Summer format change

The last few years, the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog has followed the Jill of The Week series with a Photo of The Week series that features rookies from the upcoming Jills season, allowing fans to get a look at the new squad and allowing rookies some nice extra exposure so that if they have friends and family who don't yet know they've joined the squad, the series makes it easier to show off a little bit with proof they're on the squad...lol.
Unfortunately, some issues are preventing that from happening this year. I know this is a disappointment to the fans as well as to the Jills rookies but it's due to something I can neither avoid nor do I understand myself. Hopefully whatever these issues are are resolved quickly so that this site can continue to benefit the fans and the Jills.
I've run the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog first through just the webgroup and now through the Blog itself for almost 11 years to positively promote Buffalo's pro cheerleaders and have striven to improve on the finished product every year, especially the last 7, and through those years, there are a number of Jills who have stood out in some ways with the way they've carried themselves and the way they represent the squad and Buffalo. This summer, we'll be taking a look back at some of the most noteworthy of those Jills in addition to continuing to look back at the 2012 Buffalo Bandettes and promote the 2012 Blondes Vs Brunettes game.

Buffalo Jill of The Week Christina

Finishing up the 2011-12 Buffalo Jill of The Week series, we look at the covergirl of the most recent Buffalo Jills Swimsuit Calendar with now 7th year veteran Christina. Made a captain midway through the 2009 season after getting made a co-captain the year before, Christina is perhaps the most vocal voice of the Buffalo Jills these days. With her communications degree, she's been the one the Bills have gone to the last few years when it came to putting together video features on Jills tryouts and she's also put together end-of-season DVDs for her squadmates filled with videos and photos of their experiences together as Jills that season. Following her 2009 season, Christina represented the Jills in the Pro Bowl. In that season, the Pro Bowl was held in Miami, where Christina finished up her rookie season in a Beauties On The Beach competition in which she and several of her squadmates competed against other NFL Cheerleaders and did pretty well, especially in beach volleyball. She and Valerie are the longest-tenured vets on the squad except for Omarlla and I'd be surprised to see either of them retire anytime soon. Christina's great status with the squad, beyond the fact that she's a captain, is something that I saw would happen even in her rookie season. In 2006, there was a small unit of dancers that performed at each Jills event and Christina was the lone rookie in that unit. You can read more about Christina at http://buffalojills.com/profile.php?PID=9 Christina's secondary photo is a line shot taken at the Lions preseason game last September. Shown posing just before heading out for the game are Beth, Amanda V, Jenny, Natalie, Gina, Christina, Jami, and Nicole.

Beth, Amanda V, Jenny, Natalie, Gina, Christina, Jami, and Nicole

Congratulations to our NLL Girl of The Year!

Meghan F and Stephanie O

After 4 rounds of competition, ILIndoor finally has a champion in their NLL Girl of The Year competition. In week 2 of the competition, a fresh face from the Bandettes entered the competition as rookie Stephanie O was put up against a member of the Toronto Rock Cheerleaders. At the time, Stephanie was already making her mark as a true camera ham on the Bandettes, smiling extra big whenever she spotted the camera on her. Truth be told, she made her mark even before making the squad. I've spent several years photographing at Jills workshops and on occasion, a girl will stand out just a little that I'll think to myself is pretty much a lock to make the squad. In all those times of making that guess, I've only been wrong once...and Lydia, then of CW23, wasn't trying out...it had been the 1st time I had met her and she looks better in person than she does on TV and in photos. This past year, I got invited to come photograph the Bandettes workshop and Stephanie was the one who stood out. She spent some of her earlier years dancing for Bandettes alumnus Meghan F and then started cheering...with Bandettes and Jills alumnus Beth as her coach.

