to go there now.
Last month, I had the awesome opportunity to cover Raiderette finals for the blog. This was a big huge deal for me, and a major privilege.
Raiderette auditions happen every year over two Sundays in the spring. The first Sunday is the open call, where judges are looking for that Raiderette look and sparkle. Veterans get to skip that round. The final auditions take place on the subsequent Sunday. In between the two weekends, the aspiring Raiderettes and (hopefully) returning veterans attend a session to learn the choreography for finals. For finals, the ladies arrive in cocktail wear for the interview round of competition. After interviews, the dancers change outfits for the dance audition. And finally, after all of the dancing and interviewing is over, the new team is announced.
It was a lot to do in one day, so they had to get things started bright and early in the morning. When I say early, I do mean early. Like, 7:30 am early.
I don’t think I have to tell you that 7:30 am on a Sunday feels like 5:30 am on a Monday.
I’m a morning person, so I have no problem being up and about at that time of day. However, it’s one thing to be conscious and moving around that early in the morning. It is quite another to be wide awake, primped, polished, hair, face and outfit perfect, and ready to face a panel of judges. Those poor girls. I couldn’t do it. I’d wind up falling over in my four inch heels and glueing the false eyelashes to my forehead.
This year’s auditions took place at Club One in downtown Oakland . They usually have Raiderette auditions at the Oakland Airport Hilton, but this year there was a scheduling conflict. So instead of the hotel ballroom, they set up camp at the health club.
I’d arrived in Oakland the night before and was staying in a hotel about 10 blocks from Club One. It was a bit chilly outside the next morning, so it was a brisk walk to auditions. When I got there, I spotted two girls waiting out front, freezing their buns off in wool coats and strappy heels. I really felt for them – but not badly enough to pause as I breezed past them and into the club. Hey, I was cold too okay?
Inside, I spotted a group of former Raiderettes who had volunteered to help out for the day. With slightly over 100 women to shuffle from room to room, Raiderette Director Karen Kovac would definitely need the help!
Speaking of which…I found Karen, Karen’s assistant Nora, Laura the Assistant Choreographer, and a few more retired Raiderettes reviewing the plan of attack for the day.
Nora, Karen, and Laura
They were the first in a series of cool chicks I met that day. (The Raiders security guy – whose name escapes me just now – was a really great guy, but being a guy, he was disqualified from the Cool Chick List. (I am working on a Cool Dude List, but I need to come up with a better name for it.)
Everyone was really friendly and welcoming. I have heard the organization referred to as “the Raiders Family” and that’s exactly what it seems to be. The vibe I got was that of a group of people who had worked together for quite a while, and enjoyed razzing each other like siblings do.
Four areas on the upper level of the club were designated for the audition process. Two of the rooms were mirrored exercise studios – one room for interviews and the other for last-minute rehearsal. The third spot was an open area where the women would have their photo taken and also where they would wait for their turn for interviews and auditions. The fourth area was the club’s basketball court, where they would do the dance audition. It was a full-sized court, but they would only use half of it. There were a few cardio machines to one side of the court, and there was an indoor track one level above. Those areas would not be closed off for auditions, so anyone running, walking, or elliptical-ing would have the opportunity to watch the tryouts.
Raiderette finals are usually closed, so this was a new twist. I wondered if the women auditioning knew they’d have an audience. That’s when I started to get a little jittery. I can’t imagine why. All I had to do was stand around and point my camera at people. That didn’t stop me from getting nervous for the girls. (Even though I didn’t know any of them. Go figure.)
While the final preparations were going on upstairs, I went back downstairs to see what was going on in the lobby. I was a little concerned, because it was almost time to start interviews and it didn’t look to me like there were a hundred women waiting to go upstairs. Maybe like…40 or so. (I found out later that the girls had been scheduled to arrive in shifts.)
