Buffalo Pro Cheer Photos of The Week

This week’s 1st Jills photo of The Week comes from Jills 1st cuts and features a mixture of dancers and ambassadors. However, with the exception of the incomparable Murissa, they all spent last season as Jills Ambassadors. From left to right in the back we have 3rd year dancer Murissa, 2nd year ambassador Ruby, 2nd year vet and 1st year dancer Nicole, 2nd year ambassador Alyssa, 2nd year vet and 1st year dancer Kristen, and 2nd year ambassador Courteney. 2nd year ambassador Lindsay and 4th year ambassador Laura pose in the front.

Our second photo comes from the Saturday Bills draft party held for season ticket holders at the Bills Fieldhouse and features a pair of beautiful rookie dancers on the Jills. We already introduced you to Emily, a girl who had a pretty good birthday this year, having spent it at the Jills’ 1st major event of the season, their Open Practice at the Fieldhouse at the start of June. Jen is one of the youngest girls on the squad and wasted little time in trying out for the Jills almost as soon as she turned 18, it seems. Judging by her already stunning good looks and knowing that Buffalo Jills generally get better looking as they age, it’s kinda scary how beautiful she’ll likely get over the course of her Jills career.

From the Bandettes, we have a photo from the Pearl Street Postgame party following the April 10th game against the Toronto Rock. Following the win, several Bandettes celebrated with players and fans alike with dinner and, for those over 21, drinks. Shown seated here are Chelsea, Jessica, Meghan, and Stephanie. Chelsea and Stephanie were rookies this year while Jessica finished up her 3rd season and Meghan her 5th and likely final season.

A few updates from our TV and acting Jills

I'll start off in chronological order, with 1998-2002 Jills alumnus Theresa Joy. CBS regrettably pulled her series "The Bridge" from its 8pm Saturday night slot and its future in the US is up in the air. They may bring it back at a later date or sell the rights to the show to cable as they do hold the exclusive rights to the series in the United States. There is an avenue there for the fans to voice their displeasure and try to get CBS to reinstate the show soon. There's a petition up at http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/the-bridge-petition/ and there's also contact info there to send snail mail to CBS at that link. Personally, I find cop dramas to be very formulaic and unimaginative (How many CSI series are there now?) but this show is well-worth watching and hopefully we'll see it again in the US. Thankfully for Theresa and the rest of the cast, CTV not only aired the entire 1st season but renewed the series with filming starting back up in September.

Also, there is a special exclusive feature being done with Theresa here at the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned for that!

Amanda P (2005-07) left the If I Can Dream project almost 3 months ago and launched her jewelry collection just a few weeks ago at http://amandaphillipscollection.com/ but If I Can Dream hasn't forgotten about her. Considering she brought so much attention to the project, they'd be rather silly to do so. Last week, they put together a series of videos and clips to pay homage to her and to look back at some of what she did in the Dream House. Check it out at
http://www.hulu.com/watch/166356/if-i-can-dream-amandas-journey-on-if-i-can-dream?aspiring_artist=amanda#s-p1-sr-i1 or watch it right on the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog


Finally, last but certainly not least is current Buffalo Jills Ambassador Laura. Her show Redfield Redzone on ESPN2 is going strong and it features her in a very different locale than Ralph Wilson Stadium, as she'll be spending each show learning and teaching more about hunting, archery, and fishing every show. The 4-minute vignettes are designed to give fans just a taste of what Laura is about but a full half hour show is the goal for next season's shows. Shows air each Sunday morning from now until September 19th with 8:56am ET showings as well as a few earlier showings the next 4 weeks.

Buffalo Pro Cheer Photos of The Week

This week, we take a look at the Jills ambassadors with our Photos of The Week. In order to see these young ladies on gameday, you need to make sure you visit the 97Rock and 103.3 The Edge Tailgate parties prior to the game. In addition to meeting the Jills, buying calendars, and getting your photo with these beautiful young ladies, the staff at the tailgate parties are usually running some games or something worth checking out as well. You can also meet a pair of Jills ambassadors in the Fieldhouse as well where they're meeting with fans as well as playing a bit of Family Feud with the fans. After that, those two will be circulating the stadium with Billy Buffalo much of the game.

