Cheerleading Archives - Page 5 of 5

Meet Moe

God Blessed Texas with HTC Morgan (photo courtesy Bob Levy)

There’s this crazy misconception about NFL Cheerleaders – that they’re stupid, only in it to date players, don’t have “real” jobs, don’t know jack about the actual sport they’re cheering for… the list goes on and on. But it’s a pretty ignorant list if you’ve met 99% of these gals that suit up on NFL Sunday (which now also includes Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays) to dance and cheer and hair flip for everyone’s enjoyment.

Meet Morgan, or Moe as everyone calls her, of the Houston Texans Cheerleading (HTC) Squad. Taking her spot in the red, white and blue glorious lineup for her fourth straight year, Moe is no rookie when it comes to dancing in front of 70,000 screaming fans inside Reliant or to the sport she’s loved since she was a child. (That’s Battle Red, Liberty White, and Deep Steel Blue to be exact for you Texans fans.)

Originally from Austin, TX, Moe has led quite the exciting lifestyle, becoming a backup dancer for big country stars like Big and Rich and Trace Adkins. Moe happily calls Houston home now and spends her days as a Business Development Representative for a prominent Orthopedic Group in the Texas Medical Center while her nights and weekends are spent proudly representing the Houston Texans.

The HTC is known around the league as the squad with a more hip-hop approach than most of the others, thanks to Coach Alto, and Moe fits that mold perfectly. “I like the style that Coach Alto puts in. We’re a little more hip-hop, and that’s my strong suit. Obviously I backup danced for country stars so the little bit of hillbilly we add to it fits me just fine too,” Moe jokes.

We all know the simple truth that everything is bigger in Texas, and cheering is certainly no different. “Dancing in front of 70,000 people, you have to be huge,” Moe explains. “Your personality has to show – every facial expression counts. I have to exaggerate all my moves – my smiles, my walks, everything. People can spot me out from a ton of rows up. They aren’t dancers critiquing you, they want to see you’re enjoying the game.”

HTC Moe doing her thang at Reliant (photo courtesy Bob Levy)

But being an NFL cheerleader isn’t all glitter and pillow fights. “We work hard. We do a minimum of 40 appearances a year, and you have to maintain a full-time job or be a full-time student. We have practices 3 days a week, but you have to practice before practice. Practice isn’t for learning; you’re supposed to already know it. We learn four new dances for every game plus 12 sidelines plus 10 fillers. Then there are the workouts…” as she trails off. Clearly it’s exhausting just talking about all the hard work that goes into this passion of hers.

Moe was voted Rookie of the Year in 2011, Most Spirited in 2012 and voted the cheerleader to represent her team at the Pro Bowl in 2012. The internet has also dubbed the blonde bombshell as one of the most photographed cheerleaders in the league. And it’s easy to understand why Moe flashes her pearly whites so often. The girl is happy with her life all around and thankful for where she is. She doesn’t take a single day for granted, especially her numbered days in that coveted HTC uniform. “You only get to put your Superman suit on for so long – that’s what my cheerleading outfit is, and then I go back to being a normal person. Football players are somebody years down the road, but cheerleaders, we come and go. Maybe that’s why we’re always smiling,” she says.

Enough with words! Sometimes pictures are all you really need, especially with cheerleaders, so here’s a gallery of the lovely Moe.

You can follow Morgan on Twitter and LIKE her page on FB.

And be sure to follow @TexansCheer on Twitter – this group of social media hotties has more followers than 13 NFL teams, 19 MLB (including their hometown Houston Astros), 19 NHL, 19 NBA and 20 MLS teams. Clearly these gals are doing many things right. (Stat via Matt from the Everything NFL Cheerleaders account on Twitter @NFLCheerRT.)

To read this original article on The Blonde Side’s column on CBS Man Cave Daily, click here.

May 21, 2013/by Jayme

HTC Tryout Tips

Cheerleading

HTC Cheerleader Tryout Tips

What it really takes to become an NFL cheerleader: Most Beautiful squad’s coach gives Texans tips

The big day is almost here. Houston Texans Cheerleader tryouts start Saturday.

You’ve detoxed, spray tanned, touched up those roots, whitened your smile and practiced your highest kicks — but there are still a few more things you can do to up your chances of making the beloved Texans’ cheerleader roster. It won’t be easy. The Texans were named the Most Beautiful Cheerleaders in the NFL after all.

Although registration is closed, odds are, you know one hot lady who needs some last minute tips.

I had the chance to chat with Alto Gary, the only cheer coach in the 10-year history of the Texans franchise, about last minute tips for cheerleader hopefuls. Coach Alto has a tough task ahead of her — choosing approximately 32 women out of the expected 1,000-plus who will strut their way into the Methodist Training Center for tryouts. Although she’ll have some help thanks in part to a few social media contests, Alto has the final say in who makes the squad.

It’s always taken a lot to be a Texans cheerleader, but if you yearn to be part of the squad that reps the back-to-back AFC South Champs — or just want to know what hurdles must be leaped — follow Alto’s expert cheerleader tips.

Don’t fret on wardrobe.

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money on an outfit for tryouts — you can buy a triangle top from Target or wherever. You can rhinestone it yourself if you want a little bling or leave it plain as long as it looks good on you. Also choose a good color for yourself. Add some black hotpants and you are set.”

Why not?

“There are many different positions we are looking for at tryouts. Not only cheerleaders, but we also look for the Grid Iron Gang (spirit promo group) and sometimes even select media game day hostesses. You have nothing to lose by coming — there’s something for everyone.”

HTC Cheerleader Tryout Poster

Leave the wardrobe malfunctions to Janet Jackson.

“Always make sure you stay in your outfit. Make sure you tie your knot on your top very tight and safety pins are your best friend! Support is always good. You can wear a convertible bra underneath your outfit. (You can find them at Victoria’s Secret, Target, Walmart, JCPenney . . .)”

Not all blondes are the same.

“What tryout number you get is important. When you get in line to get your number on the day of tryouts, make sure you’re not behind a person who looks like you. If she is a blonde and you are a blonde, try to find someone else to get behind who doesn’t look anything like you so you won’t be compared to the other blonde. That will get harder to do in the further rounds, but at least it will buy you some time.”

Beware of muffin top.

“Do not wear pantyhose that have the panty control top line. Make sure your pantyhose are sheer to waist.”

Good rule of thumb for life in general.

“Always be nice — you never know who’s looking at you. A few people have been cut before they even walk in the door.”

And if you need a last minute charge to get you going for Saturday’s tryouts, check out this video courtesy of the Houston Texans cheerleaders. Good luck to all and tweet your tryout photos to @CultureMap if you want the chance to be featured in a future story.

This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.

April 6, 2013/by Jayme

HTC Pro Bowl

Cheerleading

2013 HTC Pro Bowl Selection – Vanessa

I’ll be the first to admit it: The Pro Bowl is not something I work my schedule around, nor my DVR. Sure, I loved seeing my guys (especially my Virginia boy Duane Brown) get voted in for an awesome workcationin Honolulu, but when it comes to the real song and dance of football, whether or not the game should continue is debatable.

But then I met Vanessa: An incredibly sexy brunette with a bubbly yet humble personality, still buzzing from her experience at the Pro Bowl several weeks ago. The glorified exhibition game has come and gone, and this third-year Houston Texans cheerleader is still happily yammering on about her experience.

And rightly so. The week long adventure Vanessa experienced while in Hawaii with 25 other professional cheerleaders — and just her journey to win a Texans cheerleader uniform in general — is motivating to say the least, if not downright Hallmark card inspiring. See for yourself:

CultureMap: How were you picked to go to this year’s Pro Bowl?

