It's a big time of year in the NFL Cheerleading community as squads across the league hold tryouts to stock their squads for the 2009 season. In Buffalo, Town Ballroom was the venue for the Buffalo Jills 1st dance and 2nd Ambassador cuts, an event that was open to the public for the first time in many years. Fans came to watch the tryout process and get entered into a drawing for door prizes from some of the Jills' sponsors, including some autographed items from the Buffalo Bills players who were there as judges. 97Rock's own DJ Jickster and CW23's Lydia emceed the event that featured celebrity judges Chris Kelsay, James Hardy, and Terrence McGee of the Buffalo Bills and Jericka Duncan of WIVB-TV news as well as JP from 97Rock, Rich Gaenzler of 103.3 The Edge and Jills coordinator Nichole B and director Stephanie M.
Dancers came on stage in front of the fans to perform the routine they learned at last week's Open Workshop while Ambassadors came on stage twice. First, they came on in a dance outfit to show off their physique and later came on in business attire to answer some random questions from the judges.
Unfortunately, this wasn't an event like the Congratulatory Party or Swimsuit Calendar Release party in which it's all supposed to be just fun. It's also a very serious event as over 100 young ladies were competing for about 37 spots on the 2009 squad. All the participants, rookie and veteran alike, put in a lot of work to show that they're worthy of becoming Buffalo Jills. If a squad that size were manageable, the Jills had enough qualified participants to carry a 100-girl roster. Unfortunately, many deserving young women missed the cut today and more will miss the cut later in the week because of the limited number of spots on the roster. A large number of aspiring rookies joined a handful of vets on the outside not because they weren't deserving, but because of the limited space.
To the rookies who missed the cut today, this past Thursday, or will miss the cut this week, don't think of it as your hopes being dashed...only put on hold. There have been many great cheerleaders who missed the cut on their 1st, and even their 2nd tries. Jills director Stephanie M took a few tries to make as did current Jills Lisa and Amanda F as well as present co-captains Katie K and Keisha. Missing the cut one time to make it later puts you in exceptional company so the best advice I can give those girls is to keep working hard and come back next year.
To the vets who missed the cut, whose names are being kept confidential in respect for their privacy and feelings, the best advice I can give is to work on what you need to work on to see about coming back next year. If coming back isn't something you wish to do, remember that you got to do something that so few get to even try and it's something that no one can ever take away from you. And whether you decide to come back in 2010 or not, I'm sure I speak for your squadmates, Jills management, and the fans in saying not to be strangers. You're sure to be well-received at future Jills events and other functions.
Anyway, there will be photos (and some videos) uploaded throughout the week to http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2009/1st%20cuts/ but due to the sheer number of photos and videos to go through (over 300), it will take a few days so keep checking back as more and more photos and videos from the 2009 Buffalo Jills 1st cuts are released. Besides updates from here, stay tuned to CW23, 97Rock and the Buffalo News for more from Jills tryouts.
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