Oilers Octane
Type | Cheerleading team |
---|---|
Headquarters | Edmonton, Alberta |
Location | |
Membership | 16-36 a year |
Director & Head Coach | Mailie Harris[1] |
Website | Official website |
The Oilers Octane was the cheerleading team for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team was the first cheer squad for a Canadian NHL franchise.[2] The debut of the cheerleaders had a mixed reaction from the Edmontonian community, some signing petitions to keep cheerleading out of the sport of hockey in Canada and many protested that it was a sexist act while others supported the team.[3]
The Octane performed for the first time on 14 December 2010 in a home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.[3] The first team had 19 cheerleaders, women aged 18 to 29, dressed in uniforms that resembled the original Edmonton Oilers jerseys, albeit with skirts and knee-high boots.[4]
In August 2016 the Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG), which owns the Oilers, announced it was discontinuing the Octane, saying the franchise was "looking for a new direction related to the fan experience" as the team prepared to move from Rexall Place to Rogers Place for the 2016–17 season.[1] The Group also announced auditions for a newly formed, co-ed group of "brand ambassadors" named the Oilers Orange and Blue Ice Crew for the upcoming season.[5]
References[]
- ^ a b "Edmonton Oilers disband Octane cheerleading team". CBC News. 10 August 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ "Oilers debut new cheer team". CBC News. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ a b Ian Harrison (November 24, 2011). "Top cheerleaders: Raise a cheer! Oilers Octane". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on December 20, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- ^ "Edmonton Oilers introduce cheerleaders". Toronto Star. December 15, 2010. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- ^ Woollven, Mark (9 August 2016). "Say 'goodbye' to the Oilers Octane cheer team". iNews880. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
External links[]
- Canadian cheerleaders
- Edmonton Oilers personnel
- National Hockey League cheerleading squads
- 2010 establishments in Alberta
- 2016 disestablishments in Alberta
- Ice hockey stubs