2009 Buffalo Bills Draft Party-revisited

Over the last few years, the Buffalo Bills having draft parties for their season ticket holders has become the norm but it wasn't always that way. In 2009, the last year that the draft was held completely on the weekend, the Bills held their first of these annual draft parties, holding it in the stadium for all their season ticket holders. Beforehand, the lots were open a few hours before it started, allowing fans to engage in a little bit of offseason tailgating before going inside. Even as we tailgated, other fans lined up to go in about an hour before they opened the gate. All during the tailgate, while we were parked near the stadium, the Jills dancers were practicing inside the stadium. I knew this only because the familiar tune of Kelli Wagner's remix of "Boom, Boom Pow" was playing over the stadium speakers. The Bills hadn't expected such a huge turnout apparently and only opened 1 gate that day so it was a slow-moving line once it got moving.

Ruby, Katy, Lindsay, Kristen, and Kelly Ann

Waiting in lines is far from anyone's favorite thing so my friends and I waited until the line died down to make our way in and we were greeted by 5 rookie members of the Jills ambassador squad. After we got inside the stadium, most of my group went up to check out the Jim Kelly Club while I went down on the field for a little while to take some more photos. Before I got far, I ran into Stefanie and Kaitlin, who introduced me to rookie beauty Julie. After I spent some time with them, taking some photos, I went over near the stage where several more of the Jills were posing with young fans. I took several more photos while visiting with the vets and meeting more of the rookies before I saw a few familiar faces. Justina of the Bandettes was there for the event with her sister as was 2003-06 Jills alum Lisa Y.

Stefanie, Julie, and Kaitlin

Stephanie B, Katie K, Omarlla, Lisa, Ayeshia, Jill, and Murissa

Jess, Jackie, Amanda F, and Nicole P

Eileen, Anna, Liz, and Angelina

After spending some time with various groups of Jills taking photos and meeting a few more rookies, it was time for the Jills dancers to do what they do best as they took the stage about a half hour into the actual draft for 4 dance performances.

After performing, the Jills went back to mingling with the fans until the Bills went on the clock for their 1st round pick, upon which most everyone in the became focused on the pick being made. Afterwards, they went back onstage for another pair of performances before the dancers were done for the day.

Joya, Kelly, Jenica, Caity, Ashley, and Gabrielle

The dancers may have been done for the day but the Ambassadors were still on hand as fans toured the Bills' gameday locker room. At the end of the tour, fans got to take a photo in the Bills Press Briefing room with a pair of the Jills Ambassadors. You can see all the pics at https://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/4185

Lindsay, Danielle, and Kelly Ann

From the Bandettes comes a photo from the Bandits Home Opener against Edmonton. The 2015 squad featured 2 new captains, including 2nd year vet Mandy. Here she is posing with members of her line in a photo taken while they were greeting fans coming up to the 100 level for the game. Shown posing from left to right are Jennifer, MaKenzie, Mandy, Brittany, Melanie, and Chrissy.

Jennifer, MaKenzie, Mandy, Brittany, Melanie, and Chrissy

The Jills at the Buffalo Bills Season Ticket Holder Draft Party

Ashley C, rookie, Melissa, and Gabrielle

It was kind of a last minute decision to go to this year's Draft Party. This year, the Bills had 2 draft parties,  but instead of hosting premium seat holders on Thursday and season ticket holders on Friday, they brought everyone in on Thursday to two different areas. Premium seat holders were allowed into the Fieldhouse for a free buffet, presumably decent beer...lol, and the chance to see Coach Doug Marrone address the fans after the Bills made their selection.  As a season ticket holder, 18 years now, I went to the Jim Kelly Club and was immediately greeted by Kristina and 3 rookie Jills. It was a bit difficult to get any photos right there so I apologize to Kristina, still wearing her beautiful smile, and her squadmates for that.
There was another group of Jills in the Jim Kelly Club as well, populated by 2 rookies and 2 2nd year vets. Ashley and Gabrielle were the vets and while I'm not sure of one rookie's name (Ashley going off her jacket?) the other rookie is an unconventional rookie, having spent the spring of 2012 as a Buffalo Bandette!
See the few pics I got at http://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/32689