Vanessa: Our team votes one night, usually before practice. Coach Alto (Gray) passed out a piece of paper and we each wrote down the name of the cheerleader we felt would be the best representative for our team. Needless to say, I was surprised, happy and beyond belief that I was chosen.

CM: Had you ever been to Hawaii before?

Vanessa: I had never been to Hawaii before this trip. I looked up weather conditions and found that it was similar to Houston, just less humidity.

CM: What were you most excited about going to the Pro Bowl?

Vanessa: To meet the different girls from each squad and learn about their program. I was also excited to perform a final time for the 2012- 2013 season.

CM: Describe your experience.

Vanessa: Part of me was anxious to meet and perform with 25 other girls I’d never met. I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to South Korea, Washington, D.C., and Japan for military tours — however, I’d always been accompanied with at least one of my fellow Texans cheerleaders. I had heard from previous Texans Pro Bowl cheerleaders that when the week was over, I’d feel like I had 25 new “sisters.”

“Our line was standing near J.J. Watt when he was on the sidelines with his bloodied finger . . . that was a sight to see!”

I didn’t really believe that one week could transform 26 strangers into sisters. Each morning began with a delicious

HTC Vanessa with family at Pro Bowl 2013

buffet breakfast along with a “get-to-know-you” session . . . this made us laugh and cry and learn more about the person behind the uniform. We practiced countless hours, perfecting dances that we learned individually from a DVD sent to us in December.

The cheerleaders were separated into four lines, first by dividing NFC and AFC, then by height. At 5-foot-7, I was considered “tall” so I was placed in the AFC Two line. We spent a lot of time with our line, doing most of our appearances together. Performing with Train for the Pro Bowl pregame show was exhilarating! I have been a huge fan of Train since “Meet Virginia” and “Drops of Jupiter.”

The game itself was a neat experience, as we were allowed to take pictures and sign autographs during the game. We had dinner at Wolfgang Puck after the game and looking around the table, none of us could believe that the week had come to an end. The 26 of us truly shared a bond that could not be duplicated in any other sense, not even with our own team back at home.

CM: Did you hit it off especially well with any of the other cheerleaders?

Vanessa: I think I grew the closest with my roommate, Sam, from the Jaguars. The first night we laid awake talking for more than an hour about the upcoming week. We have similar personalities — kind, humorous and laid back. The Colts girl, Breanna, and I hit it off from the plane ride to Hawaii. We were both feeling the same anxiety and were watching the DVD together on our laptops during the ride.

She and I ended up being in the same AFC Two line, which was nice. Overall, I felt our Pro Bowl cheerleaders as a whole were just an amazing group of women. I learned something from each of them. They were all so beautiful outside, but even more so on the inside.

CM: Did you learn anything interesting about any of the Texans players that went?

Vanessa: Just like in the regular season, we didn’t have time to interact with the players. I was very proud to represent the nine players that were selected for the Pro Bowl. Our line was standing near J.J. Watt when he was on the sidelines with his bloodied finger . . . that was a sight to see!

HTC Vanessa at Pro Bowl 2013 in Hawaii

CM: Did you learn anything interesting about any of the other squads there (i.e., any rules they have, cool stunts or dances they do, etc.)?

Vanessa: I learned quite a bit about the other NFL cheer squads. For example, the Ravens squad consists of 60 men and women, divided into a dance squad and a stunt squad. Many teams have a “cap” of how many years a girl is allowed to cheer. The Patriots cheerleaders have a three-year cap, the Jaguars have a five-year cap — these are just two examples.

The Texans cheerleaders are one of the only teams that require their girls to tryout to dance for each game. While this surprised several of my fellow Pro Bowlers, I feel that it keeps the Texans girls on our toes all season long.

CM: Any advice for future cheerleaders going to the Pro Bowl?

Vanessa: I would advise the next Pro Bowl Cheerleader to take time each day to take a step back and breathe it all in. It is such a blessing to be the ONE girl chosen to represent your team. Also, don’t stress too much about packing! We are fortunate enough to be gifted different shirts, shoes and practice attire while we’re there, you’ll have plenty to wear.

