Veteran Jamie Schulte, back for her fourth year on the squad, was one of 30 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders named on Friday

Training camp is over and the final roster is in.

Don't worry, you didn't sleep through the summer. The 80 players vying to make Tampa Bay's roster will still do battle in August, but an equally intense three-week competition just ended and the results are just as exciting. The 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders have been chosen. A complete list of their names is below.

Directed by Cheerleading Coordinator Carole A. Wood, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders consist of a 30-women squad that provides entertainment at all Buccaneers home games and promotes the team throughout the Bay area. It is formed anew each spring through a rigorous round of training, auditions and interviews designed to pare hundreds of qualified candidates down to the final crew of 30.

The last stage, just completed this week, is known as 'Training Camp' and is used to select the eventual squad from 42 fabulous finalists. Just like the players' three-week trial in July and August, the cheerleaders' camp centers around a series of crucial practices, or mock rehearsals. At their conclusion, Wood completed the agonizing task of settling on just 30 women to fill the squad.

After fulfilling this difficult task, Wood had a deep appreciation for the effort and enthusiasm displayed by all of the applicants. "I want to thank all of the candidates," said Wood. "They worked so hard, and I could tell that each one of them sincerely wanted to represent the Buccaneers in the Tampa Bay community. The thirty women that will make up our squad in 2000 have an extremely exciting year ahead of them. We believe will be cheering our team straight to the Super Bowl here in our own Raymond James Stadium."

The 'training camp' completed a long and thorough selection process that began in mid-March. The proceedings began on March 19, when a preliminary audition allowed attendees to learn two dance segments that would be used in the auditions. At the tryouts, a panel of judges rated contestants on dance technique, poise, showmanship, high kicks and appearance. From the original group of candidates, the field was narrowed to seventy talented semi-finalists.

Those semi-finalists then advanced to a round of one-on-one interviews conducted by Wood at the Buccaneers' headquarters. Wood emphasized the importance of the interviews, as they give her an opportunity not only to become acquainted with the applicants but to prepare the prospective cheerleaders for the high-profile task awaiting them. "It is very important that candidates understand the lifestyle of an NFL cheerleader and are ready to commit to the challenge," said Wood. "The interview gives me a chance to speak with the women who want to represent our organization and find out a little about them."

Following the interviews, the seventy candidates were then asked to perform another dance routine for a different panel of judges. These semi-final auditions were held on March 26 and led to the selection of the 42 finalists.

At camp, the mock rehearsals give the finalists one last opportunity to impress the panel of judges. Dance combinations, technique review, talent presentations, a football quiz and personal essays written to Wood are all used to make the final decisions.

As in-depth and rigorous as the auditions were, the work and the fun are just beginning for the thirty women below. Please join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Central Florida area in congratulating the 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders: