NFL CHEERLEADERS TAKEOVER EAST LONDON
LOCSP Press Release: Friday 23 October 2009
NFL CHEERLEADERS TAKEOVER EAST LONDON
Leyton, London – East London was drenched in the Florida sunshine yesterday as cheerleaders from Tampa Bay ran two Waltham Forest workshops in partnership with the NFL UK and Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme (LOCSP).
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing the New England Patriots at Wembley this Sunday in the NFL International Series match and as the home team the Buccaneers have been travelling around London promoting their team and the match.
NFL CHEERLEADERS TAKEOVER EAST LONDON
Leyton, London – East London was drenched in the Florida sunshine yesterday as cheerleaders from Tampa Bay ran two Waltham Forest workshops in partnership with the NFL UK and Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme (LOCSP).
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing the New England Patriots at Wembley this Sunday in the NFL International Series match and as the home team the Buccaneers have been travelling around London promoting their team and the match.
PICS: Tampa Bay Bucs cheerleaders @ Orient with Lammas & Willowbrook schools: http://www.flickr.com/photos/locsp/sets/72157622522996035/
PICS: Tampa Bay Bucs cheerleaders @ Jenny Hammond Primary School:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/locsp/sets/72157622522935109/
MORNING
The morning workshop saw 25 Year 5 & 6 pupils from Willowbrook Primary School put through their paces in the Olympic Suite at the Matchroom Stadium, home of Leyton Orient FC, whilst the afternoon session saw over 40 Year 5 & 6 pupils at Jenny Hammond Primary School learn the skills from the best.
First up was the camp at SCORE and Leyton Orient FC with cheerleaders Corinne, Kelli, Jaime, Anna and Sara - who include a dental hygienist and political science student amongst their ranks - working with the youngsters for over an hour on various cheer routines.
“It’s been real fun to come and work with the kids here so close to the Olympic site,” said Corinne Colon, who has been a cheerleader for the ‘Bucs’ for the past two years. “London is beautiful – we love the weather here and we’re happy to experience the fall (autumn) – we never get to have real seasons in Tampa.”
Whilst the ‘cheer camp’ was in full swing, across the road in SCORE Year 8 pupils from the Lammas School and Sports College in Leyton competed in a NFL Flag Football tournament run by LOCSP Community Coaches, Paul Motion and Farrakh Khan. NFL Flag Football is a simplified version of American Football that uses flags rather than tackles.
NFL Flag Football forms part of the multi-sports coaching that LOCSP run throughout east London in their school and estate-based work and the session yesterday certainly had an impact.
“It's something out of the ordinary – it makes a big change from rugby,” said Lammas PE co-ordinator and former GB Olympic sprinter Darren Braithwaite. “It’s always good for our pupils to try different sports – a few of them are familiar with NFL, but with the game on Sunday and having the cheerleaders here adds a lot more to their experience today.”
Alongside Farrakh, LOCSP Community Development Coach Paul Motion has a personal interest in the game after a visit from the Miami Dolphins in 2007 to LOCSP and SCORE.
“The Dolphins came over for the first NFL International Series Wembley match and ran some community workshops with us (LOCSP). Since then we have had the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay (in January) come down and work with local young people.
“When these teams come to town they are excellent in engaging with the local community and really blaze a trail for the NFL in London.
“Personally, once I came to understand the rules of the game, I was definitely hooked. The kids really enjoy it – it's something they've never seen before and they're really looking forward to the game on Sunday. Of course, they all want the Bucs to win and get off the mark for the season.
“The Bucs have made a lot of friends and fans here today.”
Both sessions were then wrapped up with a prizegiving ceremony, Q&A session and photoshoot on the Leyton Orient FC pitch.
Kwame Taylor, 12, in Year 8 Lammas School, said: “Playing American Football was a bit different and quite fun - I really enjoyed meeting the cheerleaders.”
AFTERNOON
However, the takeover of east London by the NFL wasn’t complete until the afternoon as five different Bucs cheerleaders; Tiffany, Tomoko, Courtney, Meagan and Jeni, came to Jenny Hammond Primary School in Leyton to run another cheer camp, but this time with a guest appearance from Leyton Orient FC first team players Jimmy Smith and Sean Thornton.
Unfortunately Jimmy or Sean couldn’t be persuaded to don their pom-poms but over 40 Year 5 & 6 pupils could, and the hall was packed with eager, aspiring cheerleaders.
The five Bucs cheerleaders, consisting of two students of mass communications, a dance instructor, a broadcast journalism student and an Economics graduate from Japan, each took turns to run through dance routines including one where each move was related to the preparation of a particular food; whether it be mashed potatoes, bananas or sweetcorn!
After the session finished, the girls held an in-depth Q&A session before signing autographs and posing for photographs.
“Today was wonderful,” said Bucs cheerleader Tiffany Jimenez, 21.
“All the kids were really talented and they all got involved; we did a couple of games and some cheers and chants - we were so happy to get a chance to work with them today.
