The Jills at the Buffalo Bills Season Ticket Holder Draft Party

Friday night, the Buffalo Bills invited season ticket holders to come to the Fieldhouse in Orchard Park to watch the 2nd and 3rd rds of the draft with hundreds of other devoted Bills fans as well as tour the locker room and check out some of the Bills' vendors. In addition, 10 veteran members of the Buffalo Jills were on hand for the event to sign autographs and pose for photos.

2nd year vets Sara, Emily, Morgan, and Amanda V
It actually feels kind of different saying veterans as all but 3 of the girls in attendance were rookies last season themselves. Emily, for one, feels more comfortable about being a vet as, after a year with the squad, she knows more about what to expect when it comes to what lies ahead.

Former Bills C Al Bemiller with the Jills
In addition to the fans and Jills in attendance, several Bills alumni were on hand as well including last year's Wall of Fame inductee Booker Edgerson and former Bills C Al Bemiller who I've known and have talked with for well over a decade myself. Bills 1st rd draft pick Marcell Dareus even put in an appearance to thunderous applause at the end of a busy day for him. See all the pics at http://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/24942
Of course with several fantastic dancers from the Jills in attendance, you just know they were going to put on a dance performance...or two and we have an HD video of the 2nd of those performances for everyone to view.

Coming up next for the Jills, they'll be concentrating on getting the squad ready for a Uniform Unveiling ceremony (once the lockout is over again), the Jills 9th Annnual Golf Tournament, and the 2011-2012 NFL Season. Stay tuned to the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog for more news on the 2011 Buffalo Jills!

Bandette of The Week Melissa

This week, we take a look at one of the Bandettes captains for the 2011 season as our Bandette of The Week. Melissa spent 7 seasons dancing during Bandits games and, in addition to spending this season as a captain, served as a co-captain from 2008-2010. Dancing since the age of 2 and cheering since Jr High, nothing makes her happier than performing on the field, though I'm sure her (sorry guys) fiancé is a close second. At the very least he keeps her laughing. Knowing about the Bandette of The Week feature that Melissa's been featured in more than anyone else, he asked me earlier this season if he could be the inaugural "Mandette of The Week" with his status as her fiancé. While I have no intention of focusing on the significant others of the Bandettes or the Jills on this site, hopefully Brad will at least enjoy this shout-out in Melissa's feature. When not dancing or spending time with Brad, Melissa is a development specialist coordinating fundraisers and working with non-profit organizations after graduating with honors with her degree in Integrated Marketing. Melissa's secondary photo comes from the Buffalo Men's Show that featured both the Bandettes and the Jills. Shown posing for the camera are Beth, Melissa, Lauren B, and Krista.

You can read more about Melissa at http://www.bandits.com/bbio.asp?bandID=Melissa

Buffalo Jill of The Week Sara

This week's Jill of The Week is now-second year vet Sara. This blonde bombshell just finished up her 1st season on the Ambassador Squad and is hoping that one of these days soon, fans will be calling her Dr Sara. Currently a cosmetologist, she's planning on attending veterinary school with the goal of becoming a trainer, rescue worker, or vet. Given her kind heart and determination, she'll likely make an excellent veterinarian when all is said and done. When you consider the fact she joins an impressive group of Jills who missed making the squad their 1st tries, you just know she'll keep trying until she makes that goal. Most girls who miss the cut give up on their dream of becoming an NFL Cheerleader and end up shortchanging themselves. Thankfully, Sara let her optimism take over and believed in herself enough in the 2010 tryouts that the judges couldn't overlook what she would bring to the squad. In addition to what she brought to the Ambassador Squad all season, she was also one of those ambassadors who joined the dancers and the Bandettes for the big halftime show in Toronto. In the year or so that I've known her, I don't think I've ever seen Sara without a smile but I think the biggest smile I've seen on her was the one she was wearing right after that performance. Sara's secondary photo comes from the Jills 4th Annual Fundraiser held in December at SoHo. Shown smiling for the camera are Sara, Lindsay, and Gina.

You can read more about Sara at http://buffalojills.net/article.asp?id=1961266

Troop visit, Party in the Plaza, and a call out to Jills alumni

About a month ago, when most of the Jills were appearing at the Buffalo Men's Show, Christina and Natalie were visiting the troops at Fort Bliss along the Texas-New Mexico border. They weren't alone on this visit either as a pair of Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders were there on a visit as well. See all the pics at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=2005544&spid=34534

This Saturday, the Buffalo Bandits host the Boston Blazers in a 1st rd playoff matchup and prior to the game, they're holding a Party In The Plaza with live music from local band The Filter Kings. The party runs from 5-7pm with faceoff for the game scheduled at 7:30pm. In addition to the band playing, you can generally expect a dance performance or two by members of the Buffalo Bandettes as well. Check out the details at http://www.bandits.com/newsX.asp?type=News&aID=260

Finally, as everyone knows, the Jills had a big halftime performance in Toronto last year and in addition to themselves, the Bandettes, and dancers from Fusion Dance Studio, they called in some Buffalo Jills alumni as well. Also, a few weeks ago, the Bandettes called in several of their alumni for some dance performances at the April 16th Bandits game in celebration of the squad's 10th anniversary. Now we have another shout out to alumni as the Jills will be putting together a special pregame performance at the Bills "Billieve" game this fall, with the specific game to be announced. In addition to the current squad, they're calling out to all former Jills interested in joining the performance.

• ATTN ALL Former Jills- we will be putting together an alumni pregame dance performance along side the current Jills at the Bills "Billieve" game TBA. There will be a small invest. to cover attire & exp. If you are interested in receiving the details, email the years you cheered to: Stephanie.mateczun@citcomm.com ~Spread the word!

Some Jills appearances and another contest for Stephanie of the Bandettes!

Everyone knows that the NFL is currently in a lockout but certain activities, such as the NFL Draft, are still going on as usual. For the 3rd year in a row, the Buffalo Bills are holding draft parties for the fans. On Thursday night, premium seat holders are able to visit the Bills Fieldhouse to watch the 1st round unfold with other Bills fans as well as check out other activities as well as meet some of the veteran members of the Buffalo Jills and see them perform. Friday night, regular season ticket holders get their turn and can watch the 2nd rd unfold at the Fieldhouse while touring the locker room and meeting veteran Buffalo Jills who will also be performing during the evening.

Last week, 2nd year veteran Stephanie of the Buffalo Bandettes won NLL.com's Girl of The Week after some strong support from the fans. This week, with the Bandits about to play host to the Boston Blazers, Stephanie is facing off against a member of the Blazers Dance Team, the Sparks, on ILLIndoor.com So far, the support seems to be strongly in Stephanie's favor with 70% of the vote so far...but that's no reason to get complacent. Go to http://www.ilindoor.com/2011/04/25/ilindoor-coms-nll-girl-of-the-week-its-buffalos-stephanie-vs-bostons-meghan/ and cast your votes for Stephanie...vote as often as you want and make sure Stephanie wins this award as well

The Bandettes at the Bandits Season Finale

The Buffalo Bandits ended their 2011 regular season showing only a little bit more fire than they showed last week in a 15-9 loss to their Thruway rivals from Rochester, leaving fans worried about what will happen next Saturday in their first round matchup against Boston. With Fan Appreciation Night on the menu, the product on the field wasn't the focus in this meaningless game even with a sellout crowd. Thankfully, the Buffalo Bandettes, even down to 11 girls for the night, put on great performances all night long.

Chrissy and Lauren B at the autograph session
They started by greeting fans with an autograph session outside of the Harbor Club before heading downstairs to get ready to perform.

Captains Kirsten and Lauren S

Ashley, Krista, and Chrissy in the 1st quarter
See all the pics at http://buffaloprocheerbuffalobandettes.shutterfly.com/pictures/3483

Coming up next for the Bandettes, they'll be back in action Saturday, April 30th as the Bandits face off against the Boston Blazers in a 1st round playoff game.

Bandette of The Week Lauren S

This week, we take a look at 3rd year vet Lauren S as our Bandette of The Week. On gamedays, she's been dancing on Melissa's line this season and is now the captain of that line for these last few weeks of the season. Currently a certified nurse's assistant, she's working to join her friend Noelle, last week's featured Bandette, as a registered nurse. She's the type of girl who loves putting smiles on people's faces and has more than one way to do it. Besides her dancing ability, she's got a zany and spontaneous sense of humor. She's also very caring and will go out of her way to help someone she doesn't even know. She says she wants to move away to someplace warm someday, and who can blame her with snow in April here? But her personality traits are too unselfish and lovable for her to be anything but a Western New Yorker. Lauren's secondary pic comes from the recent game against Boston. Shown smiling for the camera prior to heading out for pregame are Lauren and Noelle.

You can read more about Lauren at http://www.bandits.com/bbio.asp?bandID=LaurenS

Buffalo Jill of The Week Alyssa

This week, we take a look at award-winning Ambassador Alyssa as our Jill of The Week. I say award-winning because she's won a big year-end award in each of her 2 seasons on the Jills. In her rookie season, she won the rookie Ambassador of The Year award and then topped that off with the Most Outstanding Ambassador Jill award after the 2010 season. The fact that she won these is no surprise to anyone that knows her. Personally, I'm just interested in seeing how she tops herself in 2011. Besides her obvious beauty, she's known for her sweet and caring personality and loves meeting new people. She thinks of herself as a people person and for that reason, had no desire to switch to dance when her two closest friends did in 2010. Alyssa, Kristen, and Nicole have been best of friends since their freshman year of college and are all close to graduating. The 3 Musketeers joined the Jills as Ambassadors in 2009 and although Kristen and Nicole switched to dance in 2010, Alyssa stuck with the Ambassador Squad because she loves meeting new people as much as she gets to as an Ambassador. It certainly isn't from a lack of dancing ability as she even showed that off early in her rookie season when she, Kelly, and Loren put together an impromptu routine for Tailgate Warriors. Alyssa's secondary pic comes from last summer's Buffalo Jills Golf Tournament held at Westwood Country Club. Shown smiling for the camera are the 3 Musketeers, Kristen, Alyssa, and Nicole. This year's Jills Golf Tourney will be held at Westwood Country Club on August 1st. Stay tuned to the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog for ticket info when it becomes available.