Even so, 40 was plenty. This was a situation that took some getting used to. It is quite something to see that many women out of doors in the bright sunshine, all done up in full-on disco diva gear at that time of day. I took one look at all those girls, immediately turned on my heel and went back inside like “you have got to be kidding me.”
You know how when you’re in a dark room and somebody turns the lights on all of a sudden and your eyeballs are like “whoa, I was not prepared for that.”
It was kind of like that.
I remember thinking that it looked like the prom issue of Seventeen Magazine had exploded in the middle of the courtyard.
Once I had adjusted, I went back outside to see what all the girls were up to. Besides shivering, I mean. One girl was wrapped in a blanket like a mummy. Hey, when you’re cold, you do what you have to do.
I took a bunch of photos, and before I knew it, they were calling the first group upstairs for their interviews.
Prior to interviews, the women were led up the stairs in groups of 25 and seated in the open area outside of the interview room.
One by one, they went inside to perch on a stool in front of the judges.
Now, sitting on a stool is one of those things you don’t think about much – until you have to do it in front of a panel of judges. It’s not easy to gracefully hitch yourself up on a stool when you’re wearing 4inch heels and a dress that doesn’t have much give. Plus, a stool doesn’t have arms or a back to help you balance. Meanwhile, you’ve only got one free hand because the other one is clutching your audition number. You’re nervous as hell, your hands are sweaty, the stool seems ridiculously tall, and you just have to go in there and hope for the best.
That, and ignore all of us staring at you through the glass wall. No pressure!
The girls came out of the interview with an interesting variety of expressions, ranging from “I’m cool. I’m confident. No problem” to “I can’t remember one single thing just I said to those people.”
It seemed to me like each interview lasted a good 15 minutes. In reality, they were probably just a few minutes each – although they did go by a lot quicker toward the end when the judges started to run short on time.
After each girl’s turn with the judges, she returned to her seat in the holding area. When the last girl had finished, all 25 women went back into the interview room and lined up with their numbers for a final photo. And then – finally – they could get the heck out of there and relax for a few minutes.
But first, they had to go downstairs, which meant passing the cheesy guys standing in the hall, pretending to keep score. One guy pointed at every woman who passed by “I’d vote for you! No-wait, I’d vote for you! Wait a second, I’d definitely vote for you!” A second guy stood there muttering to himself“…number five has it going ON.” A couple other guys just hung around, trying to look casual, like they just happened to be standing there at that moment. One of the guys turned up again during the dance audition. If you look at the photos from the afternoon, you will see a certain gentleman standing there for a good portion of the activity. By that time, he wasn’t even pretending to be casual about it. He was openly staring.
After all of the interviews were completed, there was a short mid-day break. Everyone had a bit to eat, and then it was time to get ready for the second half of the day. While the crew moved the judging table and sound system over to the basketball court, I moseyed over to the room where the girls were rehearsing the dance. All of the girls had changed into their two piece dance outfits.
Some girls went for the full-on, custom-made bling. Others were a little more subdued. One girl auditioned in long pants, which I didn’t really understand. They knew they’re supposed to wear briefs or hot pants. I dunno. Maybe the dog ate her outfit.
This was the first time I got to see the choreography, and it was freakin’ cool. The music was “Jai Ho” from Slum Dog Millionaire – the Pussycat Dolls version. (Click here to watch the PCD video.)
I hung out in there for maybe 15 minutes, and then scurried out of the way.
The former Raiderettes were huddled outside the room, peering in through the glass wall while the girls rehearsed. I’m sure this was just one more nerve-wracking element in a day destined to rub the aspiring Raiderettes’ nerves completely raw. The former Raiderettes were dressed all in black, and even though they were all very warm and friendly, their mere presence was intimidating.
The Raiderettes were talking in low voices and subtly pointing to this girl or that girl. I sidled over to them and eavesdropped shamelessly. (I really wanted to hear what they were saying, ok?) I didn’t hear what I expected to hear, however. I expected them to be at least a little critical. Ok, fine, I’ll be honest. I’m a cynic. I expected some snark. Maybe not outright snickering, but at least a raised eyebrow or two over a bad pirouette or a tragic audition costume.
