Click here to check out the photo gallery. Looks like Director Denise Garvey changed it up this year and put all of of the finalists in matching outfits. This effectively put an end to the tradition of the veterans wearing matching outfits at finals. I’ve been wondering when she was going to put a stop to that. On the one hand, I’m sure it gave the vets a little confidence boost to walk into the room dressed like a team, that also had to be ridiculously intimidating for the aspiring rookies.
By Michael Florek
dallasnews.com
May 5, 2013
ARLINGTON — Lauren Herington is the last in her group of five. In a purple-with-pink trim dance outfit, she smiles as she faces the two rows of judges.
After the four other members introduce themselves, Herington takes the microphone. Cameras from a CMT reality show focus in. She has 10 seconds.
“I’m Lauren Herrington. I’m 19 years old and I’m from Decatur, Illinois. I’m a full time student working on my biology major and I’m also a client care representative at the local veterinary in my home town.”
After a moment, Kelli Finglass, director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, releases the group to the floor. Ninety seconds of freestyle dance would either validate or repudiate Herington’s past six months.
***
Herington made the decision back in October. This year was the year. She was going to audition to become a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.
She began working out three hours a day and found a full-time job in order to have the money to come to Dallas. When college got in the way, she switched to online classes.
“Some of my family was like, ‘Oh you need to just focus on your schooling,’ ” Herington says. “I’m still managing to go to school full time. I still have good grades. I’ve just got to stay up late and devote time to homework and everything like that.
“But my family has always been supportive. They know I’ve always wanted to do this.”
Herington is one of over 400 at Cowboys Stadium on this first Saturday in May.
They come from 36 states and four countries. They are missing graduations and coming home from honeymoons. They are 18-year-old high school seniors and experienced dancers in their 30s and 40s. They are twins and grandmas, collegiate dancers and cheerleaders from eight other NFL teams.
“Everybody knows the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are the cheerleaders,” Herington says. “Might as well shoot for the stars and miss rather just land on something that’s OK.”
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader hopefuls line up to getstamp a stamped signaling all their paper work was handed in before the start of the preliminary auditions for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders at Cowboys Stadium Saturday May 4, 2013.(Ron Baselice/ The Dallas Morning News)
The girls spread out among the concourse, applying makeup and fixing hair in the mirrors of the “Fluff and Puff Station”, taking pictures in front of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders sign, and finding empty spaces to practice steps and pirouettes. But most of all, they wait.
They wait for the others to check in. They wait for the first announcement. Herington arrives at Cowboys Stadium at 7:30 a.m. They aren’t brought to the section 123 and met by Finglass until 10:15.
Finglass is the leader, a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader now in her 23rd year of overseeing auditions. She stands on top of the field-level suites and lays out the journey.
Today, Saturday, is the preliminaries, a simple 90-second freestyle dance. Make the cut and you’re into to the semifinals on Sunday, where you’ll learn a choreographed dance routine. Then it’s on to the personal interview. Ace that and the finals await, consisting of a written test, a 90-second talent presentation, and a choreographed dance combination and kick line. From there, it’s on to training camp, where the veterans await. And by the way, more of them are returning than ever.
The judges grade on four criteria: appearance, figure, showmanship, and free style.
“Do you look attractive?” Finglass says to the group. “Does it look like you fit into our uniform?
“We want showmanship and bright smiles, dynamic people who can bring notice to us.”
There is still an hour until auditions begin. More pirouettes, more puffing and fluffing.
Eventually, the auditionees are instructed to take their seats on either side of the dance floor. The judges are coming. There are 15 in total. Finglass and Charlotte Jones Anderson, the Cowboys Executive Vice President. Choreographer Judy Trammel and fitness instructor Jay Johnson. Media members, sponsors, even the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders official dentist.
Around 11:15, it’s time to start.
Herington is No. 345, closer to the end than the beginning, and for more hours of waiting. She watches some performances, keeps her head down for others.
“I try to think (positively) so I don’t get in my head like, ‘Oh, I’m not good enough to do this,’ ” she says. “You just have to go in and be like, ‘I’ve got this.’ ”
The hour lunch break arrives. Herington still hasn’t gone.
That means more counting of steps, more dancing, more thinking.
“You have so many people back at home that are like, ‘Oh, you’re going to do this! You’re going to do this!’ ” Herrington says. “You don’t want to have to come home and be like ‘I didn’t do it.’ ”
And if that happens?
“I don’t know. I’m living day-to-day.”
Just after 3 p.m., a full seven and a half hours after first arriving, Herrington makes her introduction and gets her 90 seconds.
When the Top 40 music dies down and the flurry of hair flips, spins, and leg kicks stops, the contestants are brought to the front for one more pose. The judges make their final “yes”, “no”, or “maybe”, marking on their scorecards. Herington’s audition is over.
She dons a smile as she returns to her seat. It felt good.
“The routine I had ready, it didn’t really happen,” she says with a laugh. “I just started doing something.
“Once we got done we were like ‘We want to do it again.’ I was just so excited just to be up there. … It’s such a rush.”
The rest of the girls perform. The judge leave to deliberate. They say they’ll be ready with the semifinalists by 5:30. The white board containing the numbers of the semifinalists isn’t rolled until after six o’clock.
Security guard Phil Whitfield has that honor. He takes it outside, where a gray morning has turned into a cloudless afternoon and the girls wait in front of CMT’s cameras. Slowly, Whitfield rolls himself in the sheet, revealing the numbers.
There are screams and hugs and interviews with CMT. Herington stands way in the back, wiping away tears.
One hundred and thirty seven names were on that board. No. 345 wasn’t one of them.
The Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders are in Jamaica, shooting their annual swimsuit calendar. Jealous much? I know I am! There’s lots of coverage on the Ravens website. Click here for video, and click here for photos.
Photobomb!
Note: I think this is legit, but Brianna doesn’t appear in the team photo from finals, so I can’t say for sure. ~sasha
By Jonathan Dales
Imperial Valley Press
May 4, 2013
A general manager, head coach and exciting draft picks aren’t the only new additions to the San Diego Chargers organization, as El Centro native Brianna Lizeth was recently named the newest member of the Charger Girls dance team.
“Since I was about in seventh grade, my dance teacher recommended it for me and I knew it was a dream of mine but I didn’t know it was possible to reach that goal,” Brianna said.
“Ever since I became 18, I’ve made it my goal to make the team,” she said.
Brianna’s journey to the Charger Girls began when she was growing up in El Centro, as the aspiring cheerleader and athlete spent eight years in dance.
“I have always been a diehard Charger fan since I was a little girl,” she said.
“I grew up knowing about the Chargers players and even met the Charger Girls at the Carrot Festival when I was younger,” she said.
A 2009 graduate of Central Union High, the former Spartan also ran cross country under Bob Gaede as a youngster, before competing in that sport as well as track and soccer in high school.
But donning the famous blue and gold lightning bolt-clad uniforms of the football team’s official dance troupe and cheer squad has always been Brianna’s dream.
“Everything just feels so in place, because I’m a dancer,” she said. “Accepting that it’s a reality has been the most difficult thing.
“I’m always asking myself if I’m dreaming, and sometimes it’s hard to accept the fact that I’m not dreaming, that this is real,” Brianna said. “I think that it’s even greater than I imagined, but I expected it to be a wonderful experience.”
In just three weeks with the Charger Girls, Brianna has already had one camp and has learned the dance routines, all while bonding with her fellow dancers.
“It’s so much fun; I’m having a lifetime experience so far,” she said. “I have dance students that I do teach here in the Valley and they’re all very proud of me.”
Brianna said she’s also excited about the impact she will have on others with her newfound position.
“I feel that we are role models, because not only do we lift up the crowd’s spirits, but we also do charity work around the San Diego community,” she said. “We do have a calendar shoot and the proceeds go to a charity that we vote on.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing the organization get more involved in the Valley, because there are so many Charger fans down here,” she said.
“I would love for us to come down more often so that we can meet all of these Charger fans and also inspire girls like me to one day be a Charger Girl,” she said.
Dallas News
May 4, 2013
ARLINGTON — Jinelle Davidson doesn’t know much about football. It’s not really big in Melbourne, Australia.