You can read more about Alyssa at http://buffalojills.net/article.asp?id=1961012

From The Sidelines To The Frontlines

A big part of being an NFL cheerleader means not only performing on game day but also participating in the community at various events and charities. Each year, the NFL provides a lot of support to our United States Troops whether it is on or off the field. Players, Coaches and Cheerleaders hold various celebratory events in honor of the men and women serving our country.

In 2006, two former NFL Cheerleaders, Bari Yonkers and Tonya Helman founded an organization called Sweethearts For Soldiers. SFS is a non-profit public charity that provides troop entertainment and support both stateside and overseas. The mission of the Sweethearts’ is to raise morale and bring a touch of home to the brave men and women who are fighting for our freedoms. During their time in the NFL, Yonkers and Helman were given the opportunity to participate in several tours to support our military and both felt it was the most rewarding aspect of their job.

Read the rest of Heather's article at http://proplayerinsiders.com/from-the-sidelines-to-the-frontlines/

The Sweethearts For Soldiers website is at http://www.sweetheartsforsoldiers.com/

The 2011 squad features 2004 Jills alumnus Sarita among its members.

Congratulations to the 2011-2012 Buffalo Jills!

Last night, final cuts were held at Citadel Broadcasting in Buffalo to select the 2011-2012 Buffalo Jills squad and when all was said and done, a squad of 38 girls was selected.

While we are waiting to see a squad photo, we do know who has made the final cut

• 12th season: captain Omarlla
• 6th season : captains Christina and Valerie
• 5th season: captain Keisha, co-captains Lisa and Laura, Amanda F
• 4th season: Murissa
• 3rd season: co-captain Loren, Alyssa, Courteney, Ruby, Gabrielle and Nicole
• 2nd season co-captain Natalie, Amanda V, Emily, Gina, Jaclyn, Jill, Lindsey, Morgan, Reena, and Sara
• rookies: Kristina, Briana, Kelly, Beth, Melissa H, Jennifer P, Krystin, Jami, Jessica R, Myesha, Rebecca, Jessica M, Shannon, and Miranda

A couple of notes:

• Gina was a rookie ambassador last season and switched to dance this season
• rookies Beth and Melissa H have actually been covered by the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog longer than any current Buffalo Jill except Omarlla after switching over from the Bandettes

All the girls can find their schedule and expectations at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=2167686&spid=34534

Congratulations to all vets and rookies alike

Finally, 97Rock has a new video up with scenes shot at the Jills Optional Workshop at Gold's Gym last week as well as at 1st cuts at the Fieldhouse

NLL.COM GIRL OF THE WEEK - STEPHANIE

The final NLL.com Girl of the Week of the 2011 season, Stephanie, is a member of the Bandettes in Buffalo. Stephanie recently weighed in with NLL.com about her cheerleading experience, her thoughts on the Bandits' playoff chances and much more.
NLL.com: Congratulations on winning the NLL.com Girl of the Week voting! Are you currently residing in Buffalo?
Stephanie: I was born in Buffalo (Getzville) and am currently living here. I loved growing up in Buffalo and have made great memories and friendships in this city.

NLL.com: What does your schooling background consist of?
Stephanie: I am currently an accounting major at the University at Buffalo and will be graduating in May. I will also be beginning a master's program at UB for accounting in the Fall.

NLL.com: What does your dancing background consist of and how did you get started?
Stephanie: I started dancing around four years old. I continued dancing and cheerleading throughout middle and high school as well as in college before I tried out for the Bandettes. I have to thank my mom and sister for getting me started in both dance and cheerleading. If it was not for them, I might have never even tried it!

Read the rest of her interview at http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=5021

Congrats to all who made it through 2nd cuts

Last night, the Buffalo Jills tryout process went through the 2nd rd of auditions at Fusion Dance Studio and out of the 46 girls who made it through 1st cuts, 37 remain to go onto final interviews on Thursday at Citadel Broadcasting. See the full list at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=2165569&spid=34534

Congratulations to all and best of luck Thursday night!

Videos from Jills 1st cuts

This year, after getting more videos last year, I decided to ensure everyone got video coverage of their tryouts at 1st cuts. Unfortunately, a technical issue with my video camera caused me to miss 1 pair of girls...and rest assured, I plan to make it up to Emily and Nicole in some way because the 2 of them looked great and had a fantastic performance.

