Students, alumni and staff had the opportunity to make some noise for the Jaguarettes dance team at the TAMUSA Spirit Night with the Spurs on Nov. 9 at the AT&T Center.
The university hosted a spirit night where students were able to purchase a ticket in the first 13 rows for the game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The ticket also included a food voucher and a chance to experience all the pre-game activities.
The Jaguarettes performed right before the Spurs took the court. It had been three years since the team danced in person at a Spurs game.
Wearing long-sleeved, black-and-white crop tops and black leggings, the dancers walked onto the court and took their positions. They leaped, posed and kicked in time to “Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift.
It was the dance team’s third time performing for the Spurs and the second live performance at a game after COVID-19. The first was in 2019. Earlier this year, Spurs fans watched a live video of the dance team at the Spurs vs. Grizzlies game Jan. 26.
“Oh, it feels amazing,” Aly Bocanegra, team captain of the Jaguarettes and education studies junior, said in an interview after their performance Nov. 9. “Last year we had a great experience but it was just a video, so this time it’s a lot different.”
Jessica Salinas, co-captain of the Jaguarettes, agreed.
“This is an awesome opportunity, we love the Spurs and it feels great to be back. This is our second year here,” said Salinas, a psychology and business junior minoring in sociology.
Bocanegra and Salinas said they were extremely nervous before the performance, but they “wiggled out” the nerves and hit the dance floor.
The final score was 124-122, with the Grizzlies defeating the Spurs.
But it was a win for the Jaguarettes.
Courtney Bobb-Meilinger, head coach and spirit coordinator for A&M-San Antonio, said she was excited to see her Jaguarettes’ performance after not being able to hit the dance floor last year because of COVID-19.
“I am super proud of them,” Bobb-Meilinger said. “They’ve been working on this for over a month and a half while doing other events, and it was amazing to actually see them hit the dance floor.”