Yet, she flew 19 hours to join the hundreds of girls at Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders auditions on Saturday anyway.
Davidson has been Rugby League cheerleader for the past seven seasons back in her home country. After seeing country mate Angela Rena make the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders a couple of years ago via CMT’s Reality Show, ‘Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team’, Davidson decided to try it out for herself.
“I was just really inspired by her,” Davidson said of Rena. “I love cheerleading so much that I wanted to come and have a go here too. … The NFL, it’s not big in Australia, so I’ve had to learn a lot so far.
“It’s really complicated.”
Davidson wasn’t the only international auditioning. Natsuki Kaito-Fritz, 31, was an “office worker” and cheerleader for Japan’s football league up until three years ago, when she came to Dallas and won a spot as a Mavericks dancer. She left the Mavericks and tried to dance for the San Antonio Spurs, but couldn’t dance due to visa issues.
“I kept getting approached to try the Cowboys,” Kaito-Fritz said.
Kaito-Fritz was one of two from Japan. Another came from Canada, another from Guam.
Kaito-Fritz didn’t made the first cut, as did Davidson, both advancing the semifinal round on Sunday.
“I’m really just kind of going day-by-day,” Davidson said.
She’ll last at least one more.
Paige Larkins, #71, of Temperance, Missouri and Shelby Haire of Frisco where among the 400 plus who tried out at the preliminary auditions for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders held at Cowboys Stadium Saturday May 4, 2013.(Ron Baselice/ The Dallas Morning News)
Photo: Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader hopefuls line up to getstamp a stamped signaling all their paper work was handed in before the start of the preliminary auditions for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders at Cowboys Stadium Saturday May 4, 2013.(Ron Baselice/ The Dallas Morning News)
Photo: Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer
Jessica Tame of Round Rock uses a stair rail as a ballet barre to stretch as she waits for the preliminary auditions for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to begin Saturday May 4, 2013 at Cowboys Stadium.(Ron Baselice/ The Dallas Morning News)
Photo: Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer
Nikki Kirby, #13, of Surprise, Arizona catches her breath after she danced in the preliminary auditions for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders held at Cowboys Stadium Saturday May 4, 2013.(Ron Baselice/ The Dallas Morning News)
Photo: Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer
Shanelle Paine of Van Alstyne, Texas warms up before the preliminary auditions for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders begin Saturday May 4, 2013 at Cowboys Stadium. (Ron Baselice/ The Dallas Morning News)
Photo: Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer
Shauna Hamby came from Boone, North Carolina to attend the preliminary auditions for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders held at Cowboys Stadium Saturday May 4, 2013.(Ron Baselice/ The Dallas Morning News)
Photo: Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer
Dancers had 90 seconds of freestyle dancing to make an impression on the judges at the preliminary auditions for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders held at Cowboys Stadium Saturday May 4, 2013. (Ron Baselice/ The Dallas Morning News)
Photo: Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer
Yijiao Zhuang of Dallas Is reflected in her makeup mirror as she makes some last minute adjustments on her hair before the preliminary auditions for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders held at Cowboys Stadium Saturday May 4, 2013. This was her first time to try out.(Ron Baselice/ The Dallas Morning News)
Photo: Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer
Dallas News
May 4, 2013
ARLINGTON — More than 200 hundred women came to the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders auditions on Saturday. Only one was a grandmother.
Susie Sanchez is 39 years old and the mother to a 19-year-old, a 14-year-old, an 11-year-old and grandmother to a two-year-old. She’s also a former Raiderette.
Sanchez quit dancing for 11 years before picking it back up in her early 30s. The California native spent five years trying to become a Raiderette. In 2011, the dream was realized, shortly after her grandchild was born.
“The year I was on that team, some of the girls were born the year I graduated,” Sanchez said. “If you look at the numbers, it’s ‘What am I doing?’ ”
With 40 closing in August, Sanchez wanted to take one more shot. This time with the Cowboys.
“I thought why not?” Sanchez said. “I got to go to the big guys. I’ve got to go to the best team in the NFL.
Sanchez caught a flight in to Dallas on Thursday. Given no. 373, she was one of the last dancers of the day, but not the oldest, which was 41.
Just like the 18-year-olds she was competing against, Sanchez got her 90 seconds in front of the judges. The dream ended a short while later during the first cuts.
“This year I decided this was going to be it for me,” Sanchez said. “I was telling myself, I’m going to end it here.”
Eboni Graham
Amarillo Globe-News
May 3, 2013
While the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders were in town for the 9th annual Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Cinco de Mayo Fajita Festival on Thursday, I got the opportunity to chat with veteran cheerleader Jackie Bob. Her journey to Texas is interesting, thus reinforcing the power of the Dallas Cowboys franchise/brand. I will say that Jackie is extremely personable and I’m not sure if she gave me a hug out of pity (I waited, like, three hours to get this interview) or if she’s just super friendly like that, but she just got a new recruit for the JB team!
Interview with Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, Jackie Bob:
Q: Since you’re from California, how did you make it to Texas?
A: I’ve always been a huge fan of the Dallas Cowboys. I would sit at home and watch their show and I would find myself getting inspired. So I booked a ticket, not even really expecting to make it, and God willing, I made the team, and now I’ve been living in Texas for the past four years.
Q:What part of California are you from?
A: I’m actually from the Bay area. I was born in Los Angeles and lived in the Bay area.
Q: Thoughts on Amarillo?
A: The best fans I’ve probably met outside of Dallas. I mean, there have been hundreds upon thousands of people lined up, decked out in Dallas Cowboys attire. From the time we’ve got off the airplane, people were wearing Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader T-shirts. It’s just been so welcoming. I’m, like, overwhelmed with all this love and attention and it feels really good. I’m so happy to be here.
Q: What’s the most challenging part about being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader?
A: There’s two things that I would say are challenging, although great: The one thing was being a Rookie. You have to go through a long, rigorous training process before you’re actually on the team. And the second thing is, you kind of have to manage your time. We all are full-time students or either have a full-time job, and so that can be a struggle, but I think if you manage your time and stay on top of things, you’re able to live your personal life, your career, and be a cheerleader at the same time.
By RAECHEL DAWSON
Kirkland Reporter
May 1, 2013
With the inkling of a Super Bowl win this season, 34 women were chosen for the 2013 Sea Gals NFL cheerleading squad.
Sea Gals director Sherri Thompson narrowed down the 170 auditions to 62 semi-finalists before choosing the 34 positions during finals held on Sunday.
Three returning Sea Gals from Kirkland share their excitement. The Reporter withheld their last names due to the Seahawks’ privacy policy.
Courtney, 27
Kirkland resident Courtney will embark on her sixth year as a Seahawks NFL Cheerleader. Courtney was added to the group after Sunday’s finals wrapped up a month-long process.Courtney
“I am so excited for this year’s football team,” she said. “We played so well last year, and based on that, and everything that’s in store, I hope we will make it all the way to the Super Bowl.”
The California native has been dancing since she was 4 years old and has stretched her skills to tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop, contemporary and ballroom.
After Courtney’s dancing ended at the University of California at Santa Barbara when she graduated, she decided to take a leap and tryout for the Sea Gals at 22 years old. She had one year to make it as a dancer, said her father. But she soon went on to win a spot on the team.
“The year I decided to audition, I came to Kirkland for Easter and stayed at the Woodmark Hotel,” Courtney said, adding that her mother was from Seattle. “I had never been to Kirkland before. But I went out for a walk with my cousin one day and thought ‘this is such a cute city.’ I felt like I could live here one day.”
After being chosen for the team, Kirkland was the first place she wanted to check out.
And when she saw an apartment complex with a “Seahawks blue, wall” she knew she had made the right choice.
Courtney has been in the Show Group, a smaller team within the Sea Gals, which has allowed her to travel all over the world and perform for the U.S. armed forces. She’s been to Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Hong Kong.
In addition, she’s made 300 appearances all over Washington and has helped with charities such as the Play 60 program. In her second year, her team voted her Sea Gal of the year.
“I was beyond surprised,” Courtney said. “It’s hard to pick one person because you think everyone is so deserving. I was so shocked and humbled.”
She looks forward to getting to know the new Sea Gals and is excited to extend the “sisterhood” of friendship that comes along with being on the team.
Melissa, 31
Although this Sea Gal completed her rookie year last year, she’s not new to dancing. Melissa, a Kirkland resident, was a cheerleader for the Oregon Blazers for eight years before she and her husband moved from Portland, Ore. to a 1950s house in Kirkland’s Market neighborhood a year-and-a-half ago.
“I adore Kirkland,” Melissa said, who enjoys Lake Washington and walking her dog at Heritage Park. “I’m originally from California and I missed being by the ocean [in Portland.] The lake is wonderful.”
Melissa, who was also in Show Group last year, said although she loved dancing for the NBA, she always knew she wanted to be an NFL cheerleader.
“Meeting new friends was one of the best things of the whole year. It also ended up just being this ridiculous season,” she said, adding that the Seahawks’ success, rebranding of the Sea Gals, the new swimsuit calendar and being invited to go to Hong Kong were among her favorite moments.
Melissa, a project manager for a local leadership consulting firm, said she is proud to be a part of the Sea Gal organization and is excited to get to know the seven to eight rookies this year. And of course, she is hopeful for a Super Bowl win.
“I think we’ll hopefully go to the Super Bowl, we have a really good chance,” Melissa said. “I’m looking forward to that, I have high hopes.”
Natalie, 26
After taking time off to finish school and have a little boy, Kirkland resident Natalie is ready to resume her life as a Sea Gal.
Three years ago, Natalie had finished three consecutive years as a Sea Gal. But now she’s ready to come back and dance, even though much has changed.
“I feel like a rookie again,” Natalie said. “They have so much to look forward to and a lot of stuff has changed. There’s no greater experience than your first year in dancing for the NFL.”
Natalie, who works as an esthetician at Oasis Spa and Salon, moved to Kirkland a few months ago from Federal Way and enjoys the Juanita area, where she is close to the beach. “I love it here,” she said. “It’s a really good community.”
Her passion for dancing stemmed from her mother who had a performing arts company in the back of her childhood home.
Natalie would dance from age 2-14, and begin gymnastics competitions at age 9 before switching to cheerleading in high school.
After cheering at Washington State University for awhile, her passion took her to try out for the Sea Gals at age 20.
During Natalie’s first three years she made Show Group and was able to travel and perform for U.S. troops to places such as Japan, Guam and Hawaii. Although she looks forward to making many more friends, nothing can beat the loud, energetic fans on Seahawks’ game days.
“It’s so exciting to be on the field,” Natalie said. “Now, our boys are great again. I think it’s going to be so much more fun.”
By Elaine Bonilla/se news editor
The Tarrant County College Collegian
April 30, 2013
Amelia Bren Smith is a typical college student who attends NE Campus when she’s not busy being a sweetheart, or rather one of America’s Sweethearts.
America’s Sweethearts is what the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders are called, and Smith has been one of 39 cheerleaders on the squad for the 2012 season.
The Louisiana native moved in 2009 to East Texas, where she attended Kilgore College. Smith auditioned for the famous Rangerette dance team at the college and became part of the 70th line.
After her two years at Kilgore, she moved to Dallas to audition for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders along with 500-600 other women.
“I gave everything I had and moved to Dallas unknowing the outcome and auditioned,” Smith said. “I am completing my second year as a DCC as of now, and I will be auditioning in May for the opportunity to cheer a third season as one of America’s Sweethearts.”
Smith’s mom, Debbie Smith, said her daughter has been dancing since she was 5 years old, and she first started talking about trying out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders when she was in the eighth grade.
“She has always loved the DCC,” Amelia Smith’s aunt Sheri Kyle said. “She wanted to go and spread her wings in Dallas.”
The tryouts consisted of three rounds. The first was a freestyle round where the girls showed off their moves. The second round involved learning a jazz and kick routine, and the third round was a solo dance routine, panel interview and a jazz and kick routine.
“If you make it through all of this, you are invited into training camp, which lasts all summer with the possibility of being cut any night of the week,” Smith said. “It’s basically a time to learn the ins and outs of being a cheerleader and to become familiar with the 50-plus dance routines we learn for the year as well as the rules involved with the organization.”
Alexandra Gandara, a rookie alongside Smith, said the process was intimidating and takes a special young woman to show up at auditions.
“It’s scary to put yourself out there,” she said. “Showing up is half the battle.”
Game day is a long process that starts out arriving at Valley Ranch practice facility about four or five hours before kickoff.
“We travel as a team to Cowboys Stadium where we rehearse as if we were performing at the actual game. This means we go through each of our quarter dances,” she said. “We run pregame show, and we practice our entrances and exits.”
The practice takes almost two hours before they head back to the locker room and start getting ready, which takes about another two hours because of taking pictures and having fun, Smith said.
Football is just a small part of being America’s Sweethearts.
The majority of the time is spent making charity appearances. The appearances are on a volunteer basis, so it’s usually a small group at a time.
“We have worked with Make a Wish Foundation, Salvation Army, veterans hospitals of Dallas and Fort Worth,” she said. “We make appearances at local hospitals in the DFW as well as assisted-living facilities and elementary, middle and high schools.”
Smith said it can be difficult balancing school and the cheerleading squad, but cheerleaders are required to either attend school or have a career.
“I would consider myself a very focused person,” Smith said. “I take it one day at a time and do my best to accomplish each of my goals in my schooling and my cheerleading career.”
Smith said the charity events are the most rewarding part of being a cheerleader.
“Giving back to our community is the least we can do,” she said.
Gandara said Smith is kind and caring. She was the rookie who always volunteered most for community service.
Debbie Smith said her daughter likes her charity events.
“Being on the field is flamboyant and flashy, but the other moments are really what count,” Debbie Smith said.
Traveling around the country is also something the squad gets to do.
The cheerleaders recently came back from a swimsuit calendar photo shoot in Mexico.
“It’s definitely lots of fun to be there working and having fun with 38 of my best friends,” she said.
Smith has had the chance to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Kyle said.
Smith said being on the squad has helped her grow tremendously as a dancer and an individual.
“I have learned discipline, time management, life skills, and I have become more comfortable within myself and gained confidence in areas that I lacked it in,” She said. “I am very grateful for my experiences as a cheerleader because it’s shaped me into the person I am today.”
Smith plans to pursue a communications degree at the University of Texas at Arlington in the fall.
“She’s just your average, sweet, down-to-earth girl,” Kyle said.
“She’s still our Amelia even after she puts on her uniform.”
Last night, we had a little “incident” here at UltimateCheerleaders.com. It’s over now, but some of you may have logged on during the drama and, as a person who hates to be left hanging, I feel it’s important to provide a little closure. Those of you who know “how I am” know that I tend to go on and on, so I’m afraid this is going to take a while. Get a cup of coffee or a Snapple or whatever and get comfortable.
For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, keep it moving. There’s nothing to see here.
——————————————
Last night, around 7:30, I was in a crappy mood, because I’d completely forgotten about Sea Gal finals, and tuned in almost two hours late. At the same time, I was grumpy because I was trying to finish up a project for work today, and it’s just not fun working for The Man during one’s personal time. So I had one eyeball on the Sea Gal finals, and one eyeball on my project, and when I heard something that translated roughly into “UltimateCheerleaders.com is, like, the creepiest website ever,” I sat right up and took notice.
It was a very middle school moment: I thought I heard somebody say that she heard somebody else say something bad about this website. Instead of being rational about it, and considering the source of the information, I bought into it hook, line, and sinker. You know how it is when you get an idea in your head, and there’s no one around to tell you to snap out of it, and you just work yourself up into a real mad-on for whoever done you wrong?
It was like that.
Basically, this year, sisters Jessica and Krystal were in Sea Gal finals together. And if you’ve been with us for a while, you know I’m all “Hooray for sisters!” I just think it’s cool when you can share a rare opportunity like this with a close member of your family. So I was watching the webcast when the host said something about Jessica/Krystal mentioning some creepy website that talks about all the sisters who’ve cheered together in the NFL.
(For the record, I do think J and K are the first pair of relatives to cheer for the Sea Gals, either separately or together. I could be wrong about that, but I’ve never heard otherwise.)