At the start of the day, after the audience had mostly settled in, the dance captains and co-captains performed the tryout routine so that everyone knew what they were going to be seeing and expecting from everyone. Later in the day, they came back out and performed one of the routines the squad performed at some of the Bills games late in the 2010 NFL season.

Many vets paired up together after practicing together and many of those pairs wore matching outfits. Amanda V and Jill, 2 girls who were rookies last season, tried out together last year without planning to and decided to pair up again this year as they figured "why mess with success?"

See all the videos at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2011/1st%20cut%20videos/
I said it when I posted the photos the other day and I'll repeat it...everyone who tried out this year, whether they made it through 1st cuts or not, should be proud of themselves because it can't be easy putting yourself out there like that in front of judges and the public the way they did on Sunday. Anyone who didn't make it shouldn't give up if becoming an NFL Cheerleader is what you really want. Many noted Jills over the years missed the cut before trying again to make it.

2nd cuts are going on tonight with the final cutdown on Thursday at Citadel Studios...best of luck to all those going through a tough process.

NFL Schedule released!

Obviously everything is still on hold to an extent as the NFL Lockout is still going on but with the plan that it will be lifted in time, the NFL released the 2011-2012 schedule moments ago.

With the Bills' 1st preseason game on August 13th, expect training camp at St John Fisher college to open July 29th if the lockout is lifted in time.

Without further ado, here is the Bills' schedule with 9 home dates at Ralph Wilson Stadium and 1 at Rogers Centre where you can see the 2011-2012 Buffalo Jills in action. At this moment, the Jills are going through their 2nd rd of cuts at Fusion Dance Studio in Buffalo.

Preseason

• 8/13 Bills-Bears 8pm
• 8/20 Bills-Broncos TBD
• 8/27 Jaguars-Bills 7pm
• 9/1 Lions-Bills 630pm

Regular season

• 9/11 Bills-Chiefs 1pm
• 9/18 Raiders-Bills 1pm
• 9/25 Pats-Bills 1pm
• 10/2 Bills-Bengals 1pm
• 10/9 Eagles-Bills 1pm
• 10/16 Bills-Giants 1pm
• Bye
• 10/30 Redskins-Bills in Toronto 405pm
• 11/6 Jets-Bills 1pm
• 11/13 Bills-Cowboys 1pm
• 11/20 Bills-Dolphins 1pm
• 11/27 Bills-Jets 1pm
• 12/4 Titans-Bills 1pm
• 12/11 Bills-Chargers 415pm
• 12/18 Dolphins-Bills 1pm
• 12/24 Broncos-Bills 1pm
• 1/1 Bills-Pats 1pm

Bills Focus:Buffalo Jills Auditions

Christina's back on BuffaloBills.com with a video shot at yesterday's round of 1st cuts. Included, after a brief introduction from Christina, is a video overview of some of the dancers performing. Following that are interviews that Christina conducted at the end of the day with Nicole, Morgan, Emily, Alyssa, and a pair of rookie hopefuls, each of whom did make it through 1st cuts. Check it out at http://www.buffalobills.com/media-center/videos/Bills-Focus-Buffalo-Jills-Auditions/f6b6c117-fb34-48b3-8a79-21c3e46f77d2

Jills 1st cuts with photos

Buffalo Jills tryouts are in full swing and 1st cuts were held on Sunday at the Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse in Orchard Park. For the 3rd year in a row, they were open to the public and the fan turnout seemed to be much better than last year. After the girls arrived, they were given the rundown on what was to happen and the process was over in a couple of hours. After the captains demonstrated the dance, dancers were brought out in pairs to perform and ambassadors in groups of 4 until they were all finished. Following that, they all came out in swimsuits to show off their poise as well as their physique. After that, everyone was sent home while the judges finished deliberating. In past years, the judges posted the numbers of those who made the cut on the premises. This year, it's posted online at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=2163346&spid=34534

Katie K and Eileen on hand to help out
As in previous years, several alumni were on hand to help out with everything including 4 girls who just left the squad after last season.

Kelli interviewing an Ambassador hopeful
See all the pics at http://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/24651

Videos will be up later in the week.

Jills tryouts continue Tuesday evening at Fusion Dance Studio at 6:30.

Congratulations to all who made it through 1st cuts and best of luck the rest of the way. For everyone who missed the cut, don't let it discourage you from trying out again next season...there are plenty of girls who've missed a cut one year but came back to make the squad the next including Jills director Stephanie M, Jills captain Keisha, and co-captain Lisa as well as many more. If you really want to become a Jill, work at it and give it your all next season...you'll be in great company if make it on another try.