Instead, the conversation centered around the girls they were particularly rooting for. The girl in the pink top had the IT factor. The girl in the turquoise two-piece was an incredible dancer. The girl in yellow was cut last year but came back strong this year. The girl stretching in the corner was Drop. Dead. Gorgeous.
I don’t actually remember who exactly they were talking about and what colors they were wearing, but that was pretty much the gist of the conversation. Well, that and crossing their fingers that all of the veterans would make it back on the team.
Back on the basketball court, they were just about ready to get started again. Before bringing the first group of girls in, choreographers Shawna and Laura did the choreography once through for the judges. Meanwhile, in the other room, the Raiderette helpers got all of the girls sorted out.
The dancers queued up in groups, just as they had done in the morning. Each group filed in, and sat in a row of folding chairs along the side of the room. Once everyone was seated, Karen explained the process, said a few words of encouragement, and then it was the dancers’ turn to strut their stuff. One by one, they walked to the center of the space, performed the dance once through, and then returned to their seats.
The girls had gathered during the week to learn the dance ahead of time. Since they’d had a good amount of time to rehearse, most of the girls had the steps down cold and were able to emphasize their showmanship. Most of the girls did really really well.
See what I mean about the staring?
A few girls started off too early and finished several counts before the music. Those auditions were hard to watch. “In my head, I was thinking slow down. PLEASE slow down” but they didn’t and you could see it in their faces, the moment they realized they were off count. I wanted to jump up and yell “Do Over! Do Over!” But of course there was no opportunity for that.
A couple of girls blanked out in the middle of the routine. Those were gut-wrenching for the dancer and for those of us watching. You want so much to help, but there’s nothing you can do about it. I was happy to see though, that all of them were able to pick up the choreography and finish the dance.
After all of the girls in each group had danced, they lined up in front of the Raiders backdrop again, just as they had in the morning.
Then they were escorted out and it was the next group’s turn to perform.
(I wish they’d made all 25 girls in each group perform together at least once. Or maybe in groups of 5 or 10. Yes I know it’s an audition, not a recital for my personal entertainment, but still. It would’ve been fun to watch.)
After all of the dancing was done, the judges disappeared into a room to deliberate. The girls changed back into their cocktail dresses and gathered in the lobby to wait for the news.
I have no idea how long we all waited. The girls were nervous and fidgety – more and more so as the minutes passed. There was a weird tense-yet-expectant, panicky-yet-excited feeling in the air. I hung around down there for a while, but eventually fled back upstairs. I couldn’t take the nerves.
Mine, not theirs.
(Some people call this “self absorbed.” I prefer the term “self aware.” Ahem.)
By the time the judges came out of the meeting room, I was almost as tense as the girls. I about jumped out of my skin when I saw them, then ran down the stairs to announce that the judges were coming, any minute now. The crowd in the lobby started stirring.
But the judges didn’t come.
I scooted upstairs and a minute later was back down again – this time, the judges were coming for real!
But the judges still didn’t come.
I went back upstairs again – a little slower this time. The Paul Revere act was getting old and I was starting to feel like a jackass. Nobody had asked me to make the announcement, I just wanted to be involved, so I took it upon myself to open my big mouth.
When the judges looked like they were moving toward the head of the stairs, I dashed downstairs again. This time I kept my mouth shut, and they eventually made their way to the lobby.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I was nervous as hell. I wasn’t auditioning. I didn’t have anything at stake. Yet I was the one practically on the verge of a meltdown. I imagined what it would be like to be in their shoes and the more I thought about it the more I felt like I was about to jump out of my skin. Gah! Just tell us who made the team already!!!
