A home away from home....

Walking into Fortress Brookie is always such a thrill for me and for some sweet reason the place just lights me up from the inside out. It’s like a little burst of fireworks goes off inside of me each and every time i walk through the gates and see my “Manly Family”. It becomes a second home of sorts from March through to October each year, a club house and all round girlie retreat!

We are so blessed at Manly to have our own little Seabird hideaway within a fortress that is spilling over with testosterone, sweat and grunt in the truckloads. It is a sanctuary of glittery pink for 20 special ladies each game day with a smorgasbord of treats, candy, make-up, tanning products, hairspray and hair appliances where we can be as girlie, giggly and as excitable as we please. It’s a women’s wonderland that attracts not only the cheerleaders but many of the female staffers at Manly too - everyone wants a slice of game day heaven!

Director Monique Carroll

The only boy with a pass into the room (besides Hugh Jackman of course) is our rad game day boy – Blake - who keeps us on track for time and leaves us notes on the mirror like “show those fans what your made of”, “it’s game day girls- you better bring it” and “there’s a reason we are in the top 4 of game day entertainment – work it girls!”. Needless to say – Blake is such a laugh and his notes get better and better each game.

Hugh Jackman stopped by

Blake celebrating his 21st in the aviary

The cheerleaders are hard to miss walking in at Brookie Oval as we each pull along a big bright pink suitcase containing all our game day goodies, uniform and boots! We all help each other out on games days so its hard to have a bad hair or make up day with so many girls on hand to asssist! When arriving some of the girls are still cooking their curls in rollers while others are busily rushing along to grab a prime position in front of the big mirrors to get finishing touches on their “game day glam” underway! This is normally what i do – i have been known to squeeze into my favourite little spot on the floor (which is conveniently right next to the food) fussing over myself for far too long and eating waaaay too many treats! Why not make the most of things i say?! Curler in one hand – Snickers Pods in the other! It’s a win win for all really! ha.

So here is the spot girlfriends - so much access to the powerpoints and more importantly - the food!

Our game day spreads are such a treat!

You see - i have held this spot for a number of seasons now haha

Our scrumptious pink suit cases

Shannon with her pink suit case

Our locker space is such a surprise each game day. Monique always has some sort of special treat up her sleeve for us whether its photo’s printed out, sparkly new Seabirds apparel, adorable bunting and flowers or presents from our sponsor Tech Titan. The room never looks the same and we are always kept on our toes never expecting the expected - Monique once decorated our entire room with balloons, streamers and sparklers while we were out on the field cheering!

If there is one thing out of a million fabulous things i could tell you about Monique it is that she is beyond generous and giving with us all. We know how lucky we are and appreciate every little thing because we see how much hard work and love goes into everything that comes our way

Surprise party monique whipped together for us while we were dancing on the field!

The entry to the Seabird locker room

Each game we vote for "Cheerleaders Cheerleader"

Mother's Day in the Aviary

SO in true Monique Carroll fashion – she went and blew our minds again this past Friday night game! It actually makes me laugh thinking about it as just when you think she couldn’t possibly out do herself – she goes and does it again!

As i walked through the gates of the “players entrance” and approached the big maroon door with the silver engraved name plaque “CHEERGIRLS” something was different about the mood – you can normally hear laughter and squeals but this time it was different - it was quiet and full of whispering. When i suspiciously turned the door knob and entered the room the lights were off and there in the middle of the room surrounded by 7 early arriving Seabirds was Monique under a glow of fairy lights with a huge cheshire cat grin on her face saying “SURPRISE!!!!”. The room had gone Hollywood with each Cheerleaders locker space installed with down lights above their seabird image adding even more glam to the already uber faboosh room!!

eeeekk isn't it speical?!

Amy trying out her lights

Our new sparkly seabird apparel

Turn all the lights on!

Holy Moly is was fun with hilarious comments flying around like “MTV pimped our ride”. Each girl had lots of afternoon delights waiting for them in their lockers too with a new pink seabirds t-shirt, a rhinestone bedazzled long sleeve seabirds top and an array of bikini pictures printed out from our shoot this year. We were well and truly spoilt and love love love our new pimped out space!!