All The News On Professional Cheerleaders and Dance Teams In One Place
It’s a wonderful time of the year with the rare confluence of professional football, baseball, basketball and hockey. One thing all these sports have in common is…cheerleaders. And Halloween brings out the best in terms of fun and creativity. So let’s take a look at what our beloved cheerleaders and dancers are doing to celebrate this venerable and festive holiday.
Isn’t social media wonderful?
Last Friday, November the 6th marked the last Toronto Argonauts game at Rogers Centre (formerly Skydome). The team moves to BMO Field next year and hopefully the Argos Cheerleaders will be there as well. Toronto won 21 to 11 over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Kelly and Kimiye
Kylee and Meaghan
Leanne and Nevin
Olya
Sydney and Paula
Courtesy of our friend from North of the border at last Friday’s game:
Kristen and Amanda S.
Raquel, Amanda S, Kimiye, Leanne, Nevin
On October 23, 2015, members of the CFL Toronto Argonauts Alumni Cheerleaders squads from 1945 to 2014, performed at the Argos’ annual PINK game in honour of women’s cancers.
The 100+ performers consisted of: the Argoettes (the original squads from 1945-1962), the Sunshine Girls (1970s to 1995) and the Double Blue Thunder (1996 to 2014).
The current Argos cheer team also performed as part of the half-time show, along with a special appearance by Canadian country music star Tim Hicks, who played two of his current hits.
With just a few rehearsals and one quick pre-game practice together, these dynamic ladies put on a rousing half-time show, all together, complete with video and photo footage of Argo cheerleaders from decades past.
Cancer has touched each of these Alumni Cheerleaders, either personally, or through family, friends or colleagues. Each October the Alumni Cheerleaders work together to present this show in honour of the cause. With the addition of the Argoettes into the show this year, the annual PINK game for Toronto keeps getting bigger and better!
This year’s PINK home game was moved to Tim Horton field in Hamilton, due to scheduling needs of the MLB Toronto Blue Jays, who share the Rogers Centre. The Rogers Centre is the Argos’ home, until the end of this season. The Toronto football club moves to BMO Field next season, for a new era of football memories to begin!
Toronto lost to the Montreal Alouettes at this year’s PINK game, but it was a win in the fight against cancer. The CFL Argos are North America’s longest-running professional football team. Next year, Toronto hosts the Grey Cup (Canada’s Super Bowl). Watch for the Toronto Argos Alumni Cheerleaders to be strongly involved in Grey Cup Festivities when Toronto hosts the Canadian Football League’s pinnacle event in November 2016!
– Contributed by Elizabeth Morgan, Alumni NFL Bills, CFL Argos and CFL Tiger Cats Cheerleader/Captain. Elizabeth is also a member of the International Dance Council and the Owner of Expressions Dance Arts Inc. In London, Canada.
The CFL Argoettes (the original squads from 1945-1962)
The four participating cheer groups dance with Canadian country star Tim Hicks at half-time, prior to their choreographed routine.
Article contributor Elizabeth Morgan after on-field rehearsal, with the Alumni logo on the Jumbotron.
Sports Illustrated: With the 2015 Canadian Football League in full stride in early August, here are some photos of the league’s cheerleaders, both past and present. [Click here] to check out the gallery.
Toronto Argos Cheerleaders Kristen and Leanne outside the Roger’s Centre on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Rick
Courtesy of our friend Rick from North of the border, the Toronto Argos Cheerleaders at an appearance in June.
Courtesy of Rick in Canada, Toronto Argos Cheerleaders at last week’s pre-season game.
By Shireen Khalil
The Herald Sun
In school she had high hopes of becoming an international cheerleader — now an official cheerleader for the NFL’s San Diego Chargers, Angela Minucos has realised her dream.
After working up the courage to audition for the Chargers’ cheerleading squad, Ms Minucos beat more than 400 other women to become a Charger Girl.
“When you know there are going to be that many talented women competing for the same spot, it is very intimidating,” Ms Minucos said. “But I am so fortunate to have such an amazing support system.”
The former Rosebank College student was a cheerleader for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League for two years before getting a spot in the popular San Diego squad.
“That was when my passion for cheerleading really exploded. I saw a whole other professional side to cheerleading,” she said.
“ When I returned to Australia I knew I wasn’t ready to finish and instantly began making plans to go to America and take the next step into the biggest league, the NFL.”
She said the auditions were extremely tough with hundreds of girls vying for a spot with the San Diego Chargers,
“The first interview is a one on one with the Charger a Girls Team Director Lisa Simmons,” she said.
“From there a panel interview with several Chargers executives and personnel, where by you can be asked all sorts of questions, from your personal experience to statistics and information about the Chargers organisation and its football players.”
“For me, the best part of being a cheerleader is giving back to the community.
“Taking part in anti bullying programs, healthy lifestyle initiatives for kids and raising money for important charities is a huge reason why I do what I do.”
Ms Minucos is currently living in San Diego and can’t wait to kick off the season.
“ We started our preseason training immediately following the auditions and it has been non stop since. I can’t wait for the season to begin and having all of this hard work and preparation pay off on the field when I get to dance in front of 70,000 Chargers fans!”
