Buffalo Pro Cheer Photos of The Week

Jess L and Stefanie at the 2008 Fundraiser

Stefanie J spent 5 years with the Buffalo Jills, dancing on the sidelines from 2006-2010. Stefanie had a pretty eventful career with the Jills, starting with 2 trips to the Middle East visiting the troops in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In addition, she showed off her gymnastic abilities most of her career with the Jills but had to hold off on that and performing in general early in 2009 when she was sidelined with a foot injury. And who says cheerleading isn't a sport?  Her friendships on the squad and the thrill of performing are what kept her going, as well as the ability to watch her team play from as close to the action as you can get. Out of all the Jills I've covered since I started working closely with the squad, Stefanie had to be one of the, if not the, most focused on how the game on the field is going. She would've probably lined up and played if she could've gotten away with it just to ensure a win!

Jacki, Stefanie, Jill, and Danielle at Bills Training Camp 2010

Ashley and Kirsten at NLL All-Star game

From the Bandettes comes a photo from the NLL All-Star game held in February at the First Niagara Center. Shown in a photo taken just prior to the Bandettes' 3rd intermission performance are 4th year vets Ashley and Kirsten.  After 3 years dancing, Ashley headed up the newly-formed Ambassador Squad in 2012, a trio of Bandettes who focused on suite visits and pregame parties while the dancers were able to concentrate more on the dancing. Long Island-born Kirsten spent her 4th season as a captain after spending the bulk of last year as a co-captain before finishing the season as an acting captain after the departure of a few members of the squad.

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!"

Buffalo Jill of The Week Stefanie

This week, we take a look at 5th year vet Stefanie as our Jill of The Week. Spending her gamedays dancing between rookies Natalie and Emily on Eileen's line, Stefanie is known for her gymnastics ability as well as her devotion to the troops. She's also a girl who loves to travel, and has been to the Middle East to visit the troops a couple of times as a Jill and was ready to go again while the Bills were on their bye week until the trip unfortunately got cancelled. As far as her gymnastics ability, while she hasn't done it quite as much lately, Stefanie has been seen doing backflips during performances on gamedays, not something you'd expect out of someone as tall and lean as she is. It's usually something that the shorter girls excel at but Stefanie has done an incredible job with it. She's one of three girls left who started cheering with the Jills in 2006 along with Valerie and Christina but unlike them, she doesn't have plans to stay with the Jills for that much longer. She has talked about this possibly being her last year...but then, she's said that before as well and she keeps coming back. Obviously, her squadmates and I hope she comes back in 2011 as well but considering some big plans that she and a former squadmate have in store that I can't divulge right now, I can see myself supporting her if she does retire from the Jills, especially when you consider the exposure from this could help her in her chosen career, as a sportscaster. After 5 years cheering for the Bills, she could be talking about them alongside Rich Eisen on NFL Network in a few years.
Stefanie's secondary photo is from Bills training camp back in August. At the end of the practice on Jr Bills Backers Day, children were invited to go down to the stadium field for autographs and the Jills were there to help them out. Shown posing for a photo when all the work was done are Jaclyn, Stefanie, Jill, and Danielle.

Stefanie went through first cuts with Kaitlin in matching outfits this year. Kaitlin did also make the squad but re-signed shortly after tryouts were done due to other commitments. We may see more from this pairing in the near future but more than that, I can't say. Until then, here's the video of the pair at first cuts.

You can read more about Stefanie at http://buffalojills.net/article.asp?id=1961277

The Jills in Dunkirk for Music on the Pier

Everyone knows the Jills' main sponsor is Citadel Radio but they also have a wide array of sponsors who support them on a yearly basis as well. With those sponsorships, the girls do a number of appearances for them throughout the year. One of this year's sponsors is Chadwick Bay, a drink company that specializes in teas, juices, and smoothies. Based out of Dunkirk, NY, they are a big part of Dunkirk's Music on the Pier series that takes place every summer. Last night was the final performance of the summer at the Dunkirk pier and on hand for the event were Stefanie and Keisha of the Buffalo Jills, who braved a very windy evening to help with games, giveaways, and a contest for a Bills VIP experience. Check out the photos at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2010/Dunkirk/ and learn more about Chadwick Bay at http://www.chadwickbaybeverages.com/

As far as the Jills, there's a lot of news to share.

