The preliminary audition for Football's Fabulous Females was held on Sunday at the Hilton Oakland Airport. Nearly 300 candidates attended in the hopes of making it to the finals on April 22. "We've had women come in that pre-registered and walked in and they're willing to go through the ropes for what it takes to be a Fabulous Female," explained former Raiderette Serrita.
Raiderette hopeful, Jalina, who took advantage of the Prep Class prior to auditions, was relieved and proud to have completed her first NFL-cheerleading tryout. "I'm just patting myself on the back for just actually having the chutzpah to actually get up there and do this," said Jalina. "This is my first time ever auditioning for an NFL team and I had no clue what to expect. You hear so many stories from either girls who have gone through it before or were on the team, but you just really never know what to expect. Once you get in there you just take a deep breath and go for it and I went for it. I'm happy I did it."
Although many of the hopefuls were nervous, they soaked up the experience. "I enjoyed it," said Ashley. "I think you kind of get yourself worked up, but once you get in there, it's not that bad."
"It was exciting," said Lindsey. "We're all excited to be here, but a little nerve racking."
While the participants waited their turn to meet the judges or hear the results, they interacted with the hundreds of other ladies, establishing friendships with potential teammates. "I met a lot of people at my table and also got to reconvene with some girls I already knew prior to coming here, which was nice," said Jalina.
At the end of the day, the finalists' numbers were called. Those candidates, along with returning Raiderettes, will attend two classes to learn the final audition routine, that they will be perform for the judges at the Final Audition.
Visit Raiders.com on Sunday, April 22, for live coverage of the Finals.