Beth and Stephanie O

Read all about her win at http://www.ilindoor.com/2012/05/22/nll-girl-of-the-year-stephanie/

Buffalo Bandettes to Lead Pet Connection’s Tails on the Trails Dog Walk Event

Three members of the Buffalo Bandettes dance team will lead two- and four-legged walkers participating in the 7th annual Tails on the Trails dog walk to benefit Pet Connection Programs Inc. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 2, at the Como Lake Park casino in Lancaster.
Immediately following the walk, the Bandettes will be available to sign autographs and pose for photos for a donation to Pet Connection. Other highlights of the event include dog agility and Good Citizen demonstrations, canvas dog paintings created by your dog, dog contests, a wide variety of vendors and even a pet psychic! Additionally, there will be a caricature artist, air brush and face painting, artistic balloons and a pet blessing at 10:30 a.m.
Read the rest at http://williamsville.wgrz.com/news/events/66060-buffalo-bandettes-lead-pet-connections-tails-trails-dog-walk-event

Buffalo Jill of The Week Jacki

This week, we take a look at now-3rd year vet Jaclyn as our Buffalo Jill of The Week. Dancing on one end of Omarlla's line next to Emily, Jacki, as she's going by these days, has had a pretty eventful career so far as a Jill. Her rookie season had a mishap as she broke her wrist and had to miss a few games healing. She finished up her rookie season with a major troop visit along with 7 of her squadmates in Saudi Arabia. This past season, she got placed on the back cover of the Buffalo Jills Swimsuit Calendar and then got to finish up the season in a big way. The last few years, the Buffalo Jills Comedy Show has featured master hypnotist Jerry Valley and this past January, Jacki was onstage for the entire show and, among other things, auditioned to be one of the backup dancers for a Jennifer Lopez tour...or so she thought. This year, she's already off to a good start as she was probably more focused than anyone else for 1st cuts after vacationing the week between the Workshop and 1st cuts. Doing that, she was able to clear her mind from all the rest of her stress and focus on relaxation and perfecting her routine. You can read more about Jacki at http://buffalojills.com/profile.php?PID=15  Jacki's secondary photo comes from the 9th Annual Buffalo Jills Golf Tournament held at Williamsville's Westwood Country Club last August. Shown posing for a photo while the golfers were arriving for dinner are Loren, Amanda V, Jacki, and Reena.

Loren, Amanda V, Jacki, and Reena

Normally, I'd put up a video from last year's 1st cuts but in Jacki's case, she's getting something special only because of her memorable performance at the Jills Comedy Show this past January. She actually didn't remember doing this after she was released from the hypnotist's control.

Vote for Stephanie as NLL Girl of The Year!!

It's that time again. The Bandits were eliminated in the playoffs last weekend but rookie camera ham Stephanie O is in the finals for the NLL Girl of The Week contest. She beat Candace of the Toronto Rock Cheerleaders in the preliminary round by over 18,000 votes. In Rd 1 of the playoffs, she took down Kayleigh of the Colorado Wild Bunch with 96% of the vote. In the semi-finals, Kendalyn of the Washington Stealth Dance Team was the victim as Stephanie racked up 58% of the vote. Now she's facing off against Sammie of the Colorado Wild Bunch who is surely looking to avenge her squadmate's defeat at the hands of Stephanie. But just as we pulled together and helped the Jills take down the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, we can ensure Buffalo wins another contest by voting for Stephanie over and over again.
Go to http://www.ilindoor.com/2012/05/14/nll-girl-of-the-week-championship/ to vote, vote, vote!!

Bandette of The Week Lauren B

This week, our final 2012 Bandette of The Week is 3rd year vet and 1st year captain Lauren B. LB, as she's affectionately known, is one of those girls who gets better and more confident every year. In her rookie year, I remember an appearance at the Auto Show in which she timidly asked Johnny Tavares for and autograph for her boyfriend. Last year, she challenged Bandits strongman Brandon Francis to a wrestling match at the Open Practice. This year, as a captain, she's probably the most outspoken girl on the squad. Considering she says her biggest weakness is talking too much, her outspokenness isn't surprising in the least. She claimed it was there when she first joined the squad too but I know I never saw it and she was next to me for a quarter each game that season. I heard her talk more in the 1st half of the Home Opener this year than I did her entire rookie season, I think...lol. More than anything else, her more outgoing nature has made her a joy to work with the past three seasons. When I told her at the Open Practice how I was going to do the Bandette of The Week features this year, with a captain leading off and the other captain getting the final slot, she jumped at getting the final slot since Kirsten wasn't around to argue for it...lol. She says not to take life too seriously since you'll never get out alive. That's advice she certainly lives as she's always pretty happy-go-lucky. She's unsure as to whether she'll be back for a 4th season but I'm hoping peer pressure works on her in that regard. You can read more about Lauren at http://www.bandits.com/bbio.asp?bandID=LaurenB LB's secondary photo comes from the NLL All-Star Game held in Buffalo in February. Shown posing for a photo before their 3rd intermission routine are Stephanie O, Kirsten, LB, Krista, and Stephanie G.

Stephanie O, Kirsten, LB, Krista, and Stephanie G

Buffalo Jill of The Week Miranda

This week, we take a look at rookie Miranda as our Buffalo Jill of The Week. Even with only a season on the Ambassador Squad, Miranda has probably logged more time on TV than anyone save Lindsey and Alyssa. Obviously Ambassador Squad members rarely get on TV, if ever. You see, as I found out at an appearance from Miranda's biggest fan, she used to be featured in some of those "I Love NY" commercials that aired around the turn of the century. She even got to appear on Nickelodeon on a children's show. Considering what a beautiful young woman she grew up to be, odds are a lot of little boys tuned into that episode. In addition to Nickelodeon, she's even spent some time with Disney...although her dad never told me much about that...lol. But there's more to Miranda than just the stories that her father had. She's working on a degree in nutrition and while she wouldn't be against using that degree for a paying job, she'd be all in favor of using it at home for her family. She's kind of an old-fashioned girl...which kind of fits with her classic good looks. She's also got kind of an edge to her as well and can be a bit of a smartass with people she's comfortable with...as I found out myself as the season went on...lol.  You can read more about Miranda at  http://buffalojills.com/profile.php?PID=25 Miranda's secondary photo comes from an appearance she was part of at Buffalo Wild Wings last summer. Shown posing for the camera are Miranda and Kristina.

Miranda and Kristina

Bandette of The Week Stephanie C

This week, we take a look at rookie Stephanie C as our Bandette of The Week. Dancing right alongside Kirsten on gamedays, out of all the rookies, Stephanie is probably the quietest...as least as far as I've noticed. It's not something her friends in school would believe but when you consider that the rest of her rookie squadmates have all been far from quiet, it's just a case where she may have been a little overwhelmed at times is all. That being said, I expect her to be far from quiet in 2013 as the last two Bandettes who spent their rookie seasons on the quiet side, Chrissy and Lauren B, really came out of their shells in a big way in their 2nd seasons. You can read more about Stephanie at http://www.bandits.com/bbio.asp?bandID=StephanieC Stephanie's secondary photo comes from the March game against the Minnesota Swarm. Shown posing for a photo just inside the gates are Lauren K, Stephanie O, and Stephanie C.

Lauren K, Stephanie O, and Stephanie C

Buffalo Jill of The Week Krystin

This week, we take a look at now-2nd-year-vet Krystin as our Buffalo Jill of The Week. Krystin spent her rookie season on Valerie's line between Loren and Murissa and scarily bonded pretty well with Murissa over the course of the season. I say scarily because Murissa always mugged for the camera as well as anyone and was known for her sarcastic and quick wit. It even shows up in Krystin's bio when she's asked about her hidden talents...lol. If she rubbed off on Krystin, it could actually be a pretty good thing as well-loved as Murissa always was while she was on the squad. But Krystin's got a lot more going for her as well. She's not one to rest on her laurels and after she had a strong rookie season, she's back in 2012 in better shape and more confident than she was last year. Also, while a lot of people are content to get their bachelor's degree and move on in life, Krystin is working on her Master's Degree now so she can really make her mark in the world. You can read more about Krystin at http://buffalojills.com/profile.php?PID=23 Krystin's secondary photo comes from the 9th Annual Buffalo Jills Golf Tournament at Westwood Country Club. Shown posing for a photo while the golfers were seated for dinner are Krystin, Sara, and Rebecca.

Krystin, Sara, and Rebecca

From 1st cuts 2011, Krystin is the brunette in this video showing the fans their first look at this beauty's dancing abilities.