Although the Colorado Crush and Kansas City Brigade may have battled it out on the turf this past season in a key Central Division match-up, the Crush Girls and Brigade Girls were playing by their own rules.  The two dance teams joined talents to provide a special one-of-a-kind experience that fans raved about and jaws dropped over.

Rival teams can't play nice...can they? As a male sports enthusiast it's been my understanding that cheerleaders and beautiful women alike put up a caddy defense when it comes to the discussion of other cheerleading teams, especially in their own league.  I was in for a pleasant surprise.

Gretchen Bretz, the director and choreographer for the Brigade Girls, had a big idea to bring two teams together to share the field during a regular season home game.  Gretchen's credentials include several years with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders among other highly accredited teams...she obviously knew the impact this would have on the league and AFL fans.  It only took one late night phone call to seal the deal with Colorado Crush Girl's director and choreographer, Kristin Engler. 

Once fans realized that the Crush Girls were visiting Kansas City to make professional sports history, the fans went wild! Even several members of Colorado Crush’s Club Crush (season ticket holders) made the journey to see the girls in action. The two teams performed beautifully accenting each other’s talents and stunning image.  The girls performed on the sidelines together and added a hilarious 80's flashback half-time performance that couldn’t have been more classic. The fans went crazy!

It was an honor to be invited by such an outstanding organization to join them on their home turf, said Kristin Engler. This is an experience that has proved to be beneficial for the Crush organization as well as the AFL as a whole. It has opened doors for other teams to emulate Gretchen’s vision. It’s my prediction that we will see the role of professional dance team’s grow beyond what it is today!

In short, my stereotype of professional cheerleaders has changed significantly. These ladies definitely know how to run a business and ensure fans get the most out of their in-game experience. Keep your eye out for these two teams. I’d be willing to bet they’ll have more shock waves to send out next season!