It was Native American Night in Banditland as one of the NLL's most popular franchises paid homage to the origins of the game including the performance of a Native American Smoke dance at halftime. When it comes to the game on the field, the Bandits have been hovering at around .500 all season and entered the final third of the season with a 6-6 record, hoping to finish strong to improve their 3rd place standing in the NLL East. When they last faced the Minnesota Swarm, the Bandits had a huge lead that they almost gave up before pulling away to take the win in a week 5 matchup at the First Niagara Center. Last night's game started off in a similar way as the Bandits had 5 goals before the visiting Swarm tallied a single point. Even with the Swarm the healthiest they've been all season though, they couldn't mount a comeback and the Bandits kept them at bay all night long and sent them home with a 12-8 loss.
Mandy at the program booth
A brunette Casey posing with Amanda T
Beth, Kelsey, and Alicia
Danielle, LeAnne, Amanda H, Kimmy, Denise, Erin H, Justina, Noelle, and Karla
Besides it being Native American Night, it was a big night for another reason as, in celebrating their 15th season of existence, the Buffalo Bandettes were joined by a couple dozen of their alumnae in greeting fans coming into the game as well as a special halftime performance. One alum even went a little above and beyond as she joined the 2015 Bandettes in some of their normal gameday routines.
When we got to the arena, Bandettes captains Lauren and Mandy were handling program sales. After talking to each of them for a bit, it was up the west escalators where we were greeted by 9 Bandettes alums. While Kelsey and Amanda T only just retired, the rest of the ladies hadn't suited up as Bandettes in a few years but it didn't show as they still looked as if they were in the prime of their careers. Well, admittedly Casey didn't look like that...only because she did away with her signature blond hair. After working with her the last few weeks, Amanda couldn't picture her as a blonde so she'll be sure to be checking out some of Casey's old pics. As for myself, even though I had already seen plenty photos of Casey as a brunette, it was still something to see in person finally. After a conversation with Beth, who I hadn't seen since she left the Jills 3 years ago, it was off to the other end of the escalators where the rest of the alums were on hand along with the current Bandettes squad. It wasn't long before the ladies had to head in so I only got a chance to talk to Karla and Kimmy for a little bit. Karla, as long time readers well know, was a regular contributor when the site first started as a Yahoo Club and Kimmy was one of the ladies who wasn't dancing at last night's game. As it turns out, she and Justina, who only cheered together in the Bandits' championship season of 2008, are both giving birth in the next month or so. In all, 12 of the 17 ladies from that season were on hand for this reunion including coaches Erin J and Jaclyn. Before the ladies headed back to the locker room, I got a quick chance to say hi to Marissa and see some of the posters from the 1st years of the Bandettes that her mother brought along. Marissa took them with her to the locker room to show off not only to the ladies she used to cheer with (she spent 6 years as a Jill and 3 as a Bandette) but to the more recent Bandettes to show them some of their history.
Dancing up a storm in pregame
Stephanie, Noelle, and Casey after the team has come out
MaKenzie, LB, and Chrissy
LB's...er...Mandy's line performing
Janelle, Lauren, Stephanie, and Abby performing as everyone waits for Cosmo to come out
LaToya and Cheri
After we got to our seats, Marissa's mother and daughters joined us for a bit, waiting for her and the squad to come out. Marissa's older daughter was part of the Jr Bandettes program a few weeks ago and was proudly sporting her tee-shirt from that game and I'm sure is hoping to follow in her mother's footsteps as a Bandette and as a Jill. Before the game, when I got to the arena, I had talked to Lauren about the dances they'd be doing and she informed me that they'd have a special guest for their 1st intermission performance. I was wondering who she could be referring to until the Bandettes and alumnae came out to welcome the team onto the field. The Bandettes were in uniform of course with the alums all sporting shirts that said "Once a Bandette, Always a Bandette" except for one. LB, a recently retired captain who always kept me on my toes, was in full uniform like the 2015 Bandettes. It didn't end with pregame though as, when Mandy's line came out to perform during the 1st quarter, Mandy wasn't in charge. LB was captaining the line for a quarter before joining the 2015 squad onfield at 1st intermission. At halftime, the Bandettes alumnae came out to perform along with the current squad and, as in-stadium announcer Swennie noted, it was hard to tell them apart as no one showed any rust as they performed together.
