Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Being a Cleveland Cavalier Girl

By Alaina Nutile on Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 12:59 pm

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In case your memory needs jogging, the Cleveland Cavalier Girls is a group of 18 young women who dance, cheer, and rally fans at every Cavs home game at Quicken Loans Arena.

They are a dynamic, talented, and- above all- athletic bunch, dedicated to bringing top-notch performances to the Quicken Loans court night after night all throughout basketball season.

You may know them by their glittery gold pom poms, knee-high boots, and pretty faces by night, but by day these women are multi-degree seeking students, executive assistants, accountants, and nannies.

They are also queens of time management and personal fitness, and are role models to hundreds of young fans throughout the state.

Last night we attended a Cavalier Girls practice at the Q and chatted with some of the girls, including team veterans Elise, Erica, Brittany, Tiffany, Shannon, and Kellyn.

Here's what they told us about the tryout process, their lives off the court, and the fans who ask them out.

Note, some answers are generated from the combined responses of the six women interviewed.

Slideshow

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Being a Cleveland Cavalier Girl

A: You want to be as well rounded as possible. Be yourself. Stay true to who you are. If you enjoy what you're doing, it shows through. Just to go for it. Some of us didn't make the team the first time. Just keep trying. Don't be afraid. You just have to have the heart for it. If you're willing to put in the work, it'll all pay off.

A: We went to the gym a lot, conditioned and stretched, and practiced our techniques. We ate right. Some of us danced a lot in front of mirrors, because that's really the only way you can progress, if you know what your body can do. The workshops that they offer are also huge. If you're a veteran Cavs Girl, there's a lot more pressure each year you audition. You really have to earn your spot back and show that you're better than the year before because you never know what kind of talent will walk through that door to compete for your place.

A: We're goofy. We are quirky. We like to have a good time and there's never a dull moment. We're together so much, we literally become like sisters.

A: "No. That's strictly against our contract. It's the same thing in any workplace, you want to stay professional. We're cordial with everyone in the arena, but at the end of the day we have a job to do, and they have a job to do. We just do our jobs," said Cavs Girl Elise.

A: There are no particular size requirements. They tell us to be our personal best, like the healthiest, most fit you can be. A lot of people think there are measurement requirements, but there's not at all. There are a ton of different shapes and sizes on the team. We practice three times a week, and we all work out on our own. We also have access to a trainer who helps us with meal plans and all that.

A: There's an equal number of vets and rookies this year. We're 9 and 9.

A: A lot of us come from different backgrounds. You have the girls who grew up doing dance competitions, then you have a of couple girls who were ballet dancers, and then we also have girls who were just cheerleaders and gymnasts. Because we're so diverse we have a team that can do a ton of different things, and our coach, Jami Taylor, does a really good job of taking advantage of that and highlighting everyone's strengths.

Click to View 20 slides

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About The Author

Alaina Nutile

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Alaina Nutile is the Web Editor who oversees all digital content and social media initiatives for Cleveland Scene Magazine and Detroit Metro Times. Before joining the staff in June 2013, she interned at Business Insider in New York City, and at La Hora in Quito, Ecuador. Alaina is a graduate of Kalamazoo College...

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