Top Five Most Marketable Oakland Raiderettes Cheerleaders: A Fan’s View

According to a www.raiders.com report, preliminary auditions for the 2012 Oakland Raiders' cheerleading team are slated for Sunday, April 15, 2012 at the Hilton Oakland Airport in Oakland, CA.

"The Oakland Raiders are searching for enthusiastic and talented candidates for their renowned public relations and entertainment team - The Raiderettes - Football's Fabulous Females," says the team website. "Become a part of the prestigious Oakland Raiders by auditioning for the 2012 Oakland Raiderettes Professional Cheerleading Squad."

In honor of the season ahead, here's a look back at the top five most marketable Oakland Raiderettes from the 2011 roster:

Chanel

Chanel, a rookie Raiderette in 2011, is absolutely beautiful and her dance moves are quite impressive.

According to her bio on the team website, she wants to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising to become a stylist and her dream job is to be a stylist for Vogue magazine.

Chanel became a fan favorite on the sidelines last year in Oakland by shaking off the rookie jitters to become a dance-savvy veteran.

Angel

With a name like Angel, it's quite fitting that her smile and cheering are so heavenly.

Angel has been a part of the Raiders organization for each of the past five seasons, and she feels as though being part of the Raiders organization has helped her "grow and mature" as a person.

According to her bio on the team site, her favorite memory as a Raiderette was when the team kept performing despite technical difficulties in the music department. "During the Jingle Bell pregame routine, the music cut out and rather than stopping, the Raiderettes did not miss a beat," the site says. "After the game, the squad watched the tape of the performance and realized, if you watch the performance without sound, you would never notice that the music went out. For Angel, and the rest of the Raiderettes, it was a proud moment."

Tiphanie

Tiphanie, a fourth-year pro cheerleader on the Raiderettes' roster, is also a dance teacher and coach of the Fresno State dance team. She is the complete package of style, grace, charm and beauty. I even like the unique way she spells her name.

According to her bio on the team site, "she was a jazz and ballet dancer, but decided to pick up Scottish dancing for one year as a child because her grandfather was from Scotland. She wanted to learn the dance in order to perform for him before he went blind. It was a special moment for Tiphanie's family."

Sarah Marie

How many cheerleaders are also law students? I don't know the exact answer, but it seems like a rare combination to me because both areas take a lot of time and discipline.

Sarah Marie took some time off from the Raiderettes to focus on her first year of law school, but she's back in the fold and ready for another season of cheering.

According to her athlete bio, she is "dedicated to community service, performing numerous hours of volunteer legal work helping low-income families, and servicemen and women. Due to her community commitment, she was inducted into her law school's Pro Bono Honors Society. Sarah Marie feels that a small action can make a world of difference in someone else's life."

Staci

I like Staci because she has the classic All-American cheerleader look - wavy blond hair, beautiful eyes and a jaw-dropping body. However, she backs up her killer looks with some serious dance moves.

She recently wrapped up her third season as a Raiderette. According to her team bio, "she loves watching people of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds cheer together as the Raider Nation." I appreciate her love and awareness of the importance of cultural diversity in the NFL.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan, but he cheers on all of the hard-working and dedicated cheerleaders across the NFL. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.

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