照片 courtesy of the Indiana Pacers
When Jenna 舒尔茨 is at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, she is a typical student. When she’s out with the Pacemates, she’s a star.
的Pacemates, the official dance team of the Indiana Pacers, are known for taking to the floor at Conseco Fieldhouse and giving Pacers fans something to cheer about while their favorite players are off the court. During the National Basketball Association (NBA) lockout, the Pacemates have instead taken their show on the road, interacting with fans outside of the stadium and trying to keep the connection between the Pacers and the community alive.
“We want to keep the fans motivated until the men start playing again,” 舒尔茨, sophomore, said. Besides community appearances, the Pacemates have been doing radio spots and keeping their website up-to-date with new pictures. “We recently had a Halloween contest, where you voted for your favorite Pacemate,舒尔茨说. “我是一个女牛仔.”
舒尔茨, 谁来自特雷霍特, IN, is a rookie to the Pacemates but has been dancing for 12 years. “I’ve been dancing since kindergarten,舒尔茨说. “I did dance team all through middle school, and in high school it really became a passion.“多年来, 舒尔茨 had dreamed of dancing for the NBA and the Pacers, so when the opportunity to tryout presented itself, 她无法拒绝. “我还那么年轻, 我认为, why don’t I go try and if I don’t make it, 我还能活很多年呢,”她说。.
经过一段艰苦的, 为期一周的选拔过程, which included quickly learning new choreography and taking part in an impromptu photo-shoot, around 200 dancers were narrowed down to the 13 who would make up the official dance squad. “I was happy I was one of the first names to be called because I couldn’t have taken the suspense,舒尔茨说. “这是一个很大的梦想. 我很高兴我做到了.”
Both as a marketing student at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and as a Pacemate, 舒尔茨 recognizes the importance of hard work. “You have to put your all into it,舒尔茨说. “If you slack, it’s just going to mess up everything.You have to be determined and never give up.”
Another important aspect of being both a dancer and a college student is preparation. “A lot of the girls have other jobs and a lot of them are commuters like me,舒尔茨说. “We learn routines and then it’s your job, once you’re not at practice, to study those routines. It’s the same as with your classes. You have to do your homework, you have to study for your exams, 所以在你上课的时候, you can put your best foot forward.”
Because this is her first year as a Pacemate, the NBA lockout has so far prevented 舒尔茨 from fulfilling her dream of dancing during an NBA game. “I love doing the appearances and I love going round the community, 但它在戏弄我,舒尔茨说. “I’m like right there, so I just want to be on the floor dancing, but….她叹了口气，笑了. “很快，很快.” In the meantime, 舒尔茨 is enjoying getting to know the fans. “It’s not just strictly dance,舒尔茨说. “I get to represent something and I enjoy that too, that and being around people.”
One of 舒尔茨’s favorite community appearances was a couple of weeks ago, when the Pacemates visited a zoo. “These little kids would run up to you and say ‘Oh, I see you at the games!’ And they get so excited when you can sign their autograph and take a picture with them,舒尔茨说. “My favorites are the little boys that say they want their picture taken and then when it’s time to take it, they turn bright red and they won’t even look at you.”
Mostly, what 舒尔茨 enjoys about the Pacers’ community of fans is their enthusiasm. “The way things go anymore, like with the economy, people are always down on things. And it’s good to see people get excited about something as simple as a basketball game or a team,舒尔茨说. She may be eager to take to center court, 但是现在, she is content to look forward to all that is to come. “It just shows how important one team can be to people,舒尔茨说.