Bandettes and alumni at the Bandits-Blazers game

The April 16th game between the Buffalo Bandits and the Boston Blazers was nothing to write home about and in fact, outside of Boston, most everyone would love to block it from their memories. However, while the game itself was awful, the 17,318 fans in attendance still had a lot to cheer about. First off, long-time captain and current assistant coach Rich Kilgour had his number #16 retired prior to the game following an 18-season playing career for the Bandits. The other major thing involved the premier dance team in the NLL. While the Buffalo Bandits lacrosse team started play in 1992, they first brought in a dance team in 2001. At the time, the director and choreographer of the Buffalo Jills put together a squad of dancers from the Jills to perform at the Bandits home games, similar to what they did at Ralph Wilson Stadium at Bills games minus the sideline cheers. Both squads were run together for a few years before separating, with the Bandettes, for a time, even receiving some sponsorship from Entercom communications. While the squads themselves have separated, they've often worked together over the years at appearances, events, and of course the big halftime performance in Toronto this past NFL season.

Bandettes alumni on hand for the game (minus Erin J)
With the 10th anniversary of the Bandettes, former Bandette, Bandettes coach, and Jills Pro Bowler Erin J reached out to her former squadmates to bring them together for a reunion performance and all together, 9 Bandettes alumni joined the 12-girl Bandettes squad at the game with a combined performance during 1st intermission before the alumni put on their own performance at halftime.

Bandettes alumni Tina, Melanie, Amanda F, and Jenni
Prior to the game, fans coming in got greeted by the alumni handing out collector's cards commemorating Rich Kilgour's career before lining up for autographs outside of the Harbour Club with the current Bandettes squad. Following the game, many of the Bandettes alumni and Bandettes were joined at the postgame party by several more Bandettes alumni from more recent years. See all the pics at http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b87/bandettes/2011/Blazers2/

Coming up next, the Bandettes will be back in action for the Bandits season finale on April 23rd as the Rochester Knighthawks come to town. The following weekend, the Bandits host the Blazers again in a 1st rd playoff matchup.

Bandette of The Week Noelle

This week, we take a look at rookie Noelle as our Bandette of The Week. Dancing on Justina and Kirsten's line on gamedays, she spends the rest of the week as a registered nurse and is also working to advance her nursing career with the goal of working at Children's Hospital. She claims that she's the biggest procastinator yet to already be established as an RN at the age of 21 says she's a lot more focused than most people at that age. The fact that she's able to focus on her career as well as focus on the gymnastics she brings to the Bandettes on gamedays is pretty impressive. Like Krista a couple of weeks ago, Noelle has become like two peas in a pod with a veteran on the squad, 3rd year vet Lauren S. Their friendship didn't start when Noelle joined the squad though as they've been friends for several years and that friendship was a part of why Noelle joined the squad. Noelle's secondary pic comes from the Bandits Open Practice held in December at HSBC Arena. Shown posing for the camera are Lauren S and Noelle.

You can read more about Noelle at http://www.bandits.com/bbio.asp?bandID=Noelle

Buffalo Jill of The Week Michelle

Every year, there seems to be a few girls who leave the squad early because they aren't ready for everything that being an NFL Cheerleader entails. Most of the time, we unfortunately don't see those girls again. Thankfully, our current Jill of The Week was determined enough to give it a go again and came back to the squad in 2009. After spending that season as a dancer and wowing everyone with her tumbling ability as well as her dancing and beauty, Michelle switched to the Ambassador Squad in 2010. Originally from Boston, she's really embraced being in Buffalo with the small-town-friendly feel of the city and region. Originally going after a nursing degree, she switched up her major and is now planning on replacing Erin Andrews one of these days with a communications degree. Having gotten to know Michelle since she returned to the squad, I'd have to say she'll have a bigger fanbase than Erin pretty quickly. She has a lot more than looks going for her too as besides being outgoing herself, she's the type to get those around her to be more outgoing as well. If you can't enjoy yourself with Michelle around, check your pulse! Michelle's secondary pic comes from the Jills Fundraiser held in December at SoHo. Shown posing for the camera are Michelle and Sara.

While fans didn't get to see Michelle dance at the Ralph after the Bills Open Practice last year, as seen in her tryout video, she really knows how to bring it and put on a great performance.

You can read more about Michelle at http://buffalojills.net/article.asp?id=1961237

Photos and videos from the Jills Optional Workshop

In addition to the free Open Workshop that the Jills hold to introduce potential rookies to becoming a member of the squad, an additional workshop is also held not only for those that can't make the Open Workshop, but also as some additional help for any rookies or vets who might want some extra practice with the captains.

After Stephanie and Nichole went over the informational portion of the workshop with the rookies, Valerie and Loren led everyone through some stretching exercises before it was time for everyone to learn and re-learn the dance from the Jills captains and choreographer.