For those who may not be aware, we have a sisters/twins/relatives page on our site. It was my idea. I did the research. I do the updates. That page is my baby. It is mineminemineminemine, and the word “creepy” brought out all of my mama bear instincts.
My first mistake was assuming they were talking about UC. I will fully admit to a little professional narcissism here. Whenever I hear anything about a website about pro cheerleaders, I immediately assume they’re talking about us.
My second mistake was forgetting everything I know about cheerleaders. I’ve met a lot of pro cheerleaders through this site. And none of them have been mean and nasty like that. While I’m sure it’s possible to be truly evil and be a pro cheerleader, it’s probably very difficult. Not does the Director bend over backwards to weed out that kind of thing at auditions, but the nature of the position requires you to be a pretty decent human being. And finally, outside of the mafia, foreign drug cartels, and the entertainment industry, evil isn’t much of a team activity.
My third mistake was overlooking the fact that I know good and well that there are a lot of creepy pro cheer fans out there. Well, maybe not a LOT, but I’ve run across all kinds of weird cheer-related shizzle over the past years. I know it exists. I know there are sites with all manner of trashy things to say, sites that dig into and publish cheerleaders’ personal information and photos, sites for people with creepy cheerleader fetishes. There’s a healthy amount of eeeeeyyyyyyew out there.
But I wasn’t thinking about that. I was thinking “Somebody out there is talking smack about us, I have no way of proving what was actually said, no way of addressing it, no way to defend myself, and I’m royally pissed off.” Next thing I know, I’m firing off a post about the unfairness of it all.
We’re not about bashing people on this site. We’re about the opposite of that. I wasn’t planning to post anything about this. But I also knew that posting about it was the only way I was going to (a) get any sleep that night, and (b) get any clarity on the issue. Not that I expected to hear from any of the people directly involved, but I wanted to know if we have somehow developed a rep for creepiness. If that’s the case, I need to know about it. STAT. (Anyone know what STAT means? I don’t. just like to say it.)
That word just keep going around and around in my head. Creepycreepycreepycreepy.
I posted and deleted. Posted again. Deleted it again. Posted it, edited it, edited it some more, watered it down, and deleted it again. Finally, I posted it and left it. It wasn’t a furious, threatening, ranty, obnoxious post (I don’t think so, anyway), but it was clearly a “what the HELL is going on here???” post. I emailed James to let him know I’ve completely lost my sense of perspective and I needed him to read it and take it down if he thought I was out of line. I might have said something to him along the lines of “The Sea Gals are dead to me. As God is my Witness, I will never post another thing about them on this website. EVER.”
(Hey, I’m female, ok? I have the Drama Gene just like everyone else with two X chromosomes.)
Then I shut down my computer for the night and took a few doses of televised prozac, in the form of back-to-back episodes of “Too Cute” on Animal Planet.
By the time I hit the sack last night, I wasn’t angry anymore. Just sad. I really thought we were doing a good thing here. It sucks to be so misunderstood. (Helllooooo “victim” mode.)
When I woke up this morning, my first thought was – I’m not even kidding – “Ooooh! Let me go check and see who made Sea Gals!”
And then I remembered I had resolved to shun the Sea Gals until The Very End of Time.
So much for seeing things differently after a good night’s sleep.
Got up. Got dressed. Went to work. Considered looking into therapy for all of this.
Come lunch time, I checked my email. First message was from James. He had taken my post down, he said. He understood where I was coming from, but pointed out that we really don’t need the drama. And he is right. That’s not how we handle things here. It’s not our style. Over the past 9 years (today is our 9 year anniversary – huzzah!) we have had a very small number of incidents with particular individuals who were cold, rude, offensive, or downright crazy. When that kind of thing happens, we don’t engage. We just move on. This is a hobby. We do this for fun. Anything that makes it NOT FUN is a waste of our time.
The next email I received was from Sister Jessica. Ha. That makes her sound like a nun. Sister Jessica of Our Lad y of Perpetual Cheer. Heh heh. But what I mean is Jessica of the “sisters Jessica and Krystal” who unwittingly lit the match on my temper last night.