The Jills at the 2012 Buffalo Bills Season Ticket Holder Draft Party

Loren and Emily

Jill and Nicole

Starting in 2009, the Buffalo Bills have been holding draft parties for its most devoted fans, allowing them to come to the stadium and watch the draft together with thousands of other season ticket holders. With the move to the 3-day draft, premium seat holders were given the option of watching the 1st rd at the Fieldhouse while the rest of the season ticket holders got to go in on Friday to see the 2nd and 3rd rds.  The advantage that the season ticket holders get on Friday nights is the chance to see the 1st draft pick introduced to them in person.
A major part of the Draft Party every year is the Buffalo Jills Cheerleaders. In addition to holding court at a booth where they pose for photos and sign autographs, the Jills circulate throughout the Fieldhouse and also put on a dance performance. When I got inside after a small tailgate party (this is Buffalo, where tailgating is a big deal), I helped Amanda V set up just before several other of her squadmates arrived on the scene. Less than 24 hours before, all of these girls, except the captains, were on edge waiting to find out for certain that they'd be returning to the Jills for 2012-13. Before long, there were 11 Buffalo Jills on hand posing for photos with fans and signing autographs. After long-time great ST Ace Steve Tasker took some time to introduce Stephon Gilmore, the Bills' 1st rd pick, to the crowd, it was time for the Jills captains to take the stage, performing first to Shout!, and then the tryout routine to plenty of cheers from the fans.

Jacki lining up to kick a FG

Caity (2009) and Valerie

After the performance, the Jills spread out and after spending some time with Nicole and Jill (getting her strength back after missing last season's action due to injury), I caught up with some of the girls around the Fieldhouse, including when Lisa, Jaclyn (going by Jacki now) and Emily had some fun kicking FGs.

















Afterwards, we took a walk around and we ran into a familiar face...Caity from the 2009 squad, who Val chastised a little bit for not deciding to return to the squad.

The Jills with the daughter of Bills LB Arthur "Don't Cross The" Moats

Something new this year to the draft party is the chance to get autographs from some of the current players. After we made our way back to the Jills booth, Bills LB Arthur Moats, taking a break from signing autographs in the locker room, stopped by with his wife to get a photo of his daughter with the girls.

One of the founders of the Bills Mafia with Jacki

In addition to my work with the Jills, I am also a big Bills fan, going into my 17th year with season tickets and one of the big things with the Bills the past few years is the Bills Mafia movement. Just as the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog is about giving positive support to Buffalo's Pro Cheerleaders, the Bills Mafia is about giving positive support to the Buffalo Bills team and players. The Bills Mafia even gets a share of the credit in bringing LB Nick Barnett and DE Mario Williams to Buffalo, two players who are going to be key contributors to the Bills' success in 2012. For more on the Bills Mafia movement, visit http://billsmafia.com/
See all the pics at http://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/29949
Coming up next for the Jills, they'll be celebrating the finalization of the 2012-13 squad at Bambino Bar and Kitchen at 297 Franklin Street in Buffalo on Thursday night. Come congratulate the rookies and veterans alike!

