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A former Baltimore Ravens cheerleader taught routines and watched tryouts at Frederick's Fitness First gym last week, strategizing for her new squad, the Frederick Lady Outlaws.

Christina Heller, director of the first cheer and dance team within the semipro East Coast Football Association, said she's excited about the opportunity to lead the group. She thinks having a squad will help bring fans to games, and in turn help the Frederick Outlaws organization give back to the community even more.

The cheer squad held its first round of tryouts in October and formed a 10-person team, but since then, Heller said she's gotten a lot more interest from amateur dancers and cheerleaders in the community. She decided to host another tryout so the group could expand.

The season begins in March. It will be the squad's first, but area residents may have already seen members walking in December's Kris Kringle Procession through downtown Frederick, or serving meals at the Frederick Community Action Agency Soup Kitchen.

Heller hopes to get the squad even more involved within the community, by having members volunteer at Frederick County charity organizations and host a cheerleading and dance camp for underprivileged children during the summer.

"We do want to be very involved with the community and youth and promoting athletics," Heller said of the squad's goals for area outreach.

The Jan. 16 tryouts went hand-in-hand with registration for the Junior Lady Outlaws, a program Heller implemented to get young women (18 and younger) involved with the program as well. She said about six people registered for the junior squad.

"We want the youth of Frederick to have someone positive to look up to in the community," said Frederick Outlaws team president Adam Hoffman.

Hoffman said the cheer squad will serve the community alongside the football team, by volunteering in the area.

"It's all about the Outlaw organization, the Outlaw family," he said, adding that the two units will act as one when it comes to giving back to the area and making an impression on the county's youth.

He said he handpicked Heller, whom he's known since high school, to lead the squad since she has professional experience and is passionate about the Frederick community.

And while it's important to volunteer and make a good impression on children, Hoffman said he likes that the two teams provide an extracurricular outlet for adults, too.

"Just because you didn't make it to [the college level] doesn't mean you have to stop playing," he said of the football team, adding that the same concept applies to those who are interested in dance and cheerleading, but don't have a way to get involved as an adult.

Hoffman said the team is in the process of applying for federal nonprofit status.

"We knew that we were meant to do something more than just football," he said of the organization's decision to start the process last summer. "Whatever we can do to help out the area of Frederick ... is what we're going to do."

"This has more meaning than just cheer and dance," said Hanna Bragg, a current member of the Lady Outlaws squad, who added that she's enjoyed cheering and making friends within the organization, but also helping the community.

Aaren King, who tried out on Jan. 16, agreed.

"I think it's important to give back where you live," she said. And as cheerleaders, the team members are "getting people excited about giving back," she added with an appropriately perky smile.

E-mail Courtney Pomeroy at cpomeroy@gazette.net.