After Kelli and the captains demonstrated the dance, they took them through the routine step by step before splitting everyone up into 3 groups to perform first with the captains and then on their own.
See all the pics at http://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/24575

1st cuts are Sunday at 1pm at the Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse in Orchard Park and are open to the public for the 3rd year in a row. Doors will be open for girls trying out at noon while the public, who can get in for free, will be let in starting at 12:30-12:40. Sportservice will be on hand for the event providing concessions but everyone is asked to keep all foods and drinks off the turf. See all the details on Sunday's tryouts at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=2098800&spid=34534

Videos from the Jills Open Workshop

At Sunday's workshop, the dance captains taught the tryout routine to the girls trying out, spending over an hour with each group to make sure everyone would get it with the dance co-captains helping out giving girls individual attention.
Dance vets perform the routine after learning it
See all the videos of the girls learning the routine at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2011/Open%20Workshop/practice/
After the groups learned the routines, they returned to the front of the Fieldhouse to perform for Jills Director Stephanie M and Coordinator Nichole, who were spending time talking with potential rookies and Ambassadors, letting them know what to expect as well as what will be expected of everyone who makes the final squad.

First group performs for Steph, Nichole, Ambassadors, and the second group
See all the performance videos at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2011/Open%20Workshop/
There's still time to learn the routine from the Jills in an attempt to make the 2011 Buffalo Jills with a workshop being held at Gold's Gym in Williamsville at 8-10pm on Thursday, April 14th. The fee for the workshop is $10 for the info portion and $10 for dance. Get the details at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=2098800
Don't forget that 1st cuts are open to the public on Sunday at 1pm at the Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse.
Also, if you're looking to see some Jills alumni back in action, keep in mind that the 2001 Buffalo Bandettes squad was comprised primarily of members of the 2000-01 Buffalo Jills and they'll be joining the 2011 Bandettes at halftime of Saturday night's Bandits game for a big performance choreographed by former Bandettes coach Erin J.

Video from 97Rock

97Rock's DJ Jickster was at the Jills workshop on Sunday and shot some video of the goings on. Check it out, set to "Some Kind of Wonderful," and get a look at some of the girls who are trying out for the 2011 Buffalo Jills squad.

Bills Focus:Buffalo Jills Workshop

This year during tryouts, 6th year vet/2nd year captain Christina will be working with BuffaloBills.com to show Bills fans a look at tryouts. In the first video, Christina explains what happened in the workshop and conducts interviews with Nicole, Alyssa, Morgan, Emily, and a pair of rookie hopefuls. Check it out at http://www.buffalobills.com/media-center/videos/Bills-Focus-Buffalo-Jills-Workshop/5271bdeb-4ac0-4932-9978-878190bdaa96

2011 Buffalo Jills Open Workshop

The 2011 Jills captains and co-captains
It's that time of year again as the Buffalo Jills are starting work on putting their 2011-2012 squad together and this year, the Open Workshop was held at the Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse. In addition to all the vets looking to make a comeback, there were a lot of new faces as well in Orchard Park on Sunday learning about becoming a Buffalo Jills Cheerleader. This year, we even have 4 ambassadors who are at least looking at transitioning over to dance.

Everyone listening to Stephanie's opening introduction
After Stephanie introduced herself and everyone to all the prospective rookies, the group was split in two with the veteran dancers and several prospective rookies joining the dance captains at the other end of the Fieldhouse to learn the routine. Meanwhile, Steph and Nichole went over the basic requirements and rules about becoming a Jill with the ambassadors and rest of the dancers.

Learning the routine, 3 prospective rookies with Michelle, Gabrielle, and Jill
After the first groups got their information on dance and requirements, the groups switched with Steph and Nichole talking with the rest of the rookie dancers. The rookie dancers they talked to earlier joined several veterans who stuck around to learn some more with the captains in the dance area.

Alyssa, Angelina (Not trying out...sorry guys) and Amanda F

See all the photos at http://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/24392

We did shoot a bunch of videos at the workshop, though not the demonstration video we shot last year due to time constraints. There's still a lot of work to do with the videos though so they'll be up later in the week.

Thursday night, the place to be is Gold's Gym on Wehrle Drive In Williamsville for all interested dancers and ambassadors who either missed Sunday's workshop or just want some extra work with the captains and get more questions answered. The fee for this workshop is $20 for the full 8-10pm session or $10 if you're just going to get info. Get all the details at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=2098800

On Sunday at 1pm, 1st cuts will be held at the Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse. This session is open to the public and everyone looking to try out is asked to try to show up around noon if possible to allow for time to check in and get prepared to perform.

Bandette of The Week Chelsea

This week, we take a look at 2nd year vet Chelsea as our Bandette of The Week. This statuesque blonde dances on Justina's line on gamedays and the biggest thing she was noted for last season was her eagerness to get in front of the camera. This season, she's been a bit more relaxed about it...knowing that the camera is going to find her whether she tries to get in front of it or not. That being said, I must confess to kicking myself for not getting any pics of her in Toronto when I talked to her after the Bills game in which she and the rest of the Bandettes joined the Jills, Jills alumni, and other dancers for the big halftime performance. Chelsea is a girl who loves helping others and hopes to work at Roswell Park one day as a Radiology Technologist. Chelsea says she's happiest when she's with friends and family, but I think if she had to choose just one person to be with, it would be her little sister. Last year when the Bandits postgame parties were family-friendly, her little sister was a regular fixture at the Bandettes' table and she even accompanied her to Toronto. From my vantage point, Chelsea's not the type to see watching after her little sister as a chore by any means and is exactly the type of big sister any little girl would love to have. Chelsea's secondary pic is from the January game against the Toronto Rock. Shown dancing in the 3rd quarter are Kirsten, Chelsea, and Noelle.