The 1st photo features most of the Jills ambassador veterans who have returned to the squad. This photo was taken at the Jills Open Practice and features, from left to right, Ambassador Squad co-captain Amanda F, 2nd year vets Ruby, Lindsay, and Alyssa, and 4th year vets Laura and Vincenza. Laura, as everyone should know, has her own mini TV series on ESPN2 called Redfield Redzone and Vincenza returns to the Ambassador Squad this year after a year on Omarlla's dance line last season. Not pictured here are Ambassador Squad Captain Keisha, 2nd year vet Courteney, and 3rd year vet Michelle, who switched over to the Ambassador Squad about a month ago, much to the delight of her fellow ambassadors and to the dismay of the dancers.

The 2nd photo features most of the rookies from the Jills 2010 Ambassador Squad with only Meghan missing from the photo. From left to right we have Sara S, Sara J, Gina, Jessica, and Taryn. I don't know Sara S that well yet but Sara J is the latest in a long line who can only be described as persistent. She missed the cut to make the squad her first time trying out but is in some great company in that regard joining such names as Keisha, Amanda F, Katie K, Lisa, Jills alumnus Amanda P, and Jills director Stephanie M as girls who missed the cut their 1st try but came back to tryout again to make the cut. Gina and Jessica have been introduced already but Taryn, hailing from Canada is known for more than her height and long legs, though she does hear about those features a LOT. She's known more for being a bit indecisive in some small ways, being a vegetarian, and being known as the Canadian version of Ruby, something which has helped the two bond quite well.

You can meet all the ambassadors and the dancers at the 8th Annual Buffalo Jills Golf Tournament at Westwood Country Club on August 2nd. There are still some tickets available for this popular event which features golf, lunch, dinner, entertainment, and games for $125 a person, the same price it's been for several years. It's rather nice that, in this economy where prices go up all the time, this great event retains the same price. Get all the details at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=1833570&spid=34534

From the Bandettes, we feature a photo of Alexis and Beth at the late January game against the Minnesota Swarm in a photo taken early in the 1st quarter. Alexis was in her 2nd season on the squad and brings a fun personality in addition to her beauty to the Bandettes. Beth took 2009 off from the squad due to too much else going on but missed it so much she came back to the squad she started dancing with in 2006. She didn't just come back to dance though as she was named Justina's co-captain for the 2010 Buffalo Bandettes.

Cheering for Their Team and Their Community

More than just pretty faces

The London Silverbacks are hoping to take field for the North American Football League (NAFL) ­championship game later this year.

And should the Silverbacks find themselves in ­position to play for a championship, Elizabeth Morgan is hoping her cheerleading team will be right there beside them. In fact, the cheerleaders might even have a better chance at reaching the championship game than the Silverbacks do.

“The NAFL has their championship weekend, which every year is in a different city. We have been invited twice now to go and perform during the halftime show at the championship game,” says Morgan, who is director of the Silverbacks cheerleaders and the owner of Expressions Dance Arts. “We have been pretty recognized as a skilled team, a dedicated team within the league. So we are having aspirations of doing that this year if our team makes it; we want to be cheering them on.”

Read more at http://www.thelondoner.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2676808

Amanda P launches her new website

Obviously the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog isn't about selling things. It's more about supporting the Jills and Bandettes through publicity and some photography. When a girl retires from the squad, they usually also retire from the spotlight and while I may personally know what some alumni are up to, we respect their privacy and don't advertise it. However, there are some who still love the spotlight and the Blog will always support them in their endeavors in the spotlight. We've had some girls move on to cheer elsewhere like Hayley (2005) with the Cavaliers, Tawnya (2000-02) with the Eagles, and Sarita (2004) with the Ravens and now the Redskins. There's also many who seek a different spotlight like Ashlee (2005) and Aimee L (2003) in the local singing scene while Theresa (1998-2002) and Amanda P (2005-07) are going the acting route.

