Gold Rush Cheerleader Jackie is representing the San Francisco 49ers at the 2009 Pro Bowl. Keep up to date on all that she's been doing in her fifth and sixthPro Bowl diary entries.
Day 5
Saturday morning marked Ohana Day at Aloha Stadium. Ohana means "family" in English so today was all about family and fun. During Ohana day fans had the chance to watch the players practice, the cheerleaders perform and some lucky participants even got the chance to catch a couple of short passes from Kurt Warner (starting quarterback for the NFC). For all of the cheerleaders, Ohana Day was also a chance to rehearse for the big game. It helped get out those pregame jitters most of us were feeling. The event was open to the public which I thought was amazing! This gave locals and other NFL fans that might not have been able to attend the game a chance to take part in the football activities leading up to kick off.
After leaving the stadium we headed over to Waikiki beach for the annual Block Party. During this event the streets of downtown Waikiki are blocked off so that stages and different vendor booths can be set up. The Block Party draws thousands of fans who come to watch the cheerleaders perform, listen to the players speak and also meet and take photos with players, cheerleaders and other celebrities. I was stationed at the Sports Zone which was a dream come true. While most of the other girls were performing, myself and three others (Broncos, Chargers and Redskins representatives) were involved in an interview segment with other athletes. Since joining the 49er family it's been no secret about my passion for football so it was no surprise that I was trusted to talk sports with the best of the best.
Today has been extremely long but very rewarding at the same time. On a positive note, I feel very prepared for tomorrow's game. Well, I guess it's time to get some rest. ALOHA!!!!!
Day 6
It's finally game day 49er fans and I can't find the words to express my excitement. We had a bright and early meeting time (6:45a.m.) for a pregame meal and then headed straight to the stadium. Something that definitely deserves mention was the fact that we had police escorts to the game; we all agreed it was our mini rock-star moment. After a quick run through on the field we headed over to the VIP Tailgate party for a couple performances. Then, all of a sudden it was kickoff time. Cheering in the NFL Pro Bowl was like nothing I had ever experienced. I felt such a sense of pride and honor for the Bay Area and San Francisco. It was scorching hot down at field level but with that said, I've never been so happy to be a sweaty mess. I thought to myself more than once that this was the sweat of my teammates back home. When I started to lose my energy I would picture their faces and think of all the joy they've brought me over the past four seasons. I may have been the only Gold Rush cheerleader out on the field but my teammates were with me in spirit every step of the way. I can't thank them enough!!!!
I'd like to thank the York family, my directors and my teammates for such an amazing experience. So for the last time, Aloha!!!!!