You can read more about Chelsea at http://www.bandits.com/bbio.asp?bandID=Chelsea

Buffalo Jill of The Week Morgan

This week, we take a look at rookie dancer Morgan as our Buffalo Jill of The Week. Probably the quietest member of the squad, she spent her gamedays on Christina's line next to Jen and Danielle. One of two Canadians on the squad, she's one of two rookie Jills who would love to become a Victoria's Secret Model but would also love to get Erin Andrews' job as an on-field sports reporter. Short of either of those, she's also looking at becoming a teacher but she's definitely keeping her options open and wants to aim high. Considering the fact that the Jills have produced actresses and models in the past, no goal is too big to achieve. Considering she loves to stay active and is always on the go with travel and dance, one would have to imagine that she'll accomplish anything she sets her mind to. Morgan's secondary photo comes from the Jills Comedy Show held in January. Shown posing for the camera are Jessica, Morgan, Valerie, and Christina.

Unfortunately, we don't have a tryout video for Morgan but her work in college on performance dance showed when she did the tryout routine. As seen at the Jills Open Practice held last June, she showed she was adapting to the Jills style of dance quite well only 2 months into it.

You can read more about Morgan at http://buffalojills.net/article.asp?id=1961251

Video from 97Rock

The Jills Open Workshop is this weekend but the squad had a couple of preliminary workshops for prospective Jills to get some information on possibly joining the squad. In the video, 97Rock's Jickster talks with a few of the girls.

The Jills Open Workshop is at 1pm this Sunday for all interested dancers and ambassadors. Even with the NFL labor situation up in the air, there is still a high demand for the Jills with plenty of appearances all year long.

Buffalo Jills Try Outs

The NFL Buffalo Jills Cheerleaders host Auditions beginning April 10th at the Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse!

Stephanie Mateczun and some of the Jills stopped by Channel 7's "Eyewitness News This Morning" Wednesday morning to pep everyone up!

See more at http://www.wkbw.com/news/eyewitness-news/Buffalo-Jills-Try-outs-119312454.html

Making the Cut

A Look Inside NFL Cheerleader Tryouts

by Heather Cartonia

It’s that time of year again, when girls across the country put all of their hard work and preparation to the test in hopes of becoming a part of the 2011-2012 football season. April marks the month when most of the NFL teams have either announced their 2011-2012 squads or are in the process of their auditions. I wanted to cover this topic this week because one of the most common questions I have been asked is, “What does the audition process consist of?”

Of course every team varies a little, but for the most part many follow a very similar structure. It is a lot more intensive and complex than people sometimes may think. There has been some public exposure from reality shows in the past that featured different NFL teams “making the final cut.” Each year, thousands of girls try out but only a small percentage will make it to the final round.

Read the rest of Heather's column at http://proplayerinsiders.com/making-the-cut/

Jills tryouts start this weekend at the Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse in Orchard Park with the Open Workshop. Get all the details at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=2098800

Local Pride spreads worldwide

Article by Shelby Little of the Medaille Perspective

Stefanie places her passion on the sideline; the stadium sideline. She dreams of becoming an NFL Sideline Reporter for ESPN, and credits the Bills as a major reason she likes Buffalo. She is also a fifth year Buffalo Jill cheerleader.
"As a Buffalo Jill, I am given many responsibilities," said Stefanie. "During the season I have to complete a minimum of 20 appearances in a wide variety of functions for numerous charities, community events, our armed forces and local businesses." Stefanie was trained in professional etiquette to prepare for meet and greets, posing for photographs, dance performances, and working with children; just a few of the common duties for a Jill.
Recently, her spot on the Jill roster led her to Kuwait, Oman, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia to visit and entertain stationed troops. Stefanie, along with seven fellow Jills, performed a show that included six dances, various trivia games, and the occasional dance-off. "We are able to get the guys and girls over there to loosen up, have fun, and take their minds off things for a little while," said Stefanie. "It's a ton of fun!" Fun, but tiring; the Jills were on a taxing schedule that required back to back performances, with little time for rest. "One of the days we were in Abu Dhabi we performed at 8 p.m. and then came out and did another show at 1 am for the people that were on the clock for the 1st show," said Stefanie. "Although these trips take a lot out of us, it is a huge honor and it's the least we can do for the men and women over there."
In turn, the honor proved to be rewarding for Stefanie because she was able to connect with the troops on a personal level; allowing her to gain as much from the experience as she gave. "The men and women over there are so respectful and so eager to share stories and pictures of their families back home," said Stefanie. "My favorite part of the show is at the end when we all introduce ourselves and tell a little about what we do back home." The open-ended communication gave Stefanie the opportunity to challenge the preconceived notion of a cheerleader, and bond on a real level. "The biggest misconception about being a cheerleader is that all we do is cheer, and aren't the brightest," said Stefanie. "But the majority of us are either in school, or have full time jobs."
The education was reciprocated, and Stefanie was able to take a peek into the full time job of a troop; every day life. "We get to live like they do for a week or so," said Stefanie. The Jills stayed in tents for three days and flew commercially almost every other day.
The short time spent with the troops as a Buffalo Jill left a lasting impact on Stefanie, and reinforced the pride she associates with being part of the team. "It is also nice to know that you were able to make some kind of a difference no matter how small," said Stefanie. "It is an amazing feeling when I see the e-mails and facebook posts on the Jills wall from the men and women over there, and sometimes even their family back home."
Such experiences make Stefanie appreciate the ties she has formed with her teammates. "The Buffalo Jills are a second family to me, and it is amazing to know that a lot of these girls will be life long friends," she said. Traveling the world, making a difference, lifelong friends…another perk for Stefanie? "How can I forget, it's pretty amazing getting a perfect up close ‘seat' to my favorite team!"