Amanda, as everyone should know, left the If I Can Dream project in early May citing a too restrictive environment but still has hopes of making it in Hollywood. Something that viewers of If I Can Dream saw was her jewelry making hobby and since returning home, she's been working on turning that hobby into something that can help her return to Hollywood. Today she launched her website at http://amandaphillipscollection.com/ where people can take a look at her designs and even order some jewelry for themselves or family members or significant others.

Buffalo's Italian Festival

One of the great things about Buffalo in the summer, other than the relatively mild heat (as opposed to other regions of the country...it still gets pretty hot here) is the large number of festivals that go on seemingly every weekend in the region. In addition to the Taste of Buffalo last weekend, the Italian Festival kicked off on Thursday and Hamburg, NY is holding its Burgerfest today as well.

Unfortunately, a scheduling conflict was an issue for the Taste of Buffalo and the Jills last weekend but they're making up for it with appearances at the Sorrento Cheese Italian Heritage Festival on Hertel Avenue in Buffalo this weekend. Considering that the Italian Festival seemed busier than the Taste, it worked out pretty well. Friday evening, Jills rookies Taryn and Jaclyn were on hand to collect donations to support the festival as well as meet and pose with fans as well as the reigning Miss Italian Festival. Appearances like these are definitely not a chore for the girls as Courteney and her husband were there as well and Taryn planned on returning to the festival in street clothes herself to check it all out. Jaclyn made sure to eat before the appearance to avoid temptation however...lol.

However, this post isn't just about current Jills...it wasn't even an advertised appearance for them. It was, however, an advertised appearance for Jills alumnus Ashlee A(2005), who spent a few years singing with Studio 54 and now sings with the About Face Band and was singing at Class Act, a bar on the edge of the Italian Festival, Thursday and Friday nights. In addition to her singing, she helps her fiancé with his Martial Arts Academy in Williamsville.

Check out the photos at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2010/Italian%20Festival/

The next major Jills appearance is August 2 at Williamsville's Westwood Country Club when the Jills hold their 8th Annual Golf Tournament. Go to http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=1833570&spid=34534 for details on this event.

That's not the only time they'll be on the golf course that week as some of them will be appearing on August 4th at the Turning Stone Resort Championship, partnered with the Buffalo Bills, in Verona, NY.

Also, don't forget, Buffalo Bills Training Camp starts up July 29 in Pittsford, NY and there will be occasional appearances by the Buffalo Jills for many of the practices.

Finally, since this post was about 1 Jills alumnus, it's a good time to remind you about another Jills alumnus, Theresa Joy (1998-2002), whose TV series "The Bridge" is airing tonight on CBS at 8pm. Make sure you tune in or at the very least set your DVRs.

Buffalo Pro Cheer Photos of The Week

This week's 1st Jills photo comes from 1st cuts and features 3 outstanding Jills dance veterans. From left to right are Murissa, Anna, and Stefanie. Murissa and Anna are both heading into their 3rd seasons on the squad while Stefanie is going into her 5th. Murissa's the type who loves the spotlight and the camera...as evidenced by the fact she strikes a pose more than any other vet on the squad. Anna was an early departure last season but the TV networks leaped for joy when she came back this year as the cameras seemed to love focusing on her. Stefanie contributes not only experience and beauty to the squad but some gymnastic ability as well as she's spent some time over the course of her Jills career doing some of the tumbling in Jills routines and performances.

