On October 1, 2014, the Jacksonville J’ettes along with 800 dancers and cheerleaders from across Illinois, performed during halftime at Memorial Stadium to help raise awareness for breast cancer.
A program called Colleges Against Cancer, or the CAC, put together this performance for the Illini vs. Purdue game halftime show. The CAC is a nationwide group of college students, faculty, and staff who are dedicated to stopping cancer by working to plan the program and missions of the American Cancer Society. The dancers and cheerleaders were responsible to watch and learn from a video, which showed the dance and cheer routine, on their own time. On the morning of October 1, the teams all met on U of I’s campus for a two-hour practice where they perfected the routine. The squads not only had the opportunity to perform on the field at halftime but also got to watch the Fighting Illini play during the first quarter of the game. Squad Leader, Kassidy Neeley, of the Jacksonville J’ettes shares, “It was a once-in-a-life time experience. I will never forget the image of performing in front of so many people and for such a good cause.” After the many weeks of preparing and practicing for this big day, Neeley expresses how it was all worth it in the end. After their performance, the J’ettes were able to go back to the stadium and watch the rest of the game. “It was such an unforgettable day,” Neeley says. “We will be able to look back on it in the many years to come.”