The Bandettes and Jr Bandettes at the Bandits-Stealth game

This week's game was all about the children as the Bandits hosted several area high school lacrosse teams in the stands and the Jr Bandettes at halftime performing with the 2011 Buffalo Bandettes. With all the Jr Bandettes on hand, the Bandettes got some help in the form of former coach Erin J and former captain Meghan, who helped keep things running smoothly with the Jr's. The game itself was a close one throughout that the hometown Bandits gave away at the end even though they're still fighting to improve their standing in playoff positioning.

Lauren B, Justina, Noelle, Lauren S, Jessica M, Beth, Kirsten, Krista, and Danielle before pregame

Bandettes and Jr Bandettes cheering on a goal at the end of the 1st

Lauren B, Chelsea, Kirsten, Jessica M, and Lauren S in action during 3rd intermission
See all the photos at http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b87/bandettes/2011/Stealth/

Coming up next for the Bandettes, after the Bandits travel to Toronto and Rochester next weekend, they return home to HSBC Arena on April 16th to see if they can complete a 3-game sweep of the Boston Blazers. Waiting for them to dance and cheer them on will not only be the Bandettes, but a big halftime performance with some Bandettes alumni. The alumni performing are primarily from the first Bandettes squad that performed in 2001 with faces recognizable from the Buffalo Jills 2000-01 squad as the squads were run together at the time. This is definitely going to be a can't miss performance!

Bandette of The Week Krista

This week, we take a look at rookie Krista as our Bandette of The Week. The last few weeks, we looked at a pair of Bandettes who both started out on the squad kind of on the quiet side...meet someone who's quite the opposite of that. Krista seems to want to get her fill of the experiences a young lady can have in joining the NLL's top dance team and isn't afraid to do all she can to get that fill. Last year, at the Buffalo Auto Show, a few of the Bandettes posed in various vehicles for the camera. At last weekend's Men's Show, Krista had her eye on a car that was parked nearby and took the opportunity to follow in Lauren's footsteps and hop in for a photo op. Of course her following in Lauren's footsteps is no big surprise as, despite being on different lines with Krista on Melissa's and Lauren on Justina's, the two seem to be like two peas in a pod ever since Krista joined the squad. Krista's secondary photo comes from the recent Buffalo Men's Show held at Seneca Niagara Casino. Shown smiling for the camera are Beth, Melissa, Lauren B, and Krista.

You can read more about Krista at http://www.bandits.com/bbio.asp?bandID=Krista

Buffalo Jill of The Week Angelina

This week, we take a look at sadly, one of the season's early departures from the squad in 4th year vet Angelina. Before she left, she could be found anchoring one end of Omarlla's line next to Jaclyn where she got in front of the camera a lot in 2010. Known by the fans for her 5' frame, those that know her know that her height is the only small thing about her. As proof that big things come in small packages, she had one of the biggest smiles on the squad over the course of her career. In addition to her smile which she's rarely seen without, she's got a personality to match as she's one of the most extroverted girls I've known the past several years. Before joining up with the Jills, Angelina also spent some time cheering in Division 1A after dancing since the age of 4 but wanted to move up to the big leagues and got to cheer in 2 MNF games as well as a HOF game during her time on the squad. She also got to appear on The Mayne Event along with Brianne in an episode focused on then-Bills RB Marshawn Lynch and a very small bit of what Buffalo has to offer. Angelina's secondary pic comes from the preseason game against the Bengals. In a shot from the 2nd quarter, we have Kristen, Angelina, and Jaclyn performing in the tunnel end zone.

As seen in her video from tryouts with Kelly, Angelina's dance ability is also one of the things she's big with.

You can read more about Angelina at http://buffalojills.net/article.asp?id=1961032