I didn’t read her email. I thought to myself “No. We are not friends anymore. I don’t care to hear anything you have to say.”
And then I thought well technically, we’ve never actually met. Never had any contact whatsoever. You can’t really Unfriend someone you never Friended in the first place. Now, if we’d ever met and exhanged brownie recipes or Xmas gifts or whatever, then this would be a legit Girlfriend Breakup. But obviously that is not the case. So I guess it’s only fair to hear her out.
(Honest to God, this is what goes on inside my head. Fully formed conversations, with logical arguments and visual aids.)
Then I saw the timestamp on Jessica’s email. Hella Early o’clock this morning.
Uh oh. I have a feeling I’m about to feel really bad about all of this.
Um. YEP. Because I behaved badly. I jumped to conclusions. I made assumptions. I did the thing that annoys the crap out of me about every single cast member on every variation of the “Real Housewives” franchise: I created an enormous amount drama out of nothing that anyone cares about.
So Jessica apologized for the misunderstanding. Which she shouldn’t have had to do because – in case I haven’t been entirely clear about this – NONE OF THIS WAS HER FAULT.
Let’s recap:
* Did Jessica say that UltimateCheerleaders.com sucks? No.
* Did she say UltimateCheerleaders.com is creepy? No.
* Did she say anything whatsoever about UltimateCheerleaders.com? No.
* Prior to yesterday, did she even know UltimateCheerleaders.com exists? Well, she does now, obviously. But I expect that’s a relatively new development.
* Did Jessica’s sister Krystal say, imply, hint, or ever spend two seconds of her time pondering the existence and/or creepiness of UltimateCheerleaders.com? Probably not.
Jessica is up there in Seattle, trying to audition, trying to get chosen for the team, and have her sister with her. They both make the team, they’re all happy. Their friends and family are happy. They’re celebrating. And somehow, in the wee hours of the morning, Jessica gets wind of my little hissy fit. And now I have effectively ruined her good time. Rained on her parade. Peed in her cornflakes. And probably her sister’s cornflakes. And several of her teammates’ cornflakes.
Jessica didn’t say any of this, of course. She was busy saying it was a misunderstanding (which of course it was) and she feels awful about it. And now I feel even worse, because she’s being nice about it. Gracious. Sincere, even. Crap. I’m sorry.
This is so typical of my life. Somehow, I have gone from being “righteously” angry at the entire Sea Gals team, to being righteously hated by the entire Sea Gals team, I’m sure.
Crap. I hate being wrong.
On the one hand, my overblown sense of importance assures me that all of the Sea Gals veterans, newbies, and probably a few alumni are busily emailing each other about what a total bee-atch I am. On the other hand, reality tells me the vast majority of women who are (or ever were) Sea Gals have probably never heard of me or this website.
So now I feel awful. Really awful. Major League Awful. What if this has damaged Jessica and Krystal’s standing on the team? NFL/NBA dance team directors are real sensitive about the stuff that gets written about their team. Sometimes the dancers themselves are held responsible. Should I contact the Sea Gals’ Director?
(Um…Negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.
I doubt Sherri has heard about any of this, and I am
for sure not going to be the one to bring it to her attention.)
And I can’t even be all “Woohoo, congrats!” to Jessica and Krystal. Or to their teammate Shelly, who I’m almost positive joined the Decade of Dance club last night, because I’ve kind of been a jackass and I know it.
Times like this, I really wish I could be one of those women like you see on “Bridezillas,” one of those “the world revolves around me and everyone else is WRONG” kind of women. One of those “I am never wrong, but even when I am wrong, I am still right, and YOU are wrong for even suggesting I’m wrong” kind of women. You know what I’m talking about.
So, I’m very sorry for starting all of this, and I think maybe I need to go sit somewhere and think about what I did. As a matter of fact, I am officially grounding myself. No UC for a week. Maybe two weeks. (And that really blows, seeing as how the Titans and Jets haven’t announced their teams, and Cowboys Cheerleader auditions haven’t even started yet.)
(However, one thing I am NOT sorry about is the Wonder Woman graphic I used last night. It is awesome, and I am going to post it as often as I can fit it into the conversation.)
You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming. See ya in a couple weeks.
