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Tag: Cheerleader

  • Ravens Cheerleader Fall: Woman Released After Several Days In Hospital

    An unnamed Baltimore Ravens cheerleader was released from the hospital on Tuesday following a terrible fall during a routine.

    The incident occurred when the Ravens faced the Tennessee Titans.

    According to eyewitness accounts, a dark-haired cheerleader was thrown high into the air.

    The Ravens cheerleader was supposed to land safely. Instead, witnesses say she fell hard, landing on her neck.

    One fan tweeted of the incident, “Everyone please pray for a [R]avens cheerleader. I just watched her get put in the air and then dropped on her neck, and its pretty serious.”

    According to the Birdland Central Twitter account, the cheerleader was laid out the field for 10 to 15 minutes.

    A photographer who witnessed the incident told CBS News that the injured woman was crying and appeared to be hyperventilating.

    She was eventually stabilized by members of the Ravens’ medical staff and then carried off the field on the back of a cart.

    A spokesperson for the Baltimore Ravens said the injured cheerleader was taken to a nearby hospital as a matter of precaution.

    Though some feared the terrible fall would leave her paralyzed, a number of tests performed by doctors suggest she’ll be just fine.

    “The cheerleader was taken to a hospital for precautionary tests,” the Ravens spokesperson told the Baltimore Sun. “Everything came back clear.”

    When she was released on Tuesday, the Baltimore Ravens cheerleader was reportedly able to walk out of the facility.

    The incident was no doubt harrowing for the cheerleader and her friends and family.

    It also acted as a reminder that although NFL cheerleaders are known for their beauty and skimpy outfits, these women are also brave athletes whose performances can result in serious injuries.

    In fact, the evolution of cheerleader in previous decades is believed to be responsible for an increase in serious injuries.

  • Ravens Cheerleader Leaves Hospital After Hard Fall

    A Baltimore Ravens cheerleader was injured during a game Sunday, and was carted off the sideline in a stretcher after being stabilized by team medics. She was then transported to an area hospital.

    The unidentified woman hit the turf hard after a botched aerial stunt, as the Ravens faced the Tennessee Titans. She was treated for head, neck and back injuries, and a spokesman for Baltimore said she was able to walk out of the hospital unassisted.

    Cheerleading is a risky sport – Of the 2.9 million female high school athletes in the U.S., only three percent are cheerleaders, though account for 65% of all sports injuries.

    The Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders team was founded in 1998, and has a co-ed squad, which is a bit unconventional. The 31 females on the team handle the dancing, and the males handle the stunts.

    Notable former members of the Ravens team include WWE Diva and once George Clooney love interest Stacy Keibler, and Molly Shattuck, who was recently charged with raping a 15-year-old boy.

    Shattuck, 47, who was once the oldest cheerleader in the NFL at age 38, posted an $84,000 bail Wednesday after being arrested on two counts of third-degree rape, four counts of unlawful sexual contact and three counts of providing alcohol to minors. The abuse began when Shattuck posted a compliment on the victim’s Instagram account.

    People Magazine has obtained court documents revealing that Shattuck’s son, or someone posing as him, mailed the victim Shattucks’s phone number on Instagram, and wrote, “You should text my mom, she is obsessed with you.”

    Police say the initial exchanges between Shattuck and the victim were very tame, though the tone changed after the sex incident at a Labor Day beach house party. Shattuck faces up to 25 years in prison.

    Shattuck’s attorney Michelle Lipkowitz commented, “This is a difficult situation for everyone involved. That’s all we have today.”

  • Ravens Cheerleader Injured During Game

    A Baltimore Ravens cheerleader was injured during a game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, November 9.

    According to the Baltimore Sun, the unnamed cheerleader was mid-stunt when she fell to the ground, landing on her head and neck. Onlookers said they could see the girl hyperventilating and crying after the fall. After being attended to for 15 minutes on the field, paramedics took the girl off the field on a stretcher.

    The cheerleader was taken to a nearby hospital to undergo precautionary tests, and was later released, according to a spokesperson for the Ravens.

    Rob Carr, a Getty Images photographer, captured a photograph of the fall and sent a text message saying “it was bad.”

    This is the second time the Ravens cheerleaders have been in the news this week. Former Baltimore Ravens cheerleader Molly Shattuck, 47, was recently charged with raping a 15-year-old boy. According to police, Shattuck’s charges include third-degree rape, unlawful sexual contact and providing alcohol to minors.

    Shattuck joined the Ravens in 2005 at age 38, making her the oldest cheerleader in the NFL. According to the Delaware State Police department, the assault “began in the area in which they resided near Baltimore, Maryland, and culminated with Shattuck providing alcohol to minors and engaging in sexual relationship with the 15-year-old male at a vacation rental home in Bethany Beach, Delaware, over Labor Day weekend.”

  • Eagles Cheerleader Now A Soldier In Afghanistan

    From a pro football cheerleader for the Eagles to an army soldier is quite a leap. But for Rachel Washburn, who obviously has the smarts to do more, left the fluff scene for a position as an Army intelligence officer with a special ops unit in Afghanistan.

    She is also on a mission to connect with the local women, something that would be a big cultural no-no for men. Washburn says, she would wear “a pretty head scarf” to help connect with Afghan women. She also helped deliver an Afghan baby during a snowstorm. What can’t this beautiful woman do?

    Washburn, 25, who recently returned from her second tour in Afghanistan, will be honored Sunday night as a “Hometown Hero” by the Eagles.

    When USA Today asked her about the reactions she received from her fellow soldiers, she simply said, “Initially, it was kind of a novelty to people I met if they ever found out.”

    And further, “It’s kind of a bit of a shock. You don’t expect those two things to go hand in hand with one person.”

    But Rachel was involved in the military, in one way or another, most of her life. Her father was an Army helicopter pilot and Air Force fighter pilot which uprooted her family 17 or 18 times. She was also an Army ROTC student during her three seasons with the Eagles.

    “ROTC is a very canned version of what the military is going to be. So getting to actually talk to people who are in the military and doing their jobs day in and day out … was very eye opening,” she said. “It was kind of what re-lit the fire and my passion for the military.”

    Washburn is also a History major at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

    According to Washburn, her military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Action Badge, Airborne Badge and Air Assault Badge.

    Washburn also said she has about a year left in the Army, but she is considering signing on for a few more years. “There are some opportunities that are enticing me.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Cheerleader with Down Syndrome Returns to Squad

    Last month, a young cheerleader with Down Syndrome made national headlines when she was called a “liability” and was removed from her school’s cheerleading squad.

    Now, after coming to an agreement with the school district, 16-year-old, Brittany Davila has finally been able to rejoin her squad on the sidelines.

    The story first made headlines when Davila was told to cheer in the stands during a recent volleyball game. The district later called this a “misunderstanding”.

    “We admit there were some miscommunications but the fact that when we were finally able to meet with the family, everything was resolved in about five minutes, that really says a lot about how far apart we were,” Deer Park ISD Spokesman, Matt Lucas, said.

    Davila has been an honorary member of the squad, which allows her to participate in the cheers, but doesn’t allow her to perform in the stunt groups or compete in competitions.

    “It really is amazing. I’m so proud of Brittany because she’s done all the things we’ve asked her to do and more,” said Sara Washington, the captain of the Deer Park freshman cheerleading squad. “She helps us stay on track if we are talking she’s like get in line. She calls ready for us sometimes, practices with us and is so sweet,” she continued. “She’s perfect for this, this is what she was made to do.”

    Davila’s mother and grandmother were seen cheering her on in the stands. Bunny Davila said, “She was a little nervous when we were walking up here, but now that she’s down there, she’s in her groove, I guess.”

    “I think it’s just beyond belief. It’s just amazing that they let her do this,” says Jyeneece Robbins, Davila’s Grandmother. “She’s happy because she’s doing what she loves to do.”

    Image via Thinkstock

  • Naya Rivera Is Engaged To Rapper Big Sean

    Naya Rivera is officially engaged to Big Sean after months of dating. The couple have been together for six months and that was enough time for Big Sean to decide to pop the question. Rivera, an actress who has become well-known for the part that she has on Glee is certainly filled with glee right now, after announcing her engagement to the famous rapper to the public.