CM: Any parting thoughts?

Vanessa: Being selected as the Pro Bowl representative for the Texans Cheerleaders was more than a dream come true. I do not come from a dance or cheer background. My road to this point in my life was not without detours or obstacles to overcome.

Football is my family’s favorite past time. When the Oilers left, we cheered for the Titans until Mr. (Bob) McNair brought the game back to Houston. My dad has had season tickets since 2002. One day I was watching the game when I noticed the cheerleaders and thought to myself, “I can do that.”

“One day I was watching the game when I noticed the cheerleaders and thought to myself, “I can do that.”

I tried out for the first time in 2008. My aunt sewed on a lime green lace thing to a black sports bra and I paired it with black shorts and pink and grey tennis shoes . . . I made it to the second round. In 2009 I returned with a bit more flair, but still lacking the confidence. I made it to the final round and was cut the night the final squad was announced.

My heart was crushed, but my desire to be on the team was stronger than ever. I returned to auditions in 2010 and the young girl inside me could not believe that I had actually made it . . . my number was called to be a member of the Houston Texans Cheerleaders.

My rookie season, I was known by Coach Alto as a “Can of Cute.” I had to come out of my shell and learn to become a bigger and more confident dancer. I was awarded “Most Improved” at the end of my Rookie Season. To come from not making it past the second round in 2008 to being selected the 2012-2013 Pro Bowl representative is amazing.

If I could tell that 21-year old girl driving home in tears after being cut to not fret, but to keep believing and working hard, I definitely would.

This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.

February 9, 2013/by Jayme

The NFL's Most Beautiful Cheerleader - Lauren (photo courtesy of The Fast Show Life)

HTC: Record Setters

Cheerleading

The NFL’s Most Beautiful Cheerleader – Lauren (photo via The Fast Show Life)

Record setters: 10 Houston Texans cheerleaders make list of 100 Most Beautiful NFL Cheerleaders

Just a few weeks ago the Houston Texans scored another franchise first by having eight players named to the 2013 Pro Bowl set to take place in Hawaii on January 27th. But it’s not just the guys who are setting records this season. What about those beautiful Houston Texans Cheerleaders who strut around Reliant pumping up 70,000-plus fans each home game?

In a recent web feature, the Fast Life Show named the 100 most beautiful NFL cheerleaders — and topping the list? The Texans cheerleaders, of course, with a record setting number of 10 girls in the top 36!

The #babesonparade didn’t just have eight girls hit the list, they had 10 thanks to their two sets of gorgeous twins, and they claimed the #1 spot in all the NFL.

Impressed yet?

“With our program we try to be the best and to see someone else recognize us without solicitation from us, that’s huge – that’s approval and acceptance of our program. It makes me happy to see that others see our hard work,” says Alto Gary, who has remained the only cheerleader coach in the 10-year history of the team.

“Yes, we want the best dancers, but you need to look a certain part too. Being from Texas, you have to represent. Texas has this stereotype of having hot women, so we wanted to show that with our team.”

Hard work and dedication

But it isn’t just fans and websites like The Fast Life that have taken notice of the HTC.

Pro Bowler and fifth-year Texan veteran Duane Brown also sees the important role these women play and appreciates their hard work and dedication.

“I think hands down we have the best cheerleaders in the NFL and possibly in sports. They are absolutely gorgeous and great people as well. During events where I’ve had the chance to interact with them, they were very kind and all had great personalities,” Brown says.

“They work very well with kids and fans of all ages. On Sundays, they are filled with great energy and help get the crowd at Reliant rocking which helps us players perform well. I’m very proud of them, this recognition is well deserved.”

The HTC’s who topped this list (and their response to being selected):

#36 Liliana @HTC_Liliana

“Seeing myself in the top 100 was definitely unexpected. It’s exciting to see the amount of exposure HTC has received recently, and I’m just very fortunate to have been one of the eight to represent our organization.”