A couple Jills tidbits

Jami at 2011 1st cuts

First of all, a reminder that tryouts are in full swing and the Jills Open Workshop is being held on Sunday at the Fieldhouse at 1pm. The Workshop typically runs 2-3 hours or so and at it, you'll learn the requirements of being a Buffalo Jill and anyone looking to be a dancer will also be taught a routine to perform on Sunday the 22nd. This workshop is free for anyone looking to tryout but is closed to the public. It's strongly encouraged that anyone wanting to try out make it to this workshop as everything will be covered in-depth. However, if missing the workshop is unavoidable or if you just want extra practice with the captains, there is an optional workshop being held on Thursday, April 19th at the Gold's Gym on French Road in Depew. The fee for this workshop is $20 or $10 for info part only or $10 for dance part only. See all the info on Jills tryouts at http://buffalojills.com/news_story.php?ID=1
Having worked closely with the Jills the last several years, I've seen a lot of young ladies try out for the squad and sadly, a lot of them have given up after missing the cut the 1st time. Let me just say that's a huge mistake. Not everyone makes it the 1st try. There are several girls who have been on the squad the last several years who missed it their first try...the director of the Buffalo Jills, Stephanie Mateczun missed the cut her first 2 attempts. If it's something you want, you should never shortchange yourself and let a disappointment cause you to give up on your dreams.
In 2004, 7 girls got cut in tryouts but came back to make the squad, including recent Ambassador Squad captain Keisha and co-captain Katie K. Current dance co-captain Lisa and former Ambassador Squad co-captain Amanda F were part of a group in 2006 who missed the cut and came back to make it the following year. I know a number of girls who missed the cut in 2007 only to make it in 2008 and Sara even missed the cut in 2009 before making the squad in 2010.

Jill, Emily, and Amanda V at 2011 Draft Party

Also, the NFL Draft is coming up in a few short weeks and the Bills are once again holding a draft party for season ticket holders on Friday, April 27th. There will be interactive games, concession stands open, souvenir photos, locker room and weight room exhibits, and the Buffalo Jills! With tryouts just concluding the night before, the dance captains will be on hand and will be performing and several other vets may be in attendance as well. Also, Rds 2 and 3 will be shown on the TV and projection screens around the Fieldhouse and Chris Brown typically introduces the Bills 1st rd draft pick at the event as well. Contact your season ticket representative to get your free tickets.

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!

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 Jills at the Buffalo Bills Season Ticket Holder Draft Party

Last year, with the 50th season celebration of the Bills and the AFL, the Bills threw a large season ticket holder draft party at the Ralph complete with locker room tours and appearances and performances by the Buffalo Jills. Attendance was much greater than expected with several thousand on hand. This year, with the switch of the draft from the traditional weekend event to a primetime event, the Bills found a way to still give some of their season ticket holders reason to make the trek to the Ralph with draft parties each day of the draft. They held one Thursday night for premium seat holders and while the response from that was mixed being on a Thursday, the parties on Friday night and Saturday for all season ticket holders drew a few thousand combined. This year's parties were held in the Fieldhouse and, like last year, included locker room tours and appearances and performances by the Buffalo Jills. The only negative was the bright screen behind the Jills as they performed. Word of advice to places staging a performance in the future...the light should be in front of the performers, not behind.

Check out the photos from Friday night at https://link.shutterfly.com/vmVR7voT2Eb and Saturday at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2010/Draft%202/

Coming up next for the Jills are a series of smaller appearances including an appearance at Coca-Cola Field in downtown Buffalo for the annual MS Walk and one at Tioga Downs in Nichols, NY. Both appearances take place Saturday, May 1.

After that, the Jills go to Jamaica the week of May 24-29 to shoot their 2010-2011 Buffalo Jills Calendar and if the test shots I saw of some of the girls are any indication, they'll need to include fire extinguishers with the calendars because the shots are that hot. You can see some of the shoot by going along on the trip, too. Get more info at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=1585512&spid=34534

Finally, the next big Jills event is the Open Practice on June 1 at the Fieldhouse from 7-9pm. Young cheerleaders and dancers get to learn from the pros in an event that's open to the public. The Jills will show the youngsters a routine to perform right there. Cost is $5 per participants and $3 for spectators. Get all the info at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=1761903&spid=34534

Introducing the 2010 Buffalo Jills!

Over the last few weeks, a long and hard process was undergone by nearly 100 young ladies in the hopes of becoming members of the 2010 Buffalo Jills. Many vets came back to tryout, some even transitioning from the ambassador squad to the dance squad like Vincenza, Amanda, Liz, and Kaitlin did last year. We also had a few alumni join the ranks as well as many beautiful rookies hopefuls looking to join captains Omarlla, Eileen, Christina, Keisha, and Amanda on the sidelines at Ralph Wilson Stadium this fall. We should have a photo soon but for now, take a look at some of the reactions from the girls who made the final cut. Congrats to all!

