WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. — Cheering for the Buffalo Bills can be a wild ride, whether from your home or from the stands. For almost 50 years, one group had a real up-close and personal cheering experience: The Buffalo Jills.
“This is when we first started,” sail Jills alumna Donna Dimitroff, opening a scrapbook.
“We tried out together,” recalled alumna Chris Polito.
The group of three former Buffalo Jills looked back at Bills history being made.
“We both cheered one year at the Rock Pile,” said Dimitroff
These Jills saw a lot.
“It’s like the time has not passed at all,” Dimitroff remarked.
Their time with the team spans from 1971 through 2000.
“I was pregnant when I cheered right here, had him in March and then tried out in May,” said Dimitroff.
“I can’t even,” replied fellow Jills alumna Lori Marino.
Things certainly changed over the years.
“How did they get blue suede boots?” asked Marino.
“They were horrible,” replied Dimitroff. “If you notice, it was only for one year.”
Some things do stay the same, though.
“You start hearing it as you’re coming down the tunnel and soon as you’re coming through, it’s just this overwhelming joy,” said Marino.
“Seeing 80,000 people cheering along with you and trying to get our team [excited], no matter if they’re winning or losing, all part of an experience,” Dimitroff added.
They all had their own reasons for joining.
“I was not a big football fan. That was my performance sport,” Polito admitted. “They didn’t have sports for girls then back in the day, and I absolutely loved it for that.”
Being on the team wasn’t all fun and games.
“We lived through the the Gloria Steinem years when, ‘you’re a cheerleader,’ [was an insult],” Polito added. “They were reverse sexist in that case.”
“Chris, I think you were there when there was a strike. The players went on strike in the eighties,” added Marino. “We had a cross the picket line, and that was tough.”
But they were there, cheering through the cold.
“We had hats and really short skirts and a lot of pantyhose,” said Polito.
“And that didn’t work,” laughed Marino.
They were also there for the big plays.
“I think this is a neat picture. They kept saying, ‘get back, get back, they’re coming your way.’ I don’t care,” said Dimitroff.
“Hit me,” joked Polito.
“I did get hit that one time by Bruce Smith,” Marino admitted. “He leveled me against the wall. I broke a rib!”
Through it all, they got to know each other, and some Bills legends.
“I was really blessed to be able to cheer during Jim Kelly’s time. [...] We had to stick to our rules. No dating the players,” said Marino. “I was the director of the town, so trying to enforce that was never easy, [...] but I did get that helmet from Jim Kelly and he kind of made it as a joke, ‘sweet, sweet Lori,’ because I think we had that that tension, but not anymore.”
They were experiences that created bonds.
“It’s our sisterhood. It really is,” said Dimitroff.
The Jills were disbanded in 2014 after concerns over cheerleader treatment, but they’re still part of the community.
You can ask any one of them…they’re still the Bills’ biggest fans.
“We live in Buffalo. There is no other type,” exclaimed Marino.
“Yeah, we’re at the Mafia girls,” added Dimitroff.
With their team so close to making history, they’re still cheering them on from wherever they can.
“It pulls all of buffalo together and we’re all behind the team,” said Marino. “I really think this is our year.”
They have their fingers crossed that a new group of Jills will be there for the Bills’ next chapter.
“It’ll start with a new [scrap] book and a new generation,” said Dimitroff.
“You bet,” added Marino. “And we would like to be there to help them.”
There are over 600 Jills alumni. They still meetup for Jills and NFL cheerleaders reunions.
