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African-American NFL cheerleaders: showcasing beauty and brains - Sports
Ebony, Nov, 2002 by Zondra Hughes
DOCTOR. Nurse. Educator. Speech-language pathologist, cancer researcher. And they all are NFL cheerleaders. Look beyond the pom-poms and you'll discover that many African-American NFL cheerleaders are also hardworking professionals, collectively crushing the cheerleader stereotypes one funky step at a time.
The stereotypical cheerleader is the quintessential airhead who is only shaking her pom-poms to lure a well-paid NFL superstar to the altar. In real life, according to this group of Sisters, the pro cheerleader may also be a community leader with a husband and children. Some are in their 20s, but some are 30-plus.
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"Many fans think that all we do is stand on the sidelines and dance, but the majority of us are dentists, attorneys and teachers. We're professionals," says Dawnyale Foster, a speech-language pathologist and a rookie Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader. "Cheering is our love and our passion, but it's just a part-time thing."
Here, then, are the facts about professional cheerleading: The pay isn't great--"I couldn't even pay a year's worth of water bills with my cheerleading," says one cheerleader--and many cheerleading organizations require its squad members to be employed or enrolled in college. As for the notion of snagging a rich football-player husband, forget it.
"Cheerleaders rarely see the players in person, and if a cheerleader is caught dating one, she will be forced to leave the squad," explains Chato Waters, an elementary school counselor and a veteran member of the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders.
So why do they do it? The pay may be short, but the perks--which range from fame, to exotic trips, to a trip to the Super Bowl are outstanding.
There are other reasons. Some women are fulfilling a childhood dream, while others enjoy the celebrity, the camaraderie and the travel. There are also endless opportunities to do community service. Professional cheerleaders routinely uplift the spirits of nursing home residents, sick children, active U.S. troops, and they lend a voice to various other groups and causes in between.
The cheerleaders vary in sizes, ages, and especially in cheering expertise. There are cheerleaders who were practically born with a pom-pom in their hands, and then there are women like Miami Dolphins cheerleader, Shelia Knowles, a marketing information specialist who just marched into the audition with the right smile, the right attitude and the right go-get-`em-spirit to make the cheerleading coach take notice.
"This is the first time I have ever held a pom-pom in my hand," she says. "My husband told me to give it a try and I did. And I made it."
Carolina Panthers cheerleader Caroline Stewart, a financial closer/funder, says she has never taken a single dance lesson, but wouldn't let that prevent her from trying out. "Cheering can be challenging because I have to learn various dance techniques, standing next to team-mates who have been dancing since they were 3 years old," she says. Her advice to future cheerleaders? "Get involved in a professional dance, tap or jazz class early."
Whatever the size, age or dance background, the Black NFL cheerleaders are dedicated to football. Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader Melba Jamison, a Web site developer, not only commutes four hours to practice several days a week after work (she lives in New York), she's also in the uncomfortable position of cheering for the opposing team.
"I live in New York, home of some very passionate New York Giants fans," Jamison says in between giggles. "The Phfiadelphia Eagles are the archenemy, but they are also the closest NFL team with a cheerleading squad. I'm from Alabama, and I'm a football fan, so cheering for a basketball team just wouldn't do. It's got to be football, baby!"
M.D.
MONICA WILLIAMS, Tennessee Titans
Dr. Williams graduated from Meharry Medical College and is a Vanderbilt University cancer research fellow.
SPEECH PATHOLOGIST
DAWNYALE FOSTER, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Foster earned an M.S. degree from the University of North Carolina. She is a speech language pathologist at a Florida school.
NURSE
Leah Lyons Dallas Cowboys
Lyons works at a Dallas-area hospital.
WEB SITE DEVELOPER
MELBA JAMISON, Philadelphia Eagles
Jamison earned a B.S. degree in computer science from West Point Military Academy and is a Web site developer for a New York company.
COUNSELOR
Chato B. Waters, Atlanta Falcons Waters earned a B.S. degree in psychology from Florida A&M University, and an M.A. degree in counseling from Clark Atlanta University.
ACCOUNTANT
LaTasha Fox, St. Louis Rams
Fox is a senior accountant in the financial reporting department at a St. Louis-area investment firm.
MARKET INFORMATION SPECIALIST
Shella Knowles, Miami Dolphins Knowles operates a 24-hour wireless technology system at a major publishing company.
FINANCIAL CLOSER
Caroline Stewart, Carolina Panthers
Stewart earned a B.A. degree in political science from North Carolina State University, and is a financial closer/funder at a major North Carolina firm.
