Jacksonville Axe Maidens Selected for New Teams

Our good friend Darlene, who directs the Jacksonville Axe Maidens, wrote to us with some great news about Alumni and Veteran Axe Maidens being selected for new teams.

 

Veterans Carolyn, Natalie, Courtney and Sara-Marie were selected to the Jacksonville Jewels (ABA Jacksonville Giants)

Carolyn

Natalie

Courtney

Sara-Marie


Veteran Ashley P. was recently selected to the Shark Attack Dance Team (AFL Jacksonville Sharks)


2008 Alumni Micah was selected to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders


2010 Alumni Hilary is a rookie on the ROAR of the Jaguars joining 2010 Alumni Marisa who is in her 3rd season on the ROAR.

[Jacksonville Axe Maidens]

Arriving from different directions, valuable Jewels Allie and Deonna adorn the Jacksonville Giants’ sidelines

Only a few months in Jacksonville, and already rookie Deonna is a sidelines star

One Jewel is from just south of town and has been dancing for the squad’s coach for as long as she can remember. Another Jewel has lived in cities farther to the north, and has only started dance training in the last few years. However, Allie and Deonna share an unbridled enthusiasm for both dance and their Jacksonville Jewels Dance Team. Allie and Deonna shared with UltimateCheerleaders their routes to Jacksonville, and what draws them be part of the Jacksonville Giants ABA team, an organization known for their ABA championship and consistent winning ways since they were formed.

Second-year veteran Allie is a lifelong Floridian, with a long history with Pam Masters, Coach of the Jacksonville Jewels Dance Team. “I have actually been dancing with Miss Pam since I was five,” Allie, a Saint Augustine native, recalled. “I danced for an ABA team that was here about four years ago, the Jacksonville Jam, and then when I heard about the Giants’ first season, I was really excited and thought I would try out again. And then when I found out Miss Pam as the coach, it was just a perfect match.”

Pam, known as Miss Pam to her students, IS dance in Saint Augustine, and the northern coast of Florida in general. Pam is Owner/Director of Showtime USA, and as Allie explained prior to a Giants home game, “Actually Showtime is the halftime act tonight, and I danced with Showtime my whole life.” Regarding Miss Pam’s and Showtime’s importance in local dance, Allie stated, “It’s kind of the place to be. Miss Pam is the one, definitely.”

Second year vet Allie has been dancing for Miss Pam Masters since before Pam was born

Allie explained the reason for Pam’s success as, “She knows what she wants, and she is really good at pushing us to get there. She is awesome. She is actually, to me, my second mom. I’ve grown up with her.”

Allie moved to Jacksonville from Saint Augustine to attend the University of North Florida. After receiving her degree in Public Relations, Allie has had a wide range of experience in PR, including working for the Giants last season as Public and Community Relations Coordinator. Allie has also worked in marketing for the Wounded Warrior Project, in addition to marketing, advertising, brand development, special event planning, and fund raising for varied groups.

On the other hand, Jewel Deonna is not only new to Florida; she is pretty new to studying dance too! Originally from Atlanta, Deonna just moved to Jacksonville in June. Deonna attended Savannah State University in Georgia as an undergraduate, receiving a degree in Computer Information Systems. Then, Deonna went to graduate school at North Carolina A&T State University, studying Industrial Technology. Deonna was working in Charlotte before her recent move to Jacksonville.


Deonna explained, “I work for Wells Fargo, I’m an Information Security Analyst.” Hmm, interesting Deonna. If someone, say myself, was trying to refinance a home mortgage, couldn’t you just go into the system and knock a couple percentages off my current rate? Please! “I don’t work on the mortgage side,” Deonna patiently detailed. “I just make sure that all your ATMs and everything stay up so you can get your money.” And that is wonderful Deonna, but refinancing is like a never ending scavenger hunt. Can’t you just log in, and, voila, presto chango? I beg of you! “I don’t want to lose my job,” laughed Deonna. Good answer Deonna; I guess. Sigh.

With her analytical side all developed, Deonna decided to add dance to her life’s program relatively recently. “I have been dancing for almost two years, so I am a late bloomer,” Deonna shared. “I just started really simply, taking classes, when I was in Charlotte. One day, I said, ‘You know what? I am just going to get up and I am going to go for it, that is something that I have wanted to do for a while,’ and I just got up and did it.”

And her interest in all aspects of the pro dance experience is what drew Deonna to the Giants and Jewels. “Even before I even moved here, I was looking at dance teams that I wanted to try out for,” Deonna said, “and what drew me to the Jewels is the fact that I see the Jewels, and the Giants organization as a whole, as very family friendly. They do a lot of work in the community and I really, really love that, because dancing is really wonderful, but I like things on the humanitarian level. So that is one of the things that drew me to the team.”

Certainly the players for the Giants have big league dreams, and so must the Jewels, one might assume. Nope, both Allie and Deonna like it just fine being part of the Jewels, and are not looking to move on.

