NASHVILLE, TN, SEPT. 5, 2008- In a packed house at the ultra-hip bar and lounge Lot 7, the Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders unveiled their 2008 calendar during their second-annual Calendar Release Party and Swimsuit Fashion Show. For fans, it was their first opportunity to pick up the new calendar and meet all 31 cheerleaders on the squad.

The Titans Cheerleaders shot the calendar on location at The Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort® in Destin, Fla. this past May. Renowned photographer, Erick Anderson and his assistant Brad Hodge, worked tirelessly for four days, taking more than 4,000 photos of the 31 cheerleaders. Anderson, who has designed Grammy award winning album covers, designed the calendar with impeccable attention to detail.

Emceed by Nashville entertainer, Clyde “The Glyde” Avant, cheerleaders participated in real live fashion show, dawning the hippest and fashionable bathing suits on the runway amidst the cheers and flashing lights of the many fans, media and photographers. Titans Director of Cheerleading Stacie Kinder believes an event as such is just one of the many things that being a Titans Cheerleader entails.

“For some of our Cheerleaders, the calendar release party was the first time they really walked a runway and saw their pictures published publicly. It is an exciting moment and they realize the magnitude of being a part of the Tennessee Titans.”

After modeling the runway in bathing suits, the cheerleaders then dressed into sleek, individually tailored, trendy red dresses and took pictures, signed autographs while thanking the many people in attendance.

“We were thrilled to have so many of our fans, friends, and family come to our Calendar Release Party,” said Kinder. “We know Nashville loves their Titans, but it was heartwarming to realize that they also support the Cheerleaders and recognize the work that we do in supporting our organization.

“The calendar release party exceeded all my expectations. The Cheerleaders were gorgeous, the fans were excited and supportive, and the media coverage excellent. It was a perfect night.”

Titans fans can purchase the calendar by mailing in this downloadable merchandise request form (PDF document), or by calling 615-565-4172

Vicksburg Native Earns Spot on Houston Texans Cheer Squad

As Stacy Hester stood in the tunnel at Houston’s Reliant Stadium, awaiting her cue to emerge, a million thoughts raced through her head.

What dance steps go with what routine? Is my costume all right? Do I look good?

Mostly, though, one simple word kept coming back into the mind of the rookie Houston Texans cheerleader.

Wow.

“I was freaking out. To perform in Reliant Stadium, which holds more than 70,000 fans, it’s kind of like a deer in the headlights,” Hester said with a laugh. “It’s a phenomenal feeling. That first time, I was nervous. It was definitely scary.”

When Hester walked out of the tunnel for the Aug. 9 preseason game between the Texans and Denver Broncos, it was the culmination of years of hard work and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

The Vicksburg native started dancing when she was 5, at Ms. Atwater’s School of Dance. The family moved to Houston a few years later, in 1993. Hester’s grandparents, Hazel Bell, Marie and Doug Hester Sr., still live in Vicksburg. Her other grandfather, Henry Bell, has since passed away.
After moving to Houston, Stacy Hester continued to show an interest in dancing, She attended several schools for the performing arts, including one in New York.

“As a mother, you put your little girls in dance. And she just ate it up,” said Stacy’s mother, Emily Hester.

Eventually, Stacy turned her attention to cheerleading. She was the captain of the squad at Houston’s Madison High School — the same high school Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young starred at — and made the squad at Lamar University. All the while, she kept an eye on the NFL.

In 2004, as an 18-year-old fresh out of high school, she tried out for the Texans’ squad. As the hours passed, and the original group of nearly 1,000 women was whittled down to about 100, Stacy was still among them. She made it to the final round of cuts before dropping out.

“It hurt my feelings. But I was only 18, so I remained positive. I figured maybe I was too young,” Hester said.

Disappointed, but not broken, Stacy went on to Lamar and excelled on the school’s football and basketball cheerleading and dance teams. She also took another stab at the pro ranks, trying out for the NBA’s Houston Rockets in 2006. By choice, she didn’t stick around long. Her status as a full-time student would have eventually disqualified her anyway, but the basketball team’s dance-heavy style also turned her off. She preferred football cheerleading, which is more a mix of dance and traditional routines.