HTC Cheerleader, Kelli (photo via The Fast Show Life)

#29 Sarah @HTC_Sarah

“I was completely surprised to have made the list! It’s such an honor to be named among these beautiful women.”

#24 Kelli @HTC_Kelli

“I was astonished and honored to be included in the elite, professional Top 100 most beautiful! I felt blessed beyond belief as I know how hard each NFL Cheerleader works on physique & beauty. We strive for perfection with our God given beauty & to be recognized for such is truly an honor!”

#20 Danielle @HTC_Danielle

“When I first got word that I made Fastlife Top 100 from my fellow teammate #36 Liliana, I could NOT believe it. I said are you sure its me?! It’s such a blessing to be apart of a great organization and to be in the top 100 most beautiful girls in the NFL along with my other teammates. There are no words for it. I’m so proud of my teammates who made the list as well. And all of us being in the TOP 40, that is unbelievable! #GO TEXANS #babesonparade”

#15 Michelle and Rachel @HTC_MichRach

“We were very flattered when we learned that we are a part of this list. The list is posted in descending order, so we were kind of caught in a moment of suspense as we were scrolling through the list wondering ‘what number are we!!’.”

#13 Kayla @HTC_Kayla

“It was an honor to be selected in the top 100! I was shocked to be number 13 out of so many beautiful girls! We have a beautiful team this year and it was neat to see a lot of our team on the list!”

Dresdynn and Schuyler (photo via The Fast Life Show)

#7 Dresdynn and Schuyler @HTC_DresSchuy

“We were so flattered and thrilled to be #7. When we found out we were so happy!”

And drumroll please...

The #1 spot goes to the rookie Lauren L.

“When finding out I made the #1 Most Beautiful Cheerleader in the NFL I was just astonished. I feel absolutely blessed and thankful!” says Lauren of her top spot.

“Having a rookie voted at #1 – that was exciting. I call her my beach bunny girl. She’s a sweet person, and definitely has the inner personality that is representative of the Texans,” Alto says.

Credit to the coach

While much of the credit goes to these beautiful women who made the NFL’s Most Beautiful list, a large part should go to Gary as well. She had her job cut out for her starting back in April of last year while selecting the squad of 32 out of nearly 1,000 girls.

“It starts at tryouts, when a rookie comes on, seeing if she has good bone structure, etc. I have to keep the Texans organization in consideration when choosing the girls as they’re a classy classic look,” Gary explains.

As for keeping up appearances, the girls are given a little help in that department. “We do give an allotment of $150 per month/per girl that they can use at salons for hair and product. We do require them to have their nails done because they are so close to the fans. People always ask if I have a weight requirement, but I always ask ‘do you look good in your uniform?’ and that’s all I care about,” says Gary.

“People always ask if I have a weight requirement, but I always ask ‘do you look good in your uniform?’ and that’s all I care about,” says head cheerleaders coach Alto Gary.

One thing she is a stickler about? Having the girls don a bright red lipstick for game day. “Red is our team color and the girls always fight me on that,” she laughs.

But the list of accolades doesn’t just stop there for the Texan Cheer bombshells. CNBC just named HTC one of the 10 best 2013 squad’s in the NFL(coming in at #6).

HTC Twins Michelle and Rachel (photo via The Fast Show Life)

The success of this team goes far beyond impressive dance moves and the ability to rock such a small and revealing uniform. The ladies know how to interact with their fans, especially when it comes to social media.

Engaging social media

According to @NFLCheerRT on Twitter, a hub for for everything cheerleaders, @TexansCheer is full of “genius marketing” and now has more Twitter followers (currently at 74,232) than two NFL teams (Arizona Cardinals and Jacksonville Jaquars), five MLB teams (Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies), and five NHL teams (Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers and New York Islanders).

