ANNA
2010 Argos Cheerleader
When it comes to writing about my first Grey Cup weekend, I don’t know where to start. Throughout the season I had veteran cheerleaders telling me how amazing Grey Cup was going to be but it wasn’t until we arrived in Edmonton that I realized what was ahead of me. I could not believe the sight. Die-hard fans from all over Canada coming together to represent their teams, as we performed literally from morning to night, constantly in front of cameras and thousands of people. It was truly something unbelievable.
We started every single morning by meeting downstairs in the hotel lobby at 7:30 a.m. and from then on it was non-stop dancing and interacting with fans all over Edmonton. One specific party that made the Argos Cheerleaders feel right at home was the Double Blue Bash, a party organized and given to the fans by the staff of the Toronto Argonauts. Performing at that event was like being back in our own city. I was so proud to see how many Argos fans came to Edmonton just to represent Toronto and support our team.
Another event that really blew me away was Cheer Extravaganza, an event that showcased all of the CFL cheerleading teams. This was one of the biggest Grey Cup events of the weekend. Hundreds of people came to watch each team perform all of their routines that they put together over the season. The hard work and dedication that was brought to that stage by each team was unreal. Each team brought a different vibe and represented their clubs well. We have been practicing for this event for months and we put together majority of our dances from the season into a 7 minute piece – 7 minutes of non-stop dancing, hair whips, popping and bringing that Toronto flavour to the stage. I’ll never forget how hyped our team was backstage before we went on. Between chanting “let me hear ya say TDOT OHHH..” and freestyle dancing, every other team could see that Toronto had nothing but love and pride for our team and our city.
One thing that was lacking at Grey Cup weekend was sleep but the Argos Cheerleaders kept going non-stop to our fullest potential…and when I say non-stop it was to the point where we were lining up to catch our flight back home and we were still chanting, dancing and keeping the Grey Cup spirit going.
Now that my first season as an Argos cheerleader is over, it’s amazing to look back at all the special moments I was a part of. From performing in front of tens of thousands of fans at Rogers Centre to performing at Grey Cup, it all blew me away. To be able to represent Toronto and the Argonauts while dancing with amazing girls is a blessing. I can’t believe how much I experienced throughout the whole season and I am so thankful to be a part of the Argos family.