The New England Patriots Cheerleaders

The New England Patriots Cheerleaders have been entertaining fans at Patriots games for years, but their work as goodwill ambassadors for the team extends far beyond the sidelines of Gillette Stadium. Supporting the efforts of charitable organizations throughout New England, the cheerleaders are able to use their celebrity status to make a difference in the community. Additionally, the squad makes over 1,000 individual public appearances per year for businesses and corporations, spreading cheer to fans at a variety of events throughout New England and across the country. Those bookings include sales meetings, trade shows, award ceremonies, autograph sessions and Monday Night Football promotions, just to name a few.

While the Patriots Cheerleaders have become accustomed to entertaining thousands of Patriots fans from the sidelines, members of the squad have also regularly traveled overseas to entertain thousands of Patriots from the front lines as featured performers at various military bases on goodwill missions. The cheerleaders have performed for soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coastguardsmen in more than 25 countries since 9/11, to include over a dozen performances in combat areas at forward operating bases.

Previous overseas trips include the Citizen Patriot Tour in 2001, when members of the squad traveled with Clint Black and Al Franken, visiting troops in Germany, Kosovo, Bosnia, Macedonia and Italy. In 2002, members of the squad traveled to the North Arabian Sea to perform on the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2003, their Operation Seasons Greetings tour took them to Germany, Italy, Turkey, Portugal and England with Restless Heart. In 2004, the squad performed in two tours; the first with Hootie and the Blowfish in the Operation Pacific Greetings tour with visits to bases in Japan, South Korea and Hawaii, and the second was the Operations Season’s Greetings tour with Blues Traveler. In 2005, four cheerleaders traveled to the Persian Gulf to perform several shows for military personnel deployed in support of the Global War on Terror, as a part of a tour sponsored by Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation. The ladies also appeared with Trick Pony and John Popper in another Air Force Reserve Tour, performing for troops in Iceland, Germany, Turkey and an undisclosed location. In the spring of 2006, six Patriots cheerleaders traveled around the globe as a part of the Patriotic World Tour with Lee Greenwood, traveling to Germany, Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, Japan, South Korea and Hawaii. The second tour in 2006 took the squad to Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Germany and an undisclosed location with Jamie O’Neal, John Popper and radio host, Delilah. In 2007, the cheerleaders were back to Iraq and various other locations with Jamie O’Neal and Melina Leon.

In addition to their goodwill military missions and regular visits throughout the United States, the squad has performed and appeared at many venues including performances in Super Bowls, Pro Bowls and an American Bowl in Mexico City.

In 2007, the Patriots Cheerleaders traveled to Beijing and Shanghai, China. The tour was designed to increase awareness and interest in the NFL and the New England Patriots and to support the growing number of American Football fans there. In January, 2008, members of the squad returned to China to promote the NFL playoffs. June, 2008 marked the squad’s third trip to China. The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olmpiad invited the Patriots Cheerleaders to organize a week-long cheer/dance clinic in China for Chinese cheerleaders and dancers who performed at Olympic related events in August.

Almost 300 hopefuls competed for the opportunity to join the 2008 New England Patriots Cheerleaders. The 21 most talented young women earned that honor, including 14 returning veterans. The cheerleaders hail from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine, representing many different New England towns. Two weeks after their appointment to the squad, the cheerleaders traveled to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic to shoot their annual swimsuit calendar.

This year’s squad will continue to serve not only as day-of-game entertainers, but also as Patriots ambassadors throughout New England and around the world.

http://www.patriots.com/cheerleaders/