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Dance Team Promotes Shamrox in Off-Season
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December 19, 2007 / Adam Musto
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 Shamrox Dance Team at the Sears Centre Arena
 Chicago Shamrox Dance Team in 2007
Unfortunately for the fans that enjoy interacting with their favorite players, most of the athletes do not live nearby.
Of all the athletes, nearly 75% are Canadian and move back over the border in the off-season and some play outdoor lacrosse while others play box lacrosse up in Canada. The majority of the remaining 25% are American, but most do not live in the hometowns of the teams they play for.
Luckily, the Chicago Shamrox Dance Team helps fill that void in the off-season.
Ever since Chicago finished its inaugural season, the dance team has been out in the community performing and entertaining fans in various locations and functions.
The dance team began forming at the end of September for the 2008 campaign, but in October the NLL could not reach a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and canceled the season. The dance team was basically told the season would not go on and it decided to switch gears and turn itself into a promotional team.
Later in the month, the league announced it had reached a new deal and released a new schedule. The hiatus pushed back the dance team’s schedule and in essence, the girls have been practicing their routine for just over a month.
This season, the tryouts for the dance team were extremely and incredibly competitive. The 117 hopefuls created high competition for each other and the team was forced to cut some veterans while searching for talent and personality.
“We wanted to see whether they could perform and engage the crowd,” said Dance Team Director Kim Brancamp. “Our goal is for no one to leave their seats during the game.”
Following the Shamrox fan oriented philosophy; the dance team prides itself on being accessible and approachable. The players and dance team member all remain on the field after games for photos and autographs with the fans.
“We don’t just dance, we perform,” said Brancamp. “And we want the fans to engage in it.”
This off season, the team has received many requests and after performing at a NCAA basketball game at the Sears Centre, the team is hoping to get invited to the Support the Troops Tour. If invited, the team would perform overseas in Europe for the troops serving their country.
In the final month before the season starts, the dance team will take part in a promotion called Countdown to Faceoff. Last year the team made 28 appearances between December 1 and December 28 right before the season began. This year the team has 14 booked appearances as it makes its final run before the season.
Please check the web site for a full list of appearances by the dance team and players.
Tickets are now on sale for the January 5 “Home Opener” as well as all individual games for the entire 2008 season. Individual tickets can be purchased by calling the Sears Centre box office at 888-SEARSTIX or by going online at www.searscentre.com. Season and group tickets, featuring discounts and benefits, can be purchased by calling the Shamrox front office at 877-SHAMROX. The Shamrox take the field for their second season in Chicago on January 5 when they play the Toronto Rock at 7pm at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates. The 2008 season features 8 home games that are played on weekend dates. During the Inaugural Season in 2007, the Shamrox drew an average attendance of 6,025 and a record of 6-10, with the team missing the playoffs by a tie breaker.
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