Ironmen Dancer Headed to NFL Sidelines
May 11, 2009 - Xtreme Soccer League (XSL)
New Jersey Ironmen News Release
Newark, N.J. (Monday, May 11, 2009) - The New Jersey Ironmen saw another one of their own advance their professional career this past weekend, as 2008-09 Ironmen Dancer Jackie N. was successful in the making the Flight Crew, the official cheerleading squad of the New York Jets. After three rounds of auditioning, it was this past Saturday that the Clifton native learned she will be performing her craft on the sidelines of the National Football League this fall.
"At first we all assumed there would only be 22 spots on the team and there were 19 girls returning from last year," Jackie N. commented about the moment she was learning of her fate. "They then came out and said there was so much talent that they would be expanding the team to 30 girls. That was when I realized I might really have a chance."
To get to this point, Jackie N. had made her way through three rounds of tryouts. The preliminary round took place a week earlier and consisted of a 90-second freestyle dance in front of a judging panel. Roughly 160 girls had come out to the auditions, but only 73 of them advanced past the preliminary round to the semifinals. In the semis, the hopefuls learned a routine and a kick line, and they then performed each in front of the judges while also undergoing flexibility testing. After the semifinal round had concluded, only 30 girls remained standing for the finals. The final round of the competition consisted of a solo dance as well as a semi-routine and kick line performance in front of a celebrity judge panel.
After the three rounds had concluded, the judges broke for a two-hour conference that would keep Jackie N. anxiously awaiting their decision.
"I was just waiting and waiting," she reflected. "I was hearing all of the numbers being read, hoping that I would hear my number. Once I heard my number, I couldn't even get out of my chair. I went into shock, and then I started to cry."
In addition to dancing for the Ironmen, the members of the Ironmen Dancers also serve double-duty as dancers for the New Jersey Devils, something in which Jackie N. was quick to express her gratitude.
"I am just so thankful to the Ironmen and the Devils for giving me the opportunity to build and grow as a dancer," she graciously stated. "You can expect to see me in the crowd next year supporting both the team on the field and the girls as well!"
This advancement is the latest success story for the Ironmen Dancers. After the 2007-08 season concluded, they saw another of their own, Amanda Grace, make the Knick City Dancers.
On tap for this summer, the 2009 Ironmen soccer camp program will kick off in late June and run through the end of August, and the Ironmen have a special website created for their camp programs, located at www.njironmen.com/camps. The camp website offers information and the summer schedule, as well as the convenience of completing the entire registration process online. All campers this summer will receive an Ironmen ball, t-shirt and two tickets to our 2009 home opener this fall, and as a special incentive, all campers that register prior to May 15th will receive an immediate $10 discount off the $149 camp rate. Camps are open to all types of skill levels and players age 4-16. Any clubs or townships that are interested in hosting a camp still have the opportunity to do so, and they can call the Ironmen camp hotline at 973-757-6323 to discuss the details further.
Training is also available for travel clubs this summer with commitments of at least 10 campers. The cost for each camper is $129, and each training session will be conducted for two hours a day over a period of five concurrent days. The age of campers can range from 8-16, and each participant will receive an Ironmen camp t-shirt. Teams must provide the field, water and balls for the training sessions, and the Ironmen will always have at least one professional player on location for every day of the camp. Coaches that would like to schedule a travel camp can call 973-757-6323 today for additional information.
ABOUT THE NEW JERSEY IRONMEN
The New Jersey Ironmen, owned by Jeff Vanderbeek and Michael Gilfillan of the NHL New Jersey Devils ownership group, are a professional indoor soccer team that completed their inaugural season in April of 2008 and are coached by two-time Coach of the Year Omid Namazi. The Ironmen play their home schedule at Prudential Center in the Downtown Core Redevelopment District of Newark, and the team recently finished their sophomore campaign as charter members of the newly-founded Xtreme Soccer League. For more information on the New Jersey Ironmen, visit www.njironmen.com.
Xtreme Soccer League Stories from May 11, 2009
- Ignition Gearing Up For 2009 Summer Soccer Camps - Detroit Ignition
- Ironmen Dancer Headed to NFL Sidelines - New Jersey Ironmen
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