• The calendar we've been waiting for is having a few delays...latest expectation is next Thursday so and there are appearances to get them at on the weekend. Keep your fingers crossed but let me assure you, after having seen the cover as well as knowing Brian Garman's work, it'll be worth the wait and so will the Jill of The Week series if I do say so myself with something extra getting added to it this year.
• Johnny's Irish Pub in Rochester is hosting a USO benefit Saturday night complete with an appearance by members of the Buffalo Jills.
• This Sunday is the Bills home opener and they're hosting the despised Miami Dolphins. The game is sold out so seeing the product on the field in person is out unless you have a ticket or know a scalper...which is always a possibility. However, you can see the Jills before the game. There will be ambassadors inside the Fieldhouse and at the 97Rock and 103.3 The Edge Tailgate parties. 97Rock will be at the same location but The Edge will be over near the scoreboard in Lot C and they have something extra happening for the opener. At 11:30, the Buffalo Jills dancers will be performing for the fans.
• Next Saturday is the Blondes Vs Brunettes game, featuring 6 Jills alumni suiting up to play some powder puff football to benefit the WNY Alzheimer's Association. There will also be a halftime performance by members of the Buffalo Jills, who will be cheering on the sidelines as well as selling raffle tickets to support the cause.
• Next Sunday kicks off the away game parties at the Aud Sports Bar in Depew, where we'll have a pair of Buffalo Jills there every game. I'll get some more details on what to expect as far as gameday specials this year and pass them along as this isn't an Edge event like last year.
• Finally, everyone should remember the highly successful Jills Open Practice held last September in the Bills Fieldhouse. The turnout wasn't as strong in June but we're expecting another great turnout for the one that just got announced, November 16th from 6:30-8:30. The cost is $5 for participants ages 5-17 and $3 for spectators. The event last year wasn't expected to have more than a moderate turnout but the Jills got a much larger than expected group but were well-prepared for it and all the participants and spectators had a great time.

Buffalo Pro Cheer Photos of The Week

Valerie, Stefanie
Our first photo from the Buffalo Jills comes from the Buffalo Jills Golf Tournament held recently and features two ladies who should need no introduction as 2010 is going to be their 5th seasons on the squad. Valerie and Stefanie are two of only 3 left from that rookie class along with dance captain Christina. Despite being out of high school for a few years, Val has been to the prom 3 times since joining the Jills…as a result of contests by 97Rock. This year, they added a twist…the contest winner had to choose from among 6 of the Jills to be his date. He still chose Valerie and while any of the other 5 girls would’ve been great choices, who can blame him for choosing Val? Stefanie’s major claims to fame are the gymnastic abilities she’s shown on the sidelines over the course of her career and her willingness to go anywhere to support the troops. This October, during the Bills bye week, she’ll join 7 other Jills in a troop visit to Iraq, her 3rd trip to the Middle East.

Reena, Jessica W, Gabrielle, Amanda V

Also from the Jills Golf Tourney, we have a photo featuring 3 rookies and 1 2nd year vet from the Jills. We’ve already introduced you to dancer Reena and ambassador Jessica W. Posing with them are Gabrielle, in her 2nd year as a dancer, and Amanda V. All I can tell you right now about Amanda is that she’s a dancer on the Jills, having joined most of the other dancers on the squad when the Jills performed at the Bills Open Practice back in June.

If you’re looking to meet some of the Jills this weekend, there’s a pair of appearances that you can find them at. Some of them will be appearing at the Grand Opening of the NAPA Auto Parts store on Southwestern Blvd in Orchard Park, an event going from 10am-2pm on Saturday and also featuring Martin Truex’s NASCAR race car. http://www.wnytire.com/thenapastore.htm

Also, the Rochester Redwings are hosting the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs on Sunday for Buffalo Bills Day at Frontier Field. As part of the day, CJ Spiller, Torell Troup, and Alex Carrington will be on hand for the game along with Billy Buffalo and members of the Buffalo Jills. http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2010/08/11/bills-rooks-to-be-at-red-wings-game/