Knowing how to engage their fans on the field and on social media is something the HTC are doing better than any of the other NFL Cheerleaders out there as well, including the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, @dccheerleaders, by tens of thousands. (DC Cheerleaders currently have 47,851 followers).

To put their popularity in perspective, the Texans Cheer account has two times as many followers as Redskins phenom rookie RB Alfred Morris. Even a national sports show took the time to mention the Tweeting Texans Cheerleaders, while semi-bashing the guys on the field.

Congratulations to these beautiful women on their superior recognition and to the entire Houston Texans organization for an already record setting season. Here’s to a big-time W against Andy Dalton and those Bengals on Saturday, and hopefully advancing further into the playoffs on their road to New Orleans on February 3.

[@TexansCheer stats and comparisons courtesy of @NFLCheerRT]

This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.

January 7, 2013/by Jayme

Texans Cheerleaders Have Playoffs Too

Cheerleading

Photo courtesy of Mike Oropeza/Picasa

For the first time in franchise history, the Houston Texans are in the playoffs, set to play the Cincinnati Bengals Saturday afternoon at Reliant Stadium. Duh. You’ve disconnected yourself from every Internet-related device, television, radio andhuman being in H-Town if you’ve missed that fun little tidbit of info.

While much of the focus has been on rookie quarterback T.J. Yates‘ banged up shoulder, guard Mike Brisiel’s return to the starting lineup after surgery, defensive coordinator Wade Phillip’s energy levels after his surgery, the tenacity of the Texans defense (which ranks second in the NFL), and what these guys are doing to prepare for the big game, little (or actually no) attention has been paid to the 30-plus women who parade around in sexy Texans gear pumping up the crowds each and every home game.

And since there’s no crowd, or game for that matter, more important in Texans history than this playoff game, I thought I’d swing by practice and see what these ladies are working on. Since Monday, the girls have been diligently learning all new routines.

While the cheerleaders typically do four routines a game and practice three times a week, they too are feeling the playoff pressure practicing every single day this week and learning five brand new routines, including a halftime dance choreographed to the tune of a live performance by Clay Walker.

I spoke with Amanda, the most seasoned girl on the team (in her fifth season) and asked what the contingency plan was if Clay changed the beat or got a little twangy in his lyrics. Is it business as usual?

“If he decides to throw in a ‘HEY HOUSTON’, we have to stay on our counts,” she says. “Our game plan is our game plan no matter what.”

As the girl with the most tenure on the team, Amanda knows all too well how rough past seasons have been.

“It’s a really nice change of pace going out into the community and hearing fans positive feedback with a winning record,” she says. “Everyone has been so supportive this season which makes our job a lot easier.”

Nicole (or Rihanna as some call her), a second-year veteran, explained the cheerleaders’ grueling long hours.

“We’ve been practicing each night from about 6:30-midnight learning all the new dances, but it’s worth it. I’m super excited — not only because it’s a playoff game, but we are making history as the first Texans cheerleading squad to make the playoffs,” she says.

And it isn’t just the cheerleaders that are making history — 39 of the Texan players will be making their first ever playoff appearance. More stuff to cheer for.

Reporters asked Gary Kubiak if he was putting in 10 to 12 hours each day leading up to the game. “At least that,” Kubiak responded. These girls are putting in almost the same kind of hours.

Moe (short for Morgan), another second-year vet, detailed how hectic this week has been. As a physician’s liaison, she works her usual 8 to 5 job and then heads directly to the bubble for at least six hours of practice.

“It makes for a very long day, but with a four-minute pre-game dance and a five-minute halftime show ahead of us, we’ve got our work cut out,” she says.

Moe is not only a proud member of the squad, she’s also the lone Texans cheerleader headed to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii at the end of January to represent as one of 27 cheerleaders voted by their peers to attend.

I asked head cheerleader coach, Alto Gary, who has been coach since day one (“Day one, 2011” as she likes to say), why they were busting their humps to learn all new routines in such a short timespan.

