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Lion Cheerleader Shoots for the Stars
By Kenyari Addison
A career in cheer |
Mars Hill College Sophomore Andrea Powell will be traveling to Texas to try
out for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading squad.
“I was watching a past tryout on cable television channel CMT [Country
Music Television], and I was like, I can do that,” said Powell.
Of the 1,002 women trying out, Andrea and one other girl from Ohio are the
only two that are not from Texas. This means that plane ticket, hotel,
taxi, food and entertainment are at her expense.
She explains the process that awaits her. In the first day alone, more
than 900 women will be cut.
“I leave April 14 and try out on April 15. That morning the competition
will be cut down to 300 women and then down to 50 women that night. We
would then have to come back out on April 29 were the contest will be cut down
to 40.”
During the April 29 tryout, all of the women will give individual performances,
and a written test will be given on the history of the Dallas Cowboys football
team as well as the cheerleading team. All women will be interviewed
individually by a panel of eight judges.
Once the judges have finalized the process and have narrowed the squad down
to a total of 36 women, they will then enter into a camp where they have strength
and conditioning tests. A two-mile run will have to be completed in 14 minutes.
Push-ups and sit-ups will have to be done in the allotted time.
The women will get paid a stipend of about $50 per home game, plus personal
appearances [paid performances or appearances].
“It’s not a lot, but if I'm given the privilege of making the
team, it could open doors and allow a lot of opportunity for other big things,” said
Powell.
Flexible for sure |
She said the trip will be worth it, no matter what happens. “I’m
very excited, and anxious. I’m not going just to make the team. It’s
not going to set me back either. I’ll gain experience, and it's
something new.”
In her opinion, “The Cowboys cheerleaders are the best known, and Texas
is a state known for producing cheerleaders.”
Powell graduated from Erwin High School in Asheville. That's where she
got her start and developed her interest in cheer.
“Well, I was a level nine [level before elite] gymnast before my knee
injury…I thought cheering was going to be a joke compared to gymnastics,
but it was the next best thing.”
During her four years at Erwin, the cheer squad brought home four state championships.
“That gave me the desire to continue cheering up through the collegiate
and hopefully professional level.”
With her two years of cheering at Mars Hill College, Powell has six years
of experience. She has several back-up plans if things don’t work
out in Dallas. In addition to returning to Mars Hill to finish her business
degree, she has been offered a job coaching for competitive cheerleaders at
Premier Athletics in Asheville. It is one of a chain of gyms that offer cheerleading
camps, competitions, and training and seven states.
However, if Powell makes the team, she will have to relocate to the Dallas/Ft.
Worth Area.
“I’m a little nervous, I’m going by myself. It’s
a big city away from anyone I know. It’s like the first day of
school…”
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