Surf's up for Coney Island squad cheering on Brooklyn Cyclones

CONEY ISLAND, Brooklyn -- Well before the boys of summer take the field at the Brooklyn Cyclones' Maimonides Park in Coney Island, the team's Surf Squad is setting its roster.

The Surf Squad is the resident entertainment and hype group for the Mets Single-A affiliate. The squad held auditions on a blustery Saturday in early February. The process includes dancing, group activities and interviews with the judges panel. Abbie Molhoek is leading this year's auditions and says Surf Squad members stay extremely busy throughout the season.

"They're engaging the crowd, hyping them up, they're greeting them at the gates," so judges are looking for people who stand out on multiple levels. "What's really important is someone that is really extroverted. Someone that is really engaging," according to Molhoek.

After hours of auditions, the judges narrow nearly 40 hopefuls down to a squad of 20.

Data analyst Casey Wu was surprised by the dance section of auditions but played to his strengths.

"It's a little overwhelming, first of all, being the only guy here. Also, I have no background in dance whatsoever so going into the dancing kind of threw me off a little bit."