SAINTS CHEER KREWEUNFILTERED

The Krewe spills the tea on stereotypes, hard work, and what it takes to make the field.

By Robert Witkowski

Many think the Saints Cheer Krewe’s job is just to show up on game day and look pretty,” says Sara Anderson, Director of Entertainment Teams. “Most people don’t know how much the Krewe put into this team, how much I ask, the time commitment, and all the external activities: charity appearances, public and private events, even getting them out to the fans in Champions Square before the game until kickoff.”

KEEpINg IT REaL

Saints Cheer Krewe members Jade Taylor, Sarah Wolfe, and Lakyn Ward agree that inaccurate stereotypes persist and want to set the record straight.

“People think we aren’t super professional or intelligent,” Taylor says. “We have doctors, STEM teachers, educators, nurses, and Carter [Healthcare] nurse educators cheering.”

“I’m asked, ‘Is that your only job?’” says Wolfe. “No. We have a variety of jobs and professions. People don’t understand the time commitment and time management required juggling jobs, family, friends.”

BaLaNcINg acT

More than the time commitment, maintaining their skills is a top priority. Anderson—called “Mother” by the Krewe members—lives up to her nickname with tough love leading her team members. “We are not looking for a certain number of blondes, brunettes, or body types. We want athleticism and professionalism.”

The 2023 roster includes ages from 18 to the mid-30s. And the “Krewe members sign up for certain expectations” that Anderson and the Krewe coaches set.

“It’s about balancing real adult life and enjoying your passion,” says Ward.

Alexis Moran adds, “Diversity in the color skin, shape, and size of the members moves far away from the superficial.”

goINg pRo

The Saints Cheer Krewe talent comes also from various origins, with unusual connections.

“I did gymnastics off and on in high school,” Taylor explains. “I tried out for competitive cheer at LSU but didn’t make it. If I had, I would not be on this Krewe. God works it all out.”

Mississippi native Tyler Simmons moved to Louisiana to cheer, spying an ad calling for male NFL cheerleaders. “I said, ‘I’m gonna go for it,’” Simmons recalls.

Celebrating in Champions Square before a Saints game, Dylan Avery saw the Saints Cheer Krewe perform. A former cheerleader at Florida State University, Avery was excited to see there were males on a professional NFL cheer team. "I was shocked thinking, that's a thing?" he laughs. He approached the closest one—Tyler Simmons—and asked, “How do I do this?” The rest is his-story.

“The very first team years and years and years ago was a coed cheer and dance team,” Anderson extolls. With a “clear vision from day one,” males were reintroduced into the Cheer Krewe.

REspEcTINg ThE BRaND

A former dancer for the Pelicans basketball team, Anderson was tapped to lead the Saints Cheer Krewe when it was formed in 2021, evolving the all-dance Saintsations into one combined cheer/dance team.

“I had a moment of panic. I’m a dancer, not a cheerleader,” she admits. “But I was an LSU Tiger girl and loved watching cheer. I took my knowledge to mesh different sports. Once we rebranded Saints Cheer Krewe, I immediately set out to find ways to make them one. A huge part of what we do is to best represent the Saints brand.”

Things came to a halt during the late 70s. But what happened some years later changed the pace of what would become one of the most recognizable NFL sideline performance teams of all times.

Two Became One

In 1987, the standing General Manager of the Saints, Jim Finks, proposed bringing back a dance team to the Superdome sidelines. Under his suggestion, this team would merge the cheerleaders and dancers creating a world of dance, acrobatics, and cheer performances. The Saints then hired Sandra Labourdette, a prominent dance studio owner, to work as the official choreographer.

With 25 plus dancers chosen, the group was initially called the Saints Dancers. The name was later changed to the Saintsations after fans voted on the best name for the team that would be performing and cheering on the Saints for years to come. While the new team started out small, it grew over the years not only in size, but also in popularity. Many fans who attended the football games equally enjoyed watching the Saintsations perform and interact with the crowd.

Major Name Change

While the cheer crew has changed their name over the years, the name change in 2021 came to fans as a major surprise—it was hard for many to fathom calling the team anything other than the Saintsations.

In December of 2021, the New Orleans Saints shocked many fans with the following post, “We asked Saints nation to tell us what we should call our new entertainment team, which includes the region’s best dancers, cheerleaders, and stunters. With help from our fans, this team will now be known as the Saints Cheer Krewe.”

With a new name came new members, incorporating more male cheerleaders, more stunts, more equality, and more diversity. Though changes have been made to the team, it remains a team of some of the best cheer athletes in the city.

More Than A Cheer Team

The Saints Cheer Krewe is best known for their support on the field, but don’t be mistaken, this team has always been involved in a plethora of activities outside of the Superdome. Not only are the Cheer members often hired to attend other private and public events, but being a part of the cheer squad has opened up many future opportunities for the members of the crew. Many Saints Cheerleaders move on into amazing careers and in some instances receive a bit of fame.

The cheer crew is also known for its philanthropic works throughout the years. It is common to see the Saints Cheer Krewe at charity events, inside schools, supporting the Jr. Saints Krewe and much more. They’ve been involved in causes from the Muscular Dystrophy Association to becoming international ambassadors of Goodwill.

Today’s Saints Cheer Krewe is an amazing group of talented dancers, stunters, and performers, coming from all walks of life. With the new inclusivity, this team is certainly destined to become the best NFL performance team of all time.

Generations Hall