“It’s the playoffs, a new beginning. This is our first time making the playoffs, and I wanted to make it special for the team and the fans,” Gary says. “Since we were going from back-to-back games with a quick turnaround, I did give the girls a head start and sent two of the dances to them online.”

I guess there are more uses for technology than I once thought.

Aside from getting to be part of history, I wondered if the girls got any additional incentives for playoff games like the players did.

“Well, it may not seem like much, but they did get the chance to purchase playoff tickets in advance, which for many teams is rare,” Gary says. “And, they get cool playoff shirts they didn’t have to stand in line for,” she laughs as she showcases the shirts with “Texans Playoffs” written in bedazzled letters in both a red and navy varieties.

Without stating the blatantly obvious, Houston has a lot to celebrate. Since the last playoff game in Houston (which took place on January 16, 1994 when the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Houston Oilers in the Astrodome in front of 64,011 fans), a lot has happened in the world of football:

190 playoff games played

20 NFL stadiums built (including Reliant Stadium)

12 different Super Bowl winners

Four new teams joined the NFL (including the Texans)

Three teams moved to a new city

Back then, the number 1 song was “I Will Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meatloaf, President Barack Obama was an associate at a Chicago law firm, gas prices averaged $1 a gallon, and defensive end J.J. Watt was only 4-years-old.

A lot has changed. Here’s hoping for many more playoff games to come, whether or not they are hosted right here in Houston.

I think we’d all be OK with an upcoming game in Indianapolis, yes?

This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.

January 6, 2012/by Jayme

Sprints, weights & dedication: Blanca has what it takes to be a Dynamo Girl

Cheerleading

Military Appreciation Night by Chris Beveridge

In preparation for Sunday’s big and final home game of the season against the LA Galaxy (widely and popularly known as “David Beckham’s team”), I thought I’d change things up a bit and profile a girl off the field rather than a guy on the field.

In sort of a True Life-meets-Real World kind of way, here’s a sneak peak at the life of Blanca Guerrero – talking about all things Dynamo Girl and some things not.

After hanging out with Guerrero and peeking into one of their practices, boy do I feel like the Heidi Montag of the world (stupid, idiotic, mislead, etc.). For whatever beguiled reason, I pictured these girls huddled up making glittery “G-O D-Y-N-A-M-O!” posters, practicing the art of fishtail-braids and perfecting their synchronized claps.

In no capacity did I envision repeated sprints, weight training and definitely not burpees. It was like a sequestered CrossFit camp with 20 girls in perfect shape bouncing around in sports bras and sweating to the beat of their love for soccer.

Yes, exactly like every single guy’s fantasy — but these girls have a purpose.

Blanca. Photo Courtesy of Quy Ngo

This is Guerrero’s fifth season as a Dynamo Girl (DG), her third as a captain, and she is only one of two remaining girls still on the squad from the first season. All impressive stats indeed, but it’s what goes into being a DG that makes her worth talking about. Not to mention those ridiculously toned abs and high-wattage smile that gets her additional points.

Organization is the key

Guerrero explained that aside from the traditional halftime and sideline dances and cheers we’re all accustomed to, there is so much more that goes into maintaining appearances and the status of being a DG.

The girls have multiple practices each week that usually last four hours (from 6:30-10:30 p.m. to accommodate everyone’s work and school schedules) learning and perfecting new choreography, strength and conditioning workouts, active involvement in the community, going over appearance schedules and other monotonous tasks to keep the girls on track and in shape. This is their repetitive schedule for about nine months out of the year from the time of tryouts in February to the end of the season which we all hope lasts into playoffs in November.

Blanca spends her days from 8 to 5 as a customer service rep processing orders and ensuring everything goes as planned remedying any hiccups along the way, which sounds an awful lot like what she does as captain. Her duties as captain not only consist of cleaning up the choreography to ensure it’s ready for game day, but also things like processing and updating excel spreadsheets. Yes, being a DG captain requires a computer and a few Microsoft Office products.

Dynamo Girls. Photo courtesy of Quy Ngo

“We have so many appearances to keep track of and I try to rotate the girls through all the fun events. At the end of the year, the girls are required to attend at least 20 appearances so I have a spreadsheet that I have to keep updating to track it all. It’s a very important part of our job because each girl must be in good standing in order to try out again next year,” Guerrero explains.

And yes, that means everyone goes through the tryout process every year, she adds. It’s a way to keep things fresh and keep the girls on their toes.

Intense schedule

Aside from all her DG practices and appearances this week already, Guerrero’s intense schedule looks like this:

Monday – Woke up at 6:30 a.m., went to work from 8-5 (where she spent her lunch break grocery shopping). After work she headed straight to CrossFit in Katy where her workout of the day (WOD) was four rounds for time of: 400 meter run, 30 box jumps on a 20” box, and seven power snatches with a 50-pound bar, where she clocked an impressive time of 20:15.

Then she headed home to cook chicken fajitas with grilled squash for her and her husband. (They try to follow a Paleo diet which consists of eating lean meats, lots of veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds which also explains her great physique.)

Tuesday – Woke up at 4:50 a.m. to do a CrossFit workout from 5:30-6:30 where her WOD was five rounds of rowing 500 meters and running 400 meters. She finished with a time of 29:55 (which counts both her and her partner’s time). Then she headed off to work from 8-5 and, afterwards, immediately went to DG practice at the University of Houston followed by a trip to the grocery store and home, where she cooked another healthy meal.

Wednesday – Woke up at 7 a.m. and headed straight to work another 8-5 day. Then headed to CrossFit “to get beat up again” as she puts it. This time she didn’t tell me her WOD, presumably because she’s exhausted. Then she headed home to cook some homemade baked wings and sweet potato fries.

Exhausted and just getting fatter following her days, I finally asked her what she did over the weekend. She told me Saturday was family day which consisted of an Open House at the fire station where her husband volunteers and on Sunday, she FINALLY took a rest day. She found some time to unwind from a busy and brutal week and prepare for another one. At least the girl takes some kind of break!

Be sure to keep a lookout for Blanca on Sunday as the Dynamo try to defeat the LA Galaxy and work their way into a home field advantage for the playoffs.

This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.

October 22, 2011/by Jayme

Cheerleaders for Cheerleaders?

Cheerleading

Photo Courtesy of Bill Baptist

It might sound redundant, especially on a day as important as NFL Draft Day, but there were in fact cheerleaders for the cheerleaders last night at Reliant Stadium and they were in full force.

About 15 minutes before Carolina announced the first round draft pick overall, fans gathered on the Club Level to see the 50 finalists. The smoking hot, talented and football-lovin’ girls were vying for a chance to call themselves a 2011 Texans Cheerleader.

As the girls filed down the stairs in their navy blue Soffe shorts and Texans midriffs, the fans went loco. These “fans” gathered around weren’t Texans fans, at least not for those 15 glorious minutes. They were fans decked out in custom-made shirts, bedazzled and professionally printed signs, buttons, even face paint donning contestant numbers.

May 2, 2011/by Jayme

Bring It On – Texans Cheerleader Tryouts

Cheerleading

Photos: Mike Welsch

The first thing I noticed entering the Methodist Training Center for Saturday’s Texans Cheerleader tryouts was the food. But the smell of burritos, the Tres leches staring me in the face and the lure of ice-cold Miller Lite was quickly put on the backburner as I noticed 425 of Houston’s finest women lit up in neon American Apparel dance wear complete with glitter, bedazzling and anything else you might imagine.

I’m a girl who prides myself on having no filter, not afraid of a single thing (except possibly karaoke) but I quickly realized it takes some massive ovaries to stand up in front of a hundred judges (mostly men) and show off your dance skills.

April 14, 2011/by Jayme