Third-year Houston Texans Cheerleader Crystal will represent the Texans at the 2008 Pro Bowl. Known for her compassion and spirituality, she was selected by a vote of her teammates that was announced prior to the season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Crystal, who said she still is overwhelmed by the announcement, will be making her first trip to Hawaii when she takes off for the islands on Feb. 4. While she hopes to have a chance to enjoy the Aloha State and tan on the Hawaiian beaches, she anticipates a busy schedule.
"They say it's going to be a whole lot of work," Crystal said. "I really didn't schedule any time for play whatsoever. They sent an itinerary to us, very detailed, minute by minute, what we'll be doing. So along with special appearances, there's just a lot of practice time involved."
League officials have sent Crystal materials to learn some of the new dances she will perform at the Pro Bowl. She and her fellow cheerleader representatives from around the NFL will have a quick week in which to learn the rest of their routine once they arrive in Honolulu.
{QUOTE}She has been on what she calls a "Pro Bowl training" regimen since the end of the Texans' season, working to stay in top shape so that she can handle the new choreography.
Cheerleader services manager Alto Gary, familiar with Crystal's high-end dance energy, is confident she will have no problems representing the Texans well.
"Crystal is a wonderful dancer," Gary said. "Her nickname is Smokey Toes because she sets the floor on fire when she dances."
Crystal is looking forward to doing just that at Aloha Stadium on Feb. 10. And, while she's at it, she plans on enjoying her time off on the trip of a lifetime.
"In Hawaii, I think it's going to be stunningly beautiful, first off. I just can't get over that," she said. "Just getting away from everything here, work and responsibilities here at home and just doing what I love to do – that's a really great opportunity when someone says we're going to pay everything for you just so that you can do what you love to do.
"It's like, how cool is that? I'm really just looking forward to dancing. I have a sense of anxiousness sometimes when I know I'm expected to learn a routine, and I'm kind of anxious to learn the choreography so that I can put myself into it and start having fun with it. So I'm looking forward to that and looking forward to meeting the other representatives of the team and bonding and making lasting relationships.
"And (I hope) to represent the team the best way I know how, just represent the prestige of the Texans organization."
Stay tuned to HoustonTexans.com for continuing Pro Bowl coverage of Crystal and Texans middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans.