“They have more games than us. Every team has a different style. I looked at the coach and the team, and the camaraderie, and it just took the fun out of it for me,” Hester said. “It just didn’t feel right. I left after the second round and didn’t even think about it. It was the best decision I ever made.”

Hester graduated from Lamar this spring with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, and took a job with a television station in Houston. In April, four years after her first go-round, she decided to try out for the Texans again.

Nearly 1,000 women turned out again for the auditions, with 34 eventually making the cut. Hester’s earlier experience with the tryouts helped her breeze through the early rounds.

“The first time I went in when I was 18, it was intimidating. I didn’t know I was supposed to have a costume or anything. I was just there in sweats,” Hester said with a laugh. “I was prepared for four years. My mom made a costume, I had boots, everything.”

After the first cuts were made the second and third rounds focused on different routines and dance styles. A crew from Fox Sports Net followed Hester through the process for a TV special, ratcheting up the pressure.

“It’s kind of cool,” she said. “These people are following me around and you don’t know if you’re going to make it or not.”

Hester made it to the final round of cuts again, but this time the story had a happy ending. She made the squad.

And even before she walked onto the field at Reliant Stadium for the first time, Hester was already taking her first steps into a bigger world. She was asked to model for the Texans Cheerleaders swimsuit calendar, and has stayed busy making appearances for the team, as well as practicing for the season. The squad practices 20 to 25 hours a week. The team also requires its cheerleaders to have a full-time job or be a full-time student.

The money is OK — “It’s good for our maintenance, and it’s good for gas,” Hester said — but the chance to live out her childhood dream meant even more.

“Every day I wake up, and I have posters framed already, and it’s like, ‘Wow, it’s me,’” she said. “People go bananas over this. It keeps me humbled. I’m always like, ‘I’m still Stacy.’ I’ve been a cheerleader for so long, it’s the same thing I’ve always done. I’m just a cheerleader on a different level now.”

While she’s enjoying her status among the cheerleading elite, Hester doesn’t plan on doing it forever. She’ll try out again next season — the audition process begins anew for everyone, veterand and rookies, each spring — but doesn’t see herself dancing along the sidelines more than a few years. Her future, she said, is in broadcasting and she hopes to focus on that career, which will likely take her away from Houston and the Texans.

“I see myself doing it for three years at the max. A season is so much work,” she said. “That’s another dream, to be in TV reporting. Journalism is my passion, too, and I know I’m going to have to move to a small town and work my way up.”

Moore Ready To Hit National Stage

While most of us are concerning ourselves with Friday Night Lights, Benton native Lauren Moore is getting ready for the Sunday Spotlight. Moore, after a big-time dance career at Murray State University, is ready to begin her career as a St. Louis Rams cheerleader.

That’s the National Football League St. Louis Rams, by the way, and she can’t be happier.

“It’s been a lot of fun so far,” Moore said. “It’s been a good experience. I performed in two preseason games and the season opener is next week.”Moore’s first NFL game will be against the defending Super Bowl champs, the New York Giants. But she can’t daydream about the sellout crowd and the number of eyes that will be on her as she performs at the Dome. Her schedule is too full.

Right now, Moore is becoming as skilled at juggling as she is dancing. A management trainee at Enterprise in Carbondale, Moore has to drive to St. Louis every Tuesday and Thursday for practices that last from 7-10 p.m. Then there are the promotional events the cheerleaders take part in every week.

“I just started a new job ad I had to adjust to new co-workers and to new responsibilities,” she said. “And when I started with the Rams, I had to adjust to new team members and new experiences.

“It’s a lot, sometimes, to work all day, then drive to St. Louis to practice and then drive home,” Moore said.

Some of the promotions Moore has performed at include: Several charity golf tournaments, an NFL Draft Day event, the 4th of July Fair in St. Louis, and a clinic at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis.

“We do a lot of promotion for the team and a lot of charity work,” Moore said. “I really didn’t know how much we would do until we started, but I absolutely love it.”

When the game begins, look for Moore on the sidelines and on the field.

“We are on the sidelines the entire game,” she said. “We get to perform on the field before the game and we are always on the field during the game.”

Moore said the routines are different than the ones she performed at MSU.