That is another common trait Allie and Deonna share, even though Jewel Allie is a Floridian who has been polishing her dance skills with Miss Pam since she was young, whereas Jewel Deonna is from out of state and, until a couple of years ago, was a ‘diamond in the rough’ in her dance skills. Now, both are part of treasure trove of sparkling Jewels on the sidelines. And if the past is any indication, with the Giants on-court future as secure as the systems Deonna serves as an analyst, Allie may have to plan for the special event when the Giants bring home another ABA championship. No matter what, the Jewels certainly must be contenders for ABA’s most elite dance team.

And now, if only my mortgage miraculously refinanced itself, we’d all be winners….

Many many many thanks to Pam Masters and the Jewels for all their assistance, and especially to Allie and Deonna for taking some of their valuable time to share their thoughts with UltimateCheerleaders! Deonna had just been at the site right before I had spoken to her, and I thank her for her support and feedback!

More photos of Allie and Deonna are at this link

The priceless Jewels provide winning entertainment for the ABA’s defending champs Jacksonville Giants

Barbara

I am not sure what their formula is, but whatever the ABA’s Jacksonville Giants are doing, they have found a powerful potion that Ponce De Leon would travel miles to pursue. In less than three years as an organization, not only are they defending ABA champs, the Giants remain undefeated this season. You see, they only average a meer 139 points per game, while holding their opponents scoring on average to 103. The Giants are not only undefeated this season and defending champs, Jax has not lost a regular season game in their history. Besides their winning success on the court, the Giants are doing it major-league style, playing in Jacksonville’s premier indoor arena and also with local TV and radio game coverage.

So it is consistent that Pam Master’s entertainment squads also are truly major league in their performance, including the the Jewels dance team. The priceless Jewels not only dance on the sidelines, they have a dunking squad that is miraculous, and even have their own calendar. And, maybe it is just me, but the Jewels look like they were cast from Hollywood Studios down the road. I see 70’s era look-a-likes for icons Marcia Brady and Pam Grier, a Carrie Underwood stand-in, plus others. If they ever need to cast another Charlie’s Angels movie, I think the Jewels would be a good place to start.

Bonnie Jean
Rhiannon
Rochelle
Getting ready to do some dunking!

Much more information about the Jewels is at this link. Click on “Continue” below for more squad photos, and there are more within the gallery at this link.

Continue reading “The priceless Jewels provide winning entertainment for the ABA’s defending champs Jacksonville Giants”

The perfect gift for Jacksonville’s Giant sports fans? Jewels, of course!

The Jacksonville Giants are not only the defending ABA champions, their Jewels dance team also is championship caliber. Under the guidance of Pam Masters, Coach of the Jacksonville Jewels Dance Team, in addition to being Owner/Director of Showtime USA, the Jewels are a big part of game night for the Giants. Last Friday night during the Giants home game, Pam’s various dance teams entertained from start to finish. In upcoming features, we will learn more about the Jewels with photos and interviews, but for now, how about a little Christmas card full of Jewels!

More photos are at the “continue link” below and an extensive list of photos are here at this link

Continue reading “The perfect gift for Jacksonville’s Giant sports fans? Jewels, of course!”

Cheering on the Jacksonville Giants

The St. Augustine Record
January 30, 2011

The new ABA basketball team, The Jacksonville Giants, has held auditions for their official dance team.


Many St. Augustine residents are members of this new team called The Jacksonville Jewels. Ages average between 18 and 24. They also have a junior dance, Jacksonville Gems, that includes dancers from 7th through 12th grade.

These new teams are coached by Pamela Masters and practice weekly for their weekend games. They perform new halftime routines at each game, dance to sideliners during the entire game, and perform center court between media timeouts and quarters.

The Jacksonville Jewels have the following girls on the team:

Hannah Perry, a member of Showtime USA and former cheerleader at Crescent City High School.

Summer Worthington, a former member of the Ja’Quettes dance team at SAHS and currently attending St. Johns River State College.

Katie Morris, technique teacher at Showtime USA, she danced for the semi-pro Orlando Predators AFL dance team along with for her college UCF Knight Moves dance team where she was a captain for two years — Katie also graduated from UCF with a degree in finance.

Ali Oliver, former St. Joe cheerleader and MHS Magic dancer.

Allie Schmidt, a former MHS Magic dancer, SAHS Ja’Quette, and a current Showtime alumni who recently graduated from UNF with a degree in communications.

Rhiannon Kirkland, former Sunbeams dancer for the Jacksonville Suns and Middleburg cheerleader.

Rachael Slayman, a member of Showtime USA and former MHS Magic dancer.

Michelle Woods, a member of Showtime USA and former MHS Magic dancer.

Taylor Brown, a member of Showtime USA, former member of MHS Magic, currently a track and field athlete, and gymnastics athlete.

Saniece Anderson, a former student from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.

Shelby Mayo, a member of Showtime USA, former SAHS cheerleader, and former MHS Magic dancer, she is currently a track and field athlete and teaches at Island Gymnastics.

Every home game is televised on CW 17.

The Jacksonville Giants are undefeated.

Call 794-2284 for team information or go to www.jacksonvillegiants.com.