    She has gained critical acclaim and became known to the public after being cast as Santana Lopez, a cheerleader on Glee. Her character tends to come off as a bit vicious, but often shows her softer side when interacting with Brittany (Heather Morris), the other prominent cheerleader on the show. She has said that she wanted to audition for the role after becoming a fan of Ryan Murphy’s work on Nip/Tuck.

    The couple admits that they met through interactions on Twitter. They continued to send messages back and forth until the 140 character limit was just not enough, according to People Magazine. It was reported that the interactions started when Rivera started following him and he returned the favor by sending her a message and told her that he was a fan of her work. They are only a year apart with Rivera at age 26 and Big Sean, 25.

    Her and Big Sean also recorded a single together that was released in September. He is a special guest on her new single “Sorry,” and the song will appear on her forthcoming album which will be released in 2014. She describes her music as R&B, pop and rhythmic pop with a “90s flair, states CBS News. She signed a recording contract with Columbia Records to produce her debut album.

    The couple went public with their relationship about six months ago, and recently Rivera was spotted with an engagement ring at Latina Magazine’s Hollywood Hot List bash. Rivera said of the relationship, “We went to dinner and the rest is history.”

    Image via Youtube

  • Paris Jackson: NFL “Offers” Her a Cheerleading Job

    Last week, Paris Jackson, the daughter of pop icon Michael Jackson, was spotted on the cheerleading squad for her L.A. school, The Buckley School. She showed off her short-cropped hair while cheering for her school’s basketball team.

    Now, TMZ is reporting that Paris might have a shot at becoming an NFL cheerleader. The publication spoke to Barbara Zaun, director of cheerleading for the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders. Zaun was effusive with her praise for Jackson and even suggested that she try out for the Eagles cheerleading squad. From the TMZ report:

    “We thought that she had a lot of poise, confidence, and enthusiasm in her cheer performance,” Zaun says … adding, “Paris has that ‘wow factor’ that makes a great cheerleader.”

    Zaun also told TMZ, “We hope that she will try out for the team and be an Eagles cheerleader.”

    Jackson will have to wait until she is 18 to try out for the Eagles, and even then it isn’t clear from the leaked video that she has the skills to be an NFL cheerleader. Still, no NFL team would pass up the publicity of having Michael Jackson’s daughter on their cheerleading squad, so this “offer” is probably at least half-serious.

  • Sharon Simmons Gets Next Media Animation Treatment

    If you haven’t heard of Sharon Simmons, you might want to dust your Google skills off. She’s the 55 year old grandmother who tried out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Apparently, it’s always been a dream of Simmons’, one that apparently got sidetracked when she gave birth to her daughter.

    Simmons also says she lacked the ability and the courage all those years ago.

    Now, apparently, is her time to shine, or at least hold on to her fleeting youth as strongly as she can. I’m not trying to be flippant here, but after seeing her images after a quick Google Images search, I’m convinced this is the kind of woman who would willingly shop at Forever 21, not that there’s anything wrong with that. It’s also pretty clear she should give at least some partial credit to Photoshop’s filters for her smoothed out appearance.

    For instance, compare the following photos (here and here) and if I’m wrong about the filter use, I’ll certainly apologize.

    Digression aside, you can’t knock someone for pursuing their dreams, no matter how much it screams “pay attention to me!!!!” Another service that didn’t miss out on Simmons’ cheerleader audition is the group at Next Media Animation, the animated satirical look at the news from our friends in Taiwan. Their take is pretty funny, and it feels like there’s a hint of accuracy in it, especially when Simmons gives birth:


    Facetiousness aside, more power to Simmons for pursuing her dream, and if she makes the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, she’ll be the oldest to do so by almost 13 years. The Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader squad includes Laura Vikmanis, who holds the record for being the oldest cheerleader in the NFL. Does Vikmanis view Simmons as a challenge or is there room for more grandmothers in the world of cheerleading?

    [Via With Leather]