A girl next to me looked over at me with concern and said I looked even more nervous than she did. If anyone had the right to white knuckles and a pounding heart, it was her, not me. Yet she was the one telling me everything was going to be ok. That was Anna, bless her.
(Note to self: get over yourself.)
Finally, the judges were there, and the girls gathered around. Karen thanked everyone for coming. Then she explained that each year, she picks an audition song that has some special meaning to it. This year’s song “Jai Ho” means “may victory be yours” and she wished everyone victory throughout their lives – whether or not they made the team.
It was a strangely inspirational moment, right on the cusp of changing some girls lives forever…and others not at all.
Then Karen read the numbers.
(In order, thankfully)
There was a second or two of silence after she finished. This was truly the oddest part of the day. Everyone had the exact same expression on their face. Whether they’d been chosen or not, they all looked completely shocked. And then the crying started.
Tears because they made it.
Tears because they didn’t make it.
Tears because they’d worked so hard.
Tears because veterans were cut.
Tears because rookies who never expected to be chosen, had been.
Tears because they finally made it after 2, 3, 4 years of auditioning.
Tears because the day was FINALLY over.
I booked it upstairs to look at my notes and figure out exactly who had made the team and who hadn’t.
Eventually, the 2009-10 Raiderettes made their way back upstairs to the basketball court for their very first team photo. They were all smiling enough to make my face hurt.
Here’s an interesting factoid – Karen puts the new girls in the front rows. It may seem like a little thing, but I bet it meant a lot to them. They weren’t pushed to the back like they were of lesser importance than the veterans. I don’t know Karen well, but she seems like a person who puts a whole lot of thought behind every decision she makes. This particular decision – as small a thing as it might seem – was very very cool. If Karen wasn’t already on the Cool Chick list, this would’ve put her there.
After the photos, Karen got right down to business. Karen handed out information sheets, and explained the details around Raiderette orientation and the upcoming trip to Hawaii (for the team calendar shoot). Then she pointed the rookies over the corner to try on the white Raiderette boots. The boots are from Carlos by Carlos Santana. They are specially made for each Raiderette, so if they wanted those boots made in time for their uniform shots, they had to get the size information down to the factory in Brazil ASAP.
Some of the rookies looked like they didn’t know what hit them. They’d barely processed the idea that they’d been chosen for the team. The boots. The orientation. The trip to Hawaii – all of that was extra information.
I packed up my stuff and prepared to go. But before I did, I had to take care of two things. First – a high five to Anna, who made the team and is officially on my Nice Girl list. Woo! Second, I had to track down Cole, who had bolted when I tried to take her photo earlier. Partly because she was wearing Uggs with her cocktail dress (fpxy!), and partly because she was worried that she might not make the team and would feel awful if she got cut and then and to face her photo splashed all over the internet. Ok, I could understand that. But once they called her number, she owed me one.)
Congratulations Anna 🙂
Congratulations Cole 🙂
Congratulations 2009-10 Oakland Raiderettes!
Don’t forget to check out the photos on Flickr. Click here. 😉
The Orlando Magic basketball players aren’t the only ones working hard during Finals. The Magic Dancers are also breaking a sweat to keep the crowds entertained. Click here to view photos from last night’s game in Orlando.
By Peter Mucha
Staff Writer
Philadelphia Inquirer
Jun. 9, 2009
Content to remain on the sidelines?
Not the Eagles cheerleaders.
They’re back from Aruba, where they shot their second “eco-sexy” calendar – this time to raise awareness about global warming.
Early next month, six squad members will be off to Iraq to entertain the troops.
Then come two new local events for fans – a July 15 calendar-unveiling show and an Aug. 2 Linc extravaganza.
The calendar show will feature photos on a big screen, dance routines and swimwear modeling, capped off by the grand finale – revealing the woman on the cover, according to Barbara Zaun, the team’s director of cheerleading.
“That will be the first time that she finds out,” Zaun said.
