Photo by Chris Loudermilk

PEORIA, Ill - The line stretched half-way around the outer concourse of the Peoria Civic Center Arena before I realized there were two separate lines. Where one line ended, another began.

It was Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader night at the Peoria Rivermen game.

Over 9,000 fans had turned out to see "America's Sweethearts" and many wanted their autographs before the game started. The Cheerleaders had been split up into two groups to speed things along, but the queue still almost circled the arena.

Photo by Todd Quinn

"Cheerleaders" is their name but, in reality, they are a dance team. Indeed, they are the world’s preeminent dance team and are known worldwide.

"We do draw a crowd wherever we go," Shelly Bramhall, a spokeswoman for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders stated.

The appearance by the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders did, in fact, almost double the average Peoria Rivermen attendance for the night. "It's no mystery why we brought them in," said Brendan Burke, voice of the RIvermen and Peoria's Media Director. "The attendance speaks for itself. Over 9,000 people in the building and the players respond to that kind of energy."

Photo by Chris Loudermilk

They did more than just show up, that's for certain. In addition to the pre-game autographs, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders performed two energetic dance numbers during the intermissions between periods. The large crowd responded enthusiatically.

"This is our first appearance since the Super Bowl, "said Bramhall of the Cheerleaders schedule. "But we had three or four appearances a day during the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl in Dallas."

Bramhall danced with the team for five years and is now a team spokesman. "We'll have about 150 appearances this year, total."

Of those appearances, Bramhall says that the favorite ones are always with the USO, entertaining U.S. soldiers around the world.

Photo by Todd Quinn

"Those are the most special and the most fun," Bramhall said.

The 34 women who make up the team are winding up their year. There will be try-outs for the next team on May 15. Then, in June or July, a new group of Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, the 40th edition of the storied dance team, will start to tour again.

Contact the author: Shaun.Bill@ProHockeyNews.com