“They asked a lot of questions – they were so cute when they asked them!” continued the four-year veteran of the Bucs cheerleaders.
“They were interested in how we became cheerleaders, if dance experience was required before trying out and how you audition for the team.
“We told them it’s never too late to do what you want to do whether that is dancing, cheering or something else - if you want to do something then go for it!
For Tiffany and the rest of the Bucs cheerleaders going out into the local community and working with the youngsters is the same as performing on the field for their team.
“Working with schools and these young children really hits the heart and it really means a lot to us be able to work them,” said Tiffany, who is also a Dance Instructor when she is not working with the Bucs.
“Being a performer on game day and performing on the field in front of the fans is one of the main aspects of our job but coming into the community and getting involved means so much to us because if we can change one or two lives then that is great.”
And the cheerleaders certainly had an effect on two young pupils of the school and participants in the session.
Jade, 10, Leytonstone (pupil and participant at Jenny Hammond School) said:
“I really enjoyed the routine, especially the mashed potato. I asked them were they were all from in Florida and the places they said are some of my favourite places in America.
“I learnt a lot from them and they told me it was never too late to do anything, especially dance.”
Anoushka, 10, Leytonstone (pupil and participant at Jenny Hammond School) said:
“I didn’t know anything about cheerleading before today but I thought it was really exciting and funny in a good way.
“It was really fun to do and I really enjoyed it. I liked it when we played the game and my best bit was the mashed potato as we got to jump around. I want to do more cheerleading now, I really like the energy!
“My favourite team is now Tampa Bay!”
Once the session was over and the excited youngsters had gone home Tiffany took time to reflect on the small amount of time they got off to explore one of the world’s most famous and historic cities.
“We were luckily enough to see some of the sites of London on an open-top bus tour,” she said. “We saw the London Eye, Tower Bridge, Big Ben and we really got a chance to see some of the historical things along the way - we were very lucky.”
However, the girls are over here to support their team who have so far lost all six of their games in the current NFL season and it won’t get any easier on Sunday as the Bucs will be facing the New England Patriots who can boast four wins already, a traditionally large British support and one of the games most highest profile and highest profile quarterbacks – Mr. Gisele Bündchen, also known as Tom Brady.
But the game at Wembley is something everyone is looking forward to.
“Back in Tampa we perform at the Raymond James Stadium which holds 65,000 fans, but Wembley is much bigger and we will just try to perform to our best.
“We can’t wait to until Sunday and to see how the London fans take to us, and we hope to be celebrating a Bucs win!”
For more information about Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme and its work in the east London community please call 020 8556 5973, email https://mail.locsp.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=d0653090bce14ffa9bb7fa4bc552c9a8&URL=mailto%3aenquiries%40locsp.org or visit their website at www.locsp.org
Tampa Bay Buccaneers v New England Patriots is live on Sky Sports 2 & HD2 this Sunday from 4.30pm, with highlights on BBC Two from midnight. The match is also live on BBC 5 live sports extra.
PICS: Tampa Bay Bucs cheerleaders @ Jenny Hammond Primary School:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/locsp/sets/72157622522935109/
MORNING
The morning workshop saw 25 Year 5 & 6 pupils from Willowbrook Primary School put through their paces in the Olympic Suite at the Matchroom Stadium, home of Leyton Orient FC, whilst the afternoon session saw over 40 Year 5 & 6 pupils at Jenny Hammond Primary School learn the skills from the best.
First up was the camp at SCORE and Leyton Orient FC with cheerleaders Corinne, Kelli, Jaime, Anna and Sara - who include a dental hygienist and political science student amongst their ranks - working with the youngsters for over an hour on various cheer routines.
“It’s been real fun to come and work with the kids here so close to the Olympic site,” said Corinne Colon, who has been a cheerleader for the ‘Bucs’ for the past two years. “London is beautiful – we love the weather here and we’re happy to experience the fall (autumn) – we never get to have real seasons in Tampa.”
Whilst the ‘cheer camp’ was in full swing, across the road in SCORE Year 8 pupils from the Lammas School and Sports College in Leyton competed in a NFL Flag Football tournament run by LOCSP Community Coaches, Paul Motion and Farrakh Khan. NFL Flag Football is a simplified version of American Football that uses flags rather than tackles.
NFL Flag Football forms part of the multi-sports coaching that LOCSP run throughout east London in their school and estate-based work and the session yesterday certainly had an impact.
“It's something out of the ordinary – it makes a big change from rugby,” said Lammas PE co-ordinator and former GB Olympic sprinter Darren Braithwaite. “It’s always good for our pupils to try different sports – a few of them are familiar with NFL, but with the game on Sunday and having the cheerleaders here adds a lot more to their experience today.”
Alongside Farrakh, LOCSP Community Development Coach Paul Motion has a personal interest in the game after a visit from the Miami Dolphins in 2007 to LOCSP and SCORE.
“The Dolphins came over for the first NFL International Series Wembley match and ran some community workshops with us (LOCSP). Since then we have had the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay (in January) come down and work with local young people.
“When these teams come to town they are excellent in engaging with the local community and really blaze a trail for the NFL in London.
“Personally, once I came to understand the rules of the game, I was definitely hooked. The kids really enjoy it – it's something they've never seen before and they're really looking forward to the game on Sunday. Of course, they all want the Bucs to win and get off the mark for the season.
“The Bucs have made a lot of friends and fans here today.”
Both sessions were then wrapped up with a prizegiving ceremony, Q&A session and photoshoot on the Leyton Orient FC pitch.
Kwame Taylor, 12, in Year 8 Lammas School, said: “Playing American Football was a bit different and quite fun - I really enjoyed meeting the cheerleaders.”
AFTERNOON
However, the takeover of east London by the NFL wasn’t complete until the afternoon as five different Bucs cheerleaders; Tiffany, Tomoko, Courtney, Meagan and Jeni, came to Jenny Hammond Primary School in Leyton to run another cheer camp, but this time with a guest appearance from Leyton Orient FC first team players Jimmy Smith and Sean Thornton.
Unfortunately Jimmy or Sean couldn’t be persuaded to don their pom-poms but over 40 Year 5 & 6 pupils could, and the hall was packed with eager, aspiring cheerleaders.
The five Bucs cheerleaders, consisting of two students of mass communications, a dance instructor, a broadcast journalism student and an Economics graduate from Japan, each took turns to run through dance routines including one where each move was related to the preparation of a particular food; whether it be mashed potatoes, bananas or sweetcorn!
After the session finished, the girls held an in-depth Q&A session before signing autographs and posing for photographs.
“Today was wonderful,” said Bucs cheerleader Tiffany Jimenez, 21.
“All the kids were really talented and they all got involved; we did a couple of games and some cheers and chants - we were so happy to get a chance to work with them today.
“They asked a lot of questions – they were so cute when they asked them!” continued the four-year veteran of the Bucs cheerleaders.
“They were interested in how we became cheerleaders, if dance experience was required before trying out and how you audition for the team.
“We told them it’s never too late to do what you want to do whether that is dancing, cheering or something else - if you want to do something then go for it!
For Tiffany and the rest of the Bucs cheerleaders going out into the local community and working with the youngsters is the same as performing on the field for their team.
“Working with schools and these young children really hits the heart and it really means a lot to us be able to work them,” said Tiffany, who is also a Dance Instructor when she is not working with the Bucs.
“Being a performer on game day and performing on the field in front of the fans is one of the main aspects of our job but coming into the community and getting involved means so much to us because if we can change one or two lives then that is great.”
And the cheerleaders certainly had an effect on two young pupils of the school and participants in the session.
Jade, 10, Leytonstone (pupil and participant at Jenny Hammond School) said:
“I really enjoyed the routine, especially the mashed potato. I asked them were they were all from in Florida and the places they said are some of my favourite places in America.
“I learnt a lot from them and they told me it was never too late to do anything, especially dance.”
Anoushka, 10, Leytonstone (pupil and participant at Jenny Hammond School) said:
“I didn’t know anything about cheerleading before today but I thought it was really exciting and funny in a good way.
“It was really fun to do and I really enjoyed it. I liked it when we played the game and my best bit was the mashed potato as we got to jump around. I want to do more cheerleading now, I really like the energy!
“My favourite team is now Tampa Bay!”
Once the session was over and the excited youngsters had gone home Tiffany took time to reflect on the small amount of time they got off to explore one of the world’s most famous and historic cities.
“We were luckily enough to see some of the sites of London on an open-top bus tour,” she said. “We saw the London Eye, Tower Bridge, Big Ben and we really got a chance to see some of the historical things along the way - we were very lucky.”
However, the girls are over here to support their team who have so far lost all six of their games in the current NFL season and it won’t get any easier on Sunday as the Bucs will be facing the New England Patriots who can boast four wins already, a traditionally large British support and one of the games most highest profile and highest profile quarterbacks – Mr. Gisele Bündchen, also known as Tom Brady.
But the game at Wembley is something everyone is looking forward to.
“Back in Tampa we perform at the Raymond James Stadium which holds 65,000 fans, but Wembley is much bigger and we will just try to perform to our best.
“We can’t wait to until Sunday and to see how the London fans take to us, and we hope to be celebrating a Bucs win!”
For more information about Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme and its work in the east London community please call 020 8556 5973, email https://mail.locsp.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=d0653090bce14ffa9bb7fa4bc552c9a8&URL=mailto%3aenquiries%40locsp.org or visit their website at www.locsp.org
Tampa Bay Buccaneers v New England Patriots is live on Sky Sports 2 & HD2 this Sunday from 4.30pm, with highlights on BBC Two from midnight. The match is also live on BBC 5 live sports extra.
posted by Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme at
Friday, October 23, 2009
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