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. Prince Music Theater event should be on sale at the end of next week. The $22.50 admission includes a copy of the 16-month calender, which covers the Eagles season and all of 2010, Zaun said.
The cheerleaders also will perform at family-oriented Flight Night, which replaces the annual carnival and auction. The new football team will practice, and fans will be treated to giveaways, videos, appearances by former players and mascot Swoop, as well as fireworks.
Autographed merchandise will be for sale, but autograph sessions with players are no longer in the game plan.
Proceeds from the tickets, starting at $10 for children and $20 for adults, will benefit the Eagles Youth Partnership. Club seats, at $45 each, include the chance to meet cheerleaders and ex-Eagles. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000.
The calendar shoot went well, and Aruba’s desert area fit into this year’s global-warming theme, said Zaun.
Except when one cheerleader stepped on some cactus.
“We were able to get that feeling of being very hot and dry,” said Zaun.
“I kind of felt like a jungle woman,” said rookie Tracey Dunn, 22, of Philadelphia.
She posed in a bikini by an exotic tree, a tangle of interconnected roots and branches, at the resort hotel, and “the way they did my hair and makeup was really unique,” said the Muhlenberg grad, who works as a casting assistant at a talent agency.
A little yellow eyeliner. Red straw woven into her teased and braided red hair. Yellow earrings made of “hardened leaves.” A belt of sculpted bits of coconut shells.
She didn’t wear any messages, though others did – one T-shirt read “100 Percent Naturally Grown,” she said.
Dunn really enjoyed the experience, from the photo shoot to dance rehearsals, and activities like snorkeling, pool aerobics and mingling with the handful of Eagles fans who booked special trips.
“It was amazing,” she said. “To be there with everyone was just an unbelievable experience.”
Of course, seaside shots were required.
Jennifer Kaiser, 26, back for a fifth season with the squad, posed in the surf at sunset, wearing a necklace whose mini-stop signs with a flaming Earth symbolically say “Stop Global Warming.”
The piece was from Cool Planet Jewelry, whose sales benefit www.stopglobalwarming.org, said the LaSalle grad and longtime Philadelphia resident.
Garments and jewelry were mostly made of natural or recycled materials, to fit the eco-friendly objectives pioneered last year.
Kaiser is also part of the contingent slated to visit Iraq, touring bases from July 1 to 12.
“I’m really excited,” she said. “A lot of people ask me if I’m scared but I’m really not.”
A financial analyst for the Defense Department, she already helps the troops in her job, which involves getting them equipment and supplies.
But she’s happy to entertain them too.
Also heading over are Amanda Bedford, Priscilla Williams, Tiffany Monroe, Krystle Campbell and Alexandra Stephan.
Besides doing some dance routines, they’ll host fun and games, like push-up competitions and trivia contests, and answer questions from the crowd.
“It’s a great opportunity to go over there and visit the troops, and give something back,” Kaiser said.
Raiders.com
June 8, 2009
Last week, a group of five Raiderettes, Tiphanie, Cole, Meena, Emily and Ashlee, visited several United States military bases in Iraq. The Raiderettes spent time with U.S. servicemembers in Iraq.
Meena sent the following on May 30th: “I am finally getting some time to sit down and send off some e-mails. We arrived at FOB Delta in Iraq this morning. It is near the city of Al Quds. For the first time in our Middle East experience we are staying in a tent! It is lined on both sides with about six or seven bunk beds down each side. The “wall” and “ceiling” are tent-like with solid metal beams as interior supporting structures. Cool air is pumped in, but it’s not doing much in this heat. It is super windy and when we lay down on our beds the “walls” actually are snapping with the wind and hitting us in the head. It’s pretty funny actually.
