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The Jets Flight Crew were a professional
cheerleading Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ente ...
squad for the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
. The group was established in 2006 as the Jets Flag Crew, composed of six female flag carriers. In 2007, the group expanded and was appropriately renamed the Jets Flight Crew. The squad regularly performs choreographed routines during the team's home contests. Denise Garvey serves as director of the squad. The squad is currently on hiatus until 2023 for a rebrand, however the squad members are still active individually in charity events by the Jets.


History


Jets Flag Crew

The Jets Flag Crew was unveiled on October 15, 2006, during the Jets' home game against division rival
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
. The team stressed that the crew, composed of females who relieved their male counterparts, were "flag carriers" and not cheerleaders.


Jets Flight Crew

The Jets officially announced the creation of the Jets Flight Crew on August 7, 2007. The Flag Crew had been well received the previous year, and the team felt it best to take the next step and organize an official squad that could actively participate during home games. The intention of the crew was to "enhance the overall fan experience by bringing additional energy and enthusiasm to each home game." Denise Garvey, a former Knicks City Dancer and Cowboys cheerleader, was brought in to coordinate the squad. Given her expertise and experience in performance and dance, Garvey, with the support of the organization, held closed auditions, inviting 46 young women to try out for the squad. Of the 46, ten were chosen to become the first members of the Jets Flight Crew. The organization continued to stress that the squad was not cheerleaders but rather a unique flag carrier/dance team. Following their inaugural season, the Flight Crew held open auditions for the first time in 2008, increasing the number of members from 10 to 22, as the squad had been well received among the fans in 2007. The Jets announced their partnership with Marc Eckō, founder of
Eckō Unltd. Yakira, L.L.C. (trade name: Ecko Unltd.) is an American urban fashion company founded by Marc Ecko in 1993. The company makes apparel and accessories under brands including the men's Ecko Unltd. line and the Ecko Red line for girls and women. ...
, who agreed to design the Flight Crew's 2008 uniforms. The Flight Crew was expanded from 22 to 30 members in 2009. In 2010, the Jets, again, increased the size of the crew to as many as 40 members with Garvey noting that "We want to be the biggest presence we can be in the new stadium."


Calendar

In 2009, a Flight Crew swimsuit calendar was introduced, a testament to the squad's growing importance within the organization and in the community. The 2010 calendar featured members of the 2009 squad on beaches in New York and New Jersey while Linda W. served as the cover model. The following year, shooting for the 2011 calendar took place in Aruba.


Notable members

*Gina Capelli-Mormando (2007, 2011–2013) MTV MADE Coach Season 9 *Krista DeBono (2010–2014), contestant on ''
The Amazing Race 27 ''The Amazing Race 27'' is the twenty-seventh season of the American reality television show ''The Amazing Race''. It featured eleven teams of two competing in a race around the world. The season premiered on CBS September 25, 2015, and the fina ...
'' *Nikki Delventhal (2011–2013), contestant on ''The Bachelor'' Season 19, YouTuber *Tiffany Torres (2011–2014), contestant on ''
The Amazing Race 27 ''The Amazing Race 27'' is the twenty-seventh season of the American reality television show ''The Amazing Race''. It featured eleven teams of two competing in a race around the world. The season premiered on CBS September 25, 2015, and the fina ...
'' *Natalie Negrotti (2012–2014), contestant on ''Big Brother 18''


Junior Program


Jets Junior Flight Crew

(2010–Present)
The organization introduced the Jets Junior Flight Crew in 2010, a junior program that offers children the opportunity to train with the Flight Crew while improving their "talent and abilities in a non-competitive environment."


See also

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