“It’s more entertainment-style dance,” she said. “The dances aren’t as technical as they were in college. We are looking for crowd appeal — everything is visual.”

Probably the most visual task Moore will take part in wasn’t near the dome in St. Louis. Moore and her team recently got back from a week-long trip to Cancun, where they posed for shots that will be featured in a calendar, with proceeds almost entirely going to charity.

“We were in Cancun for a week and we were treated like celebrities,” she said. “It was great.”

The photo shoot was filmed by Fox Sports Midwest and will be shown September 13 at 3 p.m.

But, aside from all the charity events, photo shoots and promotional appearances, Moore is just glad to still be dancing.

“If I can, I would love to keep involved in dance,” Moore said. “Weather it’s coaching or teaching I’d like to keep dance in my life. I’ve always had my mind set on this, I just never realized what an honor it is. When we go out in the community we realize it.

“Right now, I just want to see where this takes me,” she continued. “After this season I will see where I’m at and if I can continue to make it work out I will.”

Eagles Cheerleaders

E-A-G-L- well, anyone who has been to a bar or attended a Philly sports game is more than familiar with the most popular chant in Philadelphia, but only 38 girls can say they get paid to profess their love of the Birds in public.

Though knowledge of football rules is more of a bonus, "bleeding green" is mandatory to be an Eagles cheerleader.

"We look for women that encompass all of the qualities of a cheerleader. That includes being passionate about the Philadelphia Eagles and being an Eagles fan," said Barbara Zaun, Director of Cheerleading.

"I'm a huge Eagles fan and always have been," said Jamie Steinberger, 23, a third-year veteran of the Eagles cheerleading squad. "I've got the best seat in the stadium. Cheering for my favorite football team and having a front-row seat, it's worth the practice all year."



Steinberger, a Glen Mills resident, recently graduated from West Chester University with a kinesiology degree and is working toward a master's degree in psychology.

Cheering for the Birds is a part-time gig, and most cheerleaders either attend universities as full-time students or hold other jobs.

Cheerleaders are paid hourly for every rehearsal, appearance, game, or photo-shoot, and monthly salaries normally range from $700 to $1,000, depending on the amount of appearances, Zaun said.

"The cheerleaders also enjoy additional benefits throughout the year, such as an all-expense trip to the calendar shoot location, which this year was in the Dominican Republic," said Zaun.

Danni-Lynn Bell, a new addition to the squad, said she's looking forward to seeing the games in person, rather than from her living room.

"I watch at home with my dad and his friends all the time. We've always been fans," said Bell, a 21-year-old Media resident.

Bell is joined on the squad by her sisters, 18-year-old rookie Paige, and 23-year-old Nikki, who cheered for the Eagles last year.

"I can't wait for the first game to see how many people there are and how big and overwhelming it will be," said Danni-Lynn, a fashion merchandising major at West Chester University. "The other girls try to tell us stories about what it will be like, but I think I can't understand the experience until I'm out there."

Danni-Lynn and Paige got an idea of what a regular-season game is like when they cheered at the preseason game against the Carolina Panthers Aug. 14.

"It poured that night but the fans were good about it ... you would think so many would have left because of the thunderstorm and pouring rain and lightning, but so many stayed and were so excited about it," said Danni-Lynn. "Even though it was a preseason, the fans care ... It's great to know they're so dedicated."

The Bell sisters, all Strath Haven High School graduates, got a glimpse of former classmate Dan Connor's NFL debut at the preseason game.

The Penn State graduate was a third-round pick for the Panthers last April and made a pair of tackles in the fourth quarter of the preseason game.

"I watched his plays and he did an incredible job," said Paige, who was a freshman at Strath Haven when Connor was a senior. "It was really cool to cheer for him in high school and cheer at NFL game with him. I wasn't cheering for his team, but it was cool to be in the same place as him."

"It was pretty funny," said Nikki. "We were wishing him well, but at same time we want to win."

While she doesn't have any blood relatives on the squad, Steinberger said the close friendships she's made with her fellow cheerleaders is one reason she keeps coming back. "We get along a lot better than people realize," said Steinberger. "Being around the girls, you make close friends. It's a great experience."