The National Football League will hold a cheerleading audition in March for Japanese women, NFL Japan recently announced.

Organizers will select up to four applicants to advance to the final qualifying audition for the San Francisco 49ers' "Gold Rush" or San Diego Chargers' "Charger Girls."

Applicants must be over 20 years old as of April 1, 2003, and will be screened in mid-March before the dance audition March 21 and an interview the following day.

Last year, Ai Yasuda qualified for the audition en route to joining the Gold Rush this past season.

The qualifiers for the final audition, which will be held in the United States in April, will be announced March 23.

Those wishing to apply should visit the NFL Japan official Web site www.nfljapan.co.jp

For more information, please contact the NFL Cheerleaders Audition Office at (03) 5468-5069.

NFL Japan will also hold a workshop on Feb. 22 at Granpark Tower in Tamachi, Tokyo, featuring two former cheerleaders as guest speakers, Tomoko Mita (Dallas Cowboys) and Tokiko Ishida (49ers). There will be a 1,000 yen entrance fee.