Our 2nd Jills photo comes from an appearance in June at the West Valley-Ellicottville Alumni Football game. Appearing at the event were a pair of statuesque brunette Ambassadors in the form of Lindsay and Jessica W. Lindsay is going into her 2nd year on the squad and is known to overload herself with projects and schoolwork, something her fiance has been helping her to quit doing. Jessica is a rookie on the squad who also keeps herself very busy. She was one of two Jills to work both the Friday night and Saturday afternoon draft parties along with Loren, who also worked the Thursday event as well and after the appearance this photo was from, instead of going home, she went to cheer on her boyfriend in a softball tournament.

From the Bandettes, we feature a photo from the first home game against the Toronto Rock back in February. At the game, the Bandettes unveiled some new uniforms and after dancing in them during the 1st half, they posed for photos to show them off before they went out for their halftime performance. Shown posing here are Kirsten, Stephanie G, Lauren S, and Melissa. Kirsten and Lauren were in their 2nd seasons with the Bandettes while Stephanie flashed her pretty smile during her rookie campaign this year. Melissa, in her 3rd season as a co-captain, has been on the squad since 2005. Her 6 seasons makes her the longest-tenured veteran on the Bandettes.

A Buffalo Jill making it in Hollywood

By now, we all know about Amanda P (2005-07) and the If I Can Dream project, a project that wasn't working for her. The lack of freedom was an issue and it seemed she didn't get as many auditions set up for her as expected. Nowadays she's setting up her own online jewelry business but still planning to return to Hollywood to try to make it big. Thankfully, she has someone setting an example of success for her now with a role on a television series. Theresa spent the 1998- 2001 seasons with the Jills and started out the 2002 season before departing for Hollywood to work on her acting career. A guest-starring role on La Femme Nikita before she joined the Jills gave her the idea that she could make it as an actress and worked in theatre in NYC and Toronto before putting in a lot more work in guest-starring spots in various television shows like Entourage and Nip/Tuck. Now she doesn't have to worry about landing a guest spot on a show as she's one of the stars on cop drama "The Bridge" which airs Saturday nights at 8pm on CBS. The show also airs on CTV out of Canada on Friday nights. Her character, Billy, a feisty, tough, and funny street cop. As a young female on the squad, she is always trying to prove herself to the guys, but the work she does makes that unnecessary. Check out this story on Theresa and Billy on the show's website at http://shows.ctv.ca/TheBridge/article/Theresa-Joy-becomes-everything-she-wants-to-be-on-The-Bridge#c_0 and be sure to tune in on CTV or CBS this weekend. The show debuted in March on CTV and last week on CBS and is airing the 2nd episode of the series this weekend on CBS. Check out the pilot episode at http://www.cbs.com/primetime/the_bridge/

Also, stay tuned as we'll have a more in-depth feature on Theresa and her acting career in the coming weeks.

Buffalo's Refreshment Duo-Kristen M and Katy

Everyone who's paid any attention to advertising the last few months is very likely aware of LaBatt Blue Light's ad campaign featuring 2 beautiful young women as the Refreshment Duo. Now they, along with 103.3 The Edge, are looking for Buffalo's Refreshment Duo. This will be a pair of girls who will represent LaBatt Blue Light and Buffalo as well as win some nice prizes. The last month or so, the Edge has been accepting photo submissions via email as well as at various hot spots around WNY and voting has now begun and will be going through Sunday the 18th. The top 10 vote-getters will be at the Shredd and Ragan Cruise Night event at Dunn Tire Raceway Park in Lancaster for the finals. As many already know, 103.3 The Edge is one of the primary sponsors of the Buffalo Jills so none of them were eligible to participate. However, that sponsorship doesn't prevent Jills alumni from participating and one of the pairs of contestant just happens to be a pair of Jills alumni. Duo #28 consists of 2006 Ambassador squad alumnus Kristen M and 2009 Ambassador and calendar covergirl Katy. So go to http://www.wedg.com/Article.asp?id=1828849 and cast your votes for Kristen and Katy at Pair 28. Then, make sure to head out to Shredd and Ragan Cruise Night on June 21st at 7pm to root them on to victory.

