Amber Byers and Lauren Spires of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleading squad were at the Village Cafe in Anna Maria Aug. 4 to sign autographs, pose for pictures, greet fans and rally support for the Buccaneers football team.
An estimated 200-plus fans, including many vacationers, came to the cafe during the one-hour visit by the cheerleaders.
Each of the entire 32-member squad was in Anna Maria at times last week to have pictures taken on the beach in the 700 block of North Shore Drive for the annual cheerleader swimsuit calendar.
Squad manager Cathy Boyd, a former cheerleader, said only two to four cheerleaders usually attend a community event like the Village Cafe autograph signing. To bring all 32 cheerleaders might leave little room for the public, she said.
Boyd, who began as a Bucs cheerleader in 2001, said the annual photo shoots for the swimsuit calendar are rotated among various island communities in the Tampa Bay area. Anna Maria appears to be one of the squad’s favorite locations.
“It’s really gorgeous here at sunset,” said Byers.
“As I was driving here the other night, I kept looking at the sunset and thinking how great it would be to have that view every night.”
Spires agreed, saying the quiet, laid-back atmosphere of Anna Maria is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the sun and get away from the large crowds found at beaches in Pinellas County. “This is such a cool little town. I’m so glad we came here,” she said.
The cheerleading squad mostly performs at home games, but will travel with the team to London for an Oct. 23 game against the Chicago Bears at Wembley Stadium.