Obviously, everyone wants to know when they can meet the new Jills and first up is the Bills season ticket holder draft parties. Notice I said parties, plural. The NFL has, this year, moved the draft to primetime during the week, with the 1st rd airing Thursday night, April 22 on NFL Network and ESPN. A Thursday night isn't exactly a great night for fans to go out to see the draft with most having to work the next morning, so the 2nd and 3rd rds, airing Friday night the 23rd, will be the backdrop as the Bills host the 1st season ticket holder draft party from 6-10pm. But the Bills aren't stopping with that one as they'll also host one from 10am-2pm on Saturday the 24th while the later rounds are being aired. Both parties are open to season ticket holders only with free admission and parking, games, locker room and weight room tours, and of course, the Buffalo Jills performing, posing for photos, and signing autographs. Order your tickets, 2 per season ticket account either on Friday or on Saturday, by calling 1-877-228-4257.

Draft Day Party at the Ralph

In a way to help commemorate the Buffalo Bills' 50th season and to provide a little something extra to their loyal season ticket holders, the Buffalo Bills opened up Ralph Wilson Stadium to the fans during Day 1 of the draft. More than 5000 season ticket holders showed up for the event, some traveling several hours to get there. As should be no surprise, many fans tailgated before they opened the gates while music was heard from inside the stadium to which many of the Buffalo Jills dancers made sure their dance moves were polished before the crowds came inside.

When the gates opened, fans got to meet and pose with several members of the Jills Ambassador Squad before heading down to the field, the stands, and into the Jim Kelly Club. On the field, concessions were set up at reduced prices and many of the set ups that are normally inside the Fieldhouse on gamedays were spread around the field for fans to test out their football skills, including a few drills from the NFL Scouting Combine. On a stage in front of the scoreboard endzone, the 50th Anniversary Bills team was announced and those vaunted players had their jerseys on display. Out on the field in front of the stage, fans mingled with friends they haven't seen since the end of the football season and many posed for photos with the Buffalo Jills who were out and about. On the stadium's HD scoreboard, the Bills ran ESPN's live coverage of the draft with the volume shut off on only 2 occasions. About a half hour into the draft, the Jills took the stage to put on 4 rousing dance performances, including a couple that were part of the tryout process. After the Bills made their first pick of the draft, the Jills returned to the stage to repeat their earlier performances for the benefit of those who might've missed the first time...or for those who just wanted to see Buffalo's beauties perform on stage again.

Another part of the draft day celebration was an exclusive tour of the Bills locker room. Fans got to go through where the Bills get dressed for gamedays and see the lockers of players like Donte Whitner, Lee Evans, Terrell Owens, and Marshawn Lynch among others. At the end of the tour, fans went through the room where the Bills players and coaches answer questions from the media after every game. Obviously it wasn't in use for that on this day but it was still getting use as fans got to pose for pictures with a pair of Buffalo Jills...no better way to end the tour.

http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2009/Draft%20Day/

Check back later to get names of many of these beautiful rookies whose names aren't listed with their photos at the moment.
Coming up next for the Jills, several will be at the corner of Walden and Union for the Buffalo News Kid's day sale on the 28th.
On May 2nd, you can find Jills at events at Coca-Cola Field, Sweet Home School, Tioga Downs, and at the Pizza Fest at Hearthstone Manor.
On May 16th, the Jills will invade Club Paradise in Blasdell for their annual Congratulatory Party. Included as part of this event are raffles, some hot dance performances, and a rookie initiation. Hopefully our 15 rookies are studying up on Bills trivia between now and then as Jickster asked last year's rookies some difficult Bills trivia questions as part of the initiation.
Stay tuned to the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog and to buffalojills.net for all the latest on the 2009 Buffalo Jills!