Buffalo Pro Cheer Photos of The Week

This week's first Jills photo comes from the Jills Open Practice held at the Fieldhouse on June 1. It's a pretty cool event in which youngsters can spend a couple of hours learning a little bit from the Jills (sort of a really short Jr Jills experience) and fans and family can watch as well. From left to right are Reena, Stacy, and Eileen. Reena is a rookie dancer as well as a law student and came to tryouts with Stacy who, as many may know already, is a returning alumnus. Stacy was on the Jills for part of 2007, leaving early due to scheduling conflicts. Even her short time on the squad was enough to garner her some serious fans (besides me) at appearances like the Jills softball game that summer. http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2007/Softball%20Game/26.jpg

Eileen, of course, is in her 3rd year as a captain, after several as a co-captain, in her 11th year on the squad!

The Jills' 2nd photo comes from the Saturday Draft party held at the Bills' Fieldhouse and features rookie Emily with 2nd year vet Nicole. Emily, on the dance squad this year, was one of the first rookies we met at the 1st rd of cuts when she requested a photo with Kristen and Nicole. Nicole, of course, is switching over to the dance squad after spending last year as an ambassador.

From the Bandettes, we have a photo from the April 3 game against the Colorado Mammoth. The Bandettes unveiled some new outfits in the 2nd half and posed for photos from a number of cameras before performing for the crowd at the end of the 3rd quarter.

Toronto Jr Jills

While the Bills are playing a few games up in Toronto (only 5 more over the next 3 years), the Jills are a small part of the experience up there. In 2010 and 2012, the Bills, like in 2008, are playing a preseason game at the Rogers Centre in addition to the regular season game. This year's home preseason game is the Kid's Day game on August 28th at the Ralph. A big part of that Kid's Day game is the Jr Jills, who perform with the Jills in pregame. Registration is closed for the Jr Jills program this year with uniform fittings complete and mandatory workshops starting up this weekend.

However, the Jills are expanding the Jr Jills program this season to include the Toronto game so that other young ladies can get involved. Workshops are August 16 and 17 from 7-9pm at the Rogers Centre with the game on the 19th. Registration and payment are due by August 2nd for the program and you can get full details at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=1865591&spid=34534

Buffalo Pro Cheer Photos of The Week

This week, our 1st photo from the Jills comes from the Bills' Friday night draft party and features 2nd year vet Kristen, 9th year director Stephanie, and rookie Ambassador Gina. Kristen, as we previously told you, is moving over from the ambassador squad to the dance squad. With the 2010 season, Stephanie will have put in 17 seasons with the Jills, with an 8-year career on the sidelines including a pair of Super Bowls. Gina will be one of those girls you'll see at the 97Rock and 103.3 The Edge Tailgate parties this fall at the Ralph as she joined the ambassador squad this year.

Our 2nd photo comes from the Jills Open Practice held at the start of June. Shown posing are 2nd year vet Courteney and rookie Meghan. Something that isn't widely known to the fans is the fact that rookie Jills are paired up with a veteran "buddy" to turn to for help in acclimating to the squad. Courteney is fellow ambassador squad member Meghan's buddy. We can't say for sure that Courteney's trademark positivity rubbed off on Meghan because she may have already had it already. One veteran who has definitely rubbed off on Meghan is Murissa...they both just love to pose for the camera like nobody's business.

From the Bandettes, we have a photo from the Pearl Street Postgame party following the February 6 game against the Toronto Rock. Shown posing for the camera are Meghan, Beth, and Justina. Meghan just completed her 5th year on the squad, the last 2 as captain, and has been a big contributor in helping get the info on the Bandettes out to the fans. Beth was in her 4th season on the squad after starting out in 2006 with Meghan and taking 2009 off. Justina finished up her 2nd season as a captain like Meghan did, but got named captain in only her 2nd season, with her rookie season being the 2008 Championship Season.