everyone performing at halftime
the beautiful MaKenzie cheering on a goal
Lauren's line in action in the 4th quarter
After the game, I got a chance to talk to Melissa a bit as well as Amanda H, LB, Stephanie, and LaToya before heading home. Bringing back all these ladies was a great experience for them as well as the fans. I only wish I had had more time to talk to them all...and that several ladies had been able to make it to this event. Even if they can't do these every year they should definitely bring back the meet-and-greet fundraiser they held in 2011-12 when several alumnae were on hand helping out the then-current squad. See all the pics at https://buffaloprocheerbuffalobandettes.shutterfly.com/pictures/8333
Next up, the Bandits have a week off before they play host to the New England Black Wolves on April 4th at the First Niagara Center with a chance to improve on their playoff standings.
The game itself was nothing any Bandits fan will ever want to remember as the only bright spot was the play of newly-acquired Alex Kedoh Hill, acquired in a trade with Rochester for asst captain Scott Self. Hill, stashed on Rochester's practice squad all year, came up with a few big plays as well as a hat trick in the 14-7 loss to the Edmonton Rush, playing in Buffalo for their 1st time ever.
Bandettes posing in pregame
I got to the arena a little late myself, just minutes before the Bandettes came out to perform in pregame and there were a few notable absences with Amanda C, Brianna M, and reigning Bandette of The Week Alicia not in action. MaKenzie returned to action after a game off and, to cover ambassador duties, Chelsea and Brianna V, currently in voting for NLL Girl of The Week at http://www.ilindoor.com/2013/03/19/nll-girl-of-the-week-its-brianna-of-buffalo-going-against-skye-of-washington/ , filled in. To help out with dancing, a special guest performed with the current Bandettes in the halftime performance in the form of Bandettes alum Danielle (2005-07,09) who showed she still has the moves.
LB, Cheri, MaKenzie, and Amanda T cheering on a Bandettes goal as Danielle (2005-07,09) looks on
Bandettes posing at halftime in their "gangsta outfits"
Kirsten and Danielle (2005-07,09) coming off the field after halftime
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.
First off, from the world of Jills alumni, 2009 Jills Ambassador Heather is working with a new website called Pro Player Insiders dedicated to NFL players and their fans. Heather's focus will be cheerleading and she'll have articles up on a weekly basis on the subject as well as interviews with girls from around the league. Check out her column called Leading The Cheer at http://proplayerinsiders.com/category/column/cheerleader/
The current Jills are, of course, getting set for tryouts as young women ages 18 and up are invited to try out for the 2011 squad starting April 10th at the Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse. Get all the details on how to join captains Omarlla, Christina, Valerie, Keisha, Lisa, Laura, Loren, and Natalie on this year's squad at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=2098800
From the world of the Bandettes, we have 2 special performances coming up with the next two home games. This Saturday, April 2nd, the Bandettes will be joined at halftime by the Jr Bandettes. The Bandettes are working all the way through Saturday afternoon to get them ready for the performance.
The special performance gets big at halftime of the April 16th game as several Buffalo Bandettes alumni will be dancing with the current squad in a performance being put together by former Bandettes coach/former Jills Pro Bowler Erin J. Included among the alumni are 2006-07 Alumnus Amanda F and many members of the Bandettes' original 2000-2001 squad. Back then, both the Bandettes and the Jills were run together and the Bandettes squad was made up primarily of Jills members...so anyone with a 2000-01 Buffalo Jills swimsuit calendar will recognize many of the Bandettes alumni out there with the current squad