We’ll be performing on an outdoor stage, it is basically the bed of a flat bed truck. The crews here have placed a wood flooring on top of the rusty metal. In the background is a bombed out building, and all around the stage there are mortar bunkers. It’s quite a scene. Today while we were marking our spots and rehearsing our show a soldier approached us and asked if any of us had cheered in high school or college. I was the only one who said yes. He asked if I cheered coed, and I again said yes. Without missing a beat, he asked “Do you wanna stunt?” So after we were finished rehearsing I threw a couple of stunts with him. It was really cool. I also learned that the Raiderettes are the first cheerleaders to perform at this base, so the troops here are extremely excited.
Our first two days included an evening performance at Camp Beuhring in Iraq after enduring a day of 130+ degrees. Unkown to us, our security detail had made a call to have medics standing by during our performance in case any of us went down. We all made it through safely, but it was good to know our security detail was looking out for us. Our second performance was at Camp Basrah in Iraq to one of the rowdiest crowds I’ve seen in awhile. We had a lot of fun with them and found some die-hard Raider fans.
It’s a little cooler today, maybe around 100 degrees…very windy, we can actually feel the dust and sand on our teeth. I don’t know how these men and women live in this day in and day out. Until you’ve been here, it is difficult to fully understand. I would compare it to standing in front of a massive blow dryer all day.
That’s it for now…we’ll touch base as soon as we get a chance again! Not sure where we are headed next, but we are ready for the adventure.”
Cole checked in on June 1st: “We did a live appearance from here in Iraq on KRON 4 [with Vern Glenn]. We have already completed two shows. We started in Kuwait, then flew to Baghdad, and back to Kuwait, and then to Iraq. This has been such and emotional trip in many ways. We all are so humbled by what we have witnessed. Equally so proud of what our soldiers have accomplished. They truly are our country’s heroes and we are so honored to be able to thank them for all they do, and all they have sacrificed. Great stories already to tell. Funny moments, tearful moments. We met one of the generals last night, big highlight for all of us. We have collected four coins and one patch so far. We have to go get ready for our next show this evening at 1900. Our agenda is demanding. Not a lot of sleep, or downtime.”
Cole checked in again on June 2nd: “Just quick update. We met a three-star general today! We have six coins now and three patches. We played Rock band with the special forces yesterday, and had a jam session for fun. We also were present during a private promotion ceremony for the special forces. We’re about to head to our next meet and greet, and then get ready for our show here at Camp Striker. Thanks for all your support. We are in such great hands, and feel very safe. Military troops are motivated and happy we are here. Carmen our tour guide is taking such great care of us.”
During the Raiderettes trip to the Middle East, several soldiers sent e-mail to Raiders.com thanking Football’s Fabulous Females for visiting them. Here is a sampling…
“I am writing this e-mail for “Team C,” the Raiderettes, who appeared in FOB Delta on Saturday night in Iraq. I just wanted to thank your team for coming out here to give us a little entertainment while we are deployed. It meant a lot to us and something like that really goes a long way.” – Marc R
“I am writing this to you today from FOB Delta, Iraq. I am writing this to you today because last night myself and hundreds of other soldiers were entertained by five of your sexy and lovely and courageous Raiderettes. They are Tiphanie, Emily, Ashlee, Meena, and Cole (TEAM C). I would like to thank the Raiders for allowing them to come here to Iraq and entertain us. It was a great show. They were very enthusiastic and they tried very hard to get people up on stage. I myself was one that was up on stage during the dance off. And like it was said last night by a colonel of the base, ‘maybe we’re heroes for being here doing what we do best but just the simple fact that they came here just to try and show us a good time and help us have a good night that made them the heroes’ hero.’ Even though they were here for just one night it was the best night that I have had in a long time. We are eternally grateful for them coming. If they didn’t come I probably wouldv’e just stayed in my tent like I have so many other nights and watched a movie. But them coming here made me so happy. It just boosted my morale level so high for the next month. Them being here and giving us the best show that they could made me feel like I was sitting in the front row on the 50-yard line at a Raiders game. They did a outstanding job and I believe they should be recognized for it. In closing I would just like to say THANK YOU again for allowing them to be here last night. Thank you again and have a safe and happy 2009. From your number one Raider and Raiderettes fan…” – John G.