Beth, Jessica

From the Bandettes, we have a photo from before the April matchup against the Toronto Rock. Shown smiling for the camera are Beth and Jessica. Beth joined up with the Bandettes in 2006 and danced through the 2008 season, finishing up with the 4th Buffalo Bandits Championship at the end of that season. After taking the 2009 season off, she came back in 2010 as a co-captain hoping to help the Bandits to another title. Hopefully 2011 brings the Cup back to Buffalo. Jessica started her Bandettes career in 2008 so anything less than a Championship has to be a letdown for her. Considering her experiences in the Navy, including regularly handling a 50-caliber gun, disappointing this brunette beauty is the last thing anyone should do!

Buffalo Pro Cheer Photos of The Week

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

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

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

Buffalo Jill of The Week Stefanie

This week, we take a look at one of our longer-tenured vets on the Buffalo Jills as our Jill of The Week. Stefanie just finished up her 4th season on the squad and is heading into her 5th after spending last season on Eileen's line between Caity and Joya. Stefanie's had a pretty eventful career so far with the Jills, starting with 2 trips to the Middle East visiting the troops in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In addition, she's been showing off her gymnastic abilities most of her career with the Jills but had to hold off on that and performing in general early last season when she was sidelined with a foot injury. And who says cheerleading isn't a sport? But considering how focused she gets on the game when on the sidelines at times, one has to wonder if Stefanie wants to throw on some shoulder pads sometimes. Thankfully for those of us who don't want her to risk getting hurt any worse, she enjoys her squadmates and all the fun that comes with being on the squad too much to try to become the first female player for the Buffalo Bills. You can read more about Stefanie in the webgroup's files section.

Buffalo Jill of The Week Stefanie

This week, we take a look at 3rd year dancer Stefanie as
our Jill of The Week. Found on one end of Jamie's line
next to Lonna this past season, Stefanie takes her role as a cheerleader for the Buffalo Bills very seriously and hates a Bills loss as much as any other fan in the stadium, probably more than most, even. Her friendships on the squad and the thrill of performing are what keeps her going, as well as the ability to watch her team play from as close to the action as you can get. She'd probably line up and play if she could get away with it. Despite being very feminine, she does love to play the game as well as cheer for it. She's been cheering for the last 12 years, including the last 3 on the Jills, and we hope she keeps going for many years to come. Besides her gymnastics ability and beauty which everyone can see, her out-going and goofy nature make her a well-loved member of the squad. Like last week's Jill of The Week Sarah, Stefanie is into journalism a little bit but more specifically, is hoping to become a sports broadcaster one of these days. How cool would that be? We could see the Bills win the Super Bowl in a few years and we'd have a Buffalo Jill reporting on it. You can read
more about Stefanie at http://www.buffalojills.net/bios/StefanieJ.html

Buffalo Jill of The Week Stefanie

Stefanie spent gamedays on Jamie's line between Jamie and Nicole but that won't be the biggest thing she'll remember about 2007 by any means. It was her 2nd year on the squad and the biggest thing that happened for her were not 1, but 2, trips to the Middle East. Before even trying out to make the squad for a second straight season, she was part of a group that visited troops in Kuwait and Iraq. Despite a couple of problems on that trip (lost her equipment bag for a few days and hit herself on the head with a gun), she signed up for a 2nd trip. This trip took her and some of her squadmates to Afghanistan and, happily, there were no reported mishaps. She's been cheering for 11 years and it's hard to imagine her stopping anytime soon as she enjoys the opportunities she's gotten as a member of the Buffalo Jills so far. You can read more about Stefanie at http://buffalojills.net/bios/stephaniej.html

Buffalo Jill of The Week Stefanie

Our current Jill of The Week is Stefanie, a beauty who's returning this fall for her second season on the sidelines. Along with seven of her squadmates, she went to Iraq about a month ago and made more and more guys wish they were back home. It wasn't all about quickening pulses, however. She and her squadmates had to get imaginative for a few shows near the end of the tour as the bag with her performance gear got delayed between bases but was recovered in time for the last show. You can read more about Stefanie in the files section of the webgroup (registration required) and check out her in hot swimwear at FCI's official site http://www.fishercreativeimage.com/Jills/individual.html#stefanie