We’ll have more from the Raiderettes trip to the Middle East, including Vern Glenn’s satellite interview, online later in the week.
Andrew Mason
Carolina Panthers
May 25, 2009
CHARLOTTE — They don’t wear shoulder pads and helmets, and their uniforms are more likely to have sequins than numbers. Yet finding the right chemistry among its members is as important among the Panthers’ cheerleading squad as it is for the team itself.
So when TopCats manager Tina Becker and choreographer Richelle Grant began whittling down the 175 aspiring cheerleaders to the final squad of 27 over the last two months, they devoted at least as much focus to creating a seamless unit as to evaluating the precision of dance steps. Through interviews, rehearsals and simple observations, they watched and listened to the potential TopCats, trying to not only select the best women for the job, but to create the best team.
“The 35 (finalists) we have at the end, they’re all talented,” Becker said. “It’s often a question of whether this girl can get along with that girl. It’s a puzzle. They all can dance, they all can cheer; they all love the Panthers. That’s why they’re (among the finalists). Then it’s deciding who’s going to be the best group of women to represent us and all be on the same page.”
The decisions became more difficult as the process progressed. From an initial group of 175 applicants, only 70 made it to the next round, where each was interviewed by a four-person panel.
“Interviews will make or break you,” Becker said. “You may be an amazing dancer, but if you come in and have nothing to say … ”
Becker didn’t finish the sentence, but she didn’t have to; the implication of a poor interview was clear.
“The dancing is great, but to me the community outreach and the appearances are way more important — to see if you can speak intelligently and comfortably.”
The 27 TopCats for 2009 have gone through one of the most thorough processes of any dance team in the NFL.
“The environment is very supportive and fun, and we want to make sure we pick the right people each year to portray that,” Becker said. “That’s why our process is longer than normal, because we need to know (more about each candidate).”
Interviews provide a glimpse into a potential TopCat’s personality. Auditions reveal their dancing skills. But the other component of evaluation comes at rehearsals. There, the primary purpose is to learn dance steps for the auditions, but a different kind of evaluation is also in play.
“You can impress me that first time in an interview and kind of get through it. But to see you six or seven times in the locker room, I’m really going to get an idea if you’re a good fit,” Becker said. “During rehearsals, we get to know them in a group setting and learn about their personality — whether they are team players; whether they get along with everybody.”
In that environment, Becker liked what she saw this year.
“What’s cool about this team is that the girls come with the perception that everyone’s catty, that it’s an intimidating environment because everyone’s competing,” she said. “Overwhelmingly, when we talk with the girls that audition for the first time, they speak of how amazing the girls that have been here are — how welcoming, warm and approachable they are. Those are the type of girls we pick – and they’re there for a reason.”
As the franchise has grown over its 15 years of existence, so have the TopCats, whose membership reflects a growing maturation of the team and its supporters.
“Now, girls come in and say, ‘I grew up watching the Panthers; I grew up watching the cheerleaders on the sidelines, and now I’m old enough to actually be one,'” Becker said. “It’s so cool that we’ve actually gotten to that point now where these kids who came to game and watched us can actually participate in it.”
The 2009 TopCats:
Ann Alston
Caiti Berg
Jennifer Bobbitt
Kimberly Coon
Cynthia English
Sara Gormel
T’fani Hixon
Megan Hodge
Leslie Holmes
Melanie Jackson
Kristen Kirkland
Kayla Lewis
Lisa Mach
Brittany Massey
Tara Mull
Carolyn Nicholson
Chika Nwankwo
DeAnna Platt
Michelle Rock
Stacey Sanderson
Chelsea Schatz
Jeri Smith
Kelli Triplett
Dana Waring
Katie Williams
Shelby Williams
Erin Willis
