Pro Bowl is a compilation of all the elites, and when I say all, I’m not just talking about the football players. There are obviously 32 teams in the NFL, but did you know that only 26 of them have cheerleading teams recognized in-conjunction with their organization? Each of the 26 teams, send one chosen cheerleader whom best represents their organization. The cheerleader can be voted on by her peers, coach and sometimes even the organization. This process is similar to that of the football players, while others have to rally to get the opportunity by writing a letter to validate their case of why they should be chosen.
The cheerleaders are just as much a part of the Pro Bowl as the players are. They are even drafted, Team Carter or Team Irvin. As the players keep their helmets to help identify the team they associate with, the cheerleaders wear their uniforms, but rock the orange or highlighter yellow pom-poms to show which team they were drafted by. E2K, the company who leads the Pro Bowl Cheerleaders, hold practices for the women each and every day to get them looking and acting like a perfect team. When the girls aren’t practicing they are making appearances at the football practices, local hospitals and NFL Play 60 Events. Sam from the Denver Broncos, dancing for her fifth year with the team, stops after a performance by her line, at one of their many appearances, to give us some insight on her experiences at the 2015 Pro Bowl.
Each and every morning the women are brought together to bond on a deeper level, to learn about each other and to show that each cheerleader has a story and with her story she is a powerful individual. When I asked Sam what she thought about these moments, she expressed how she instantly got goose bumps, when I asked her of these events, she went on to tell me, “It’s been so empowering and so inspirational, we have incredible women and getting to know them and who they are at their core, it explains and helps you to understand why these women are here.”
A lot of people automatically assume getting a large number of beautiful, talented women in the same room, and there will be instant cattiness, but not in this environment and Sam helps us understand that with her comments of, “obviously their team sought in them to bring them to this stage.” And with that, you realize that these chosen women are usually the glue that holds the local team together. They are not only talented, but they have the personalities to go along with it.
Back to back appearances, and the one that rings the loudest with Sam was having the, “ablility to lead a cheerleading clinic for children of all walks of life, including children with special needs. The kids were so excited to get out and dance around with us along with the mascots. The mascots were there and the kids loved getting to see all the zany antics of the mascots while playing games alongside them. Hopefully if they weren’t already on a positive path, that we were able to change their day and bring them something positive that they will never forget.” I have no doubts the memories of having the beautiful; smiling cheerleaders and furry, fun-filled mascots is something that will live in these children’s lives forever.
Sam also has a very unique quality to her, something that she rocks with a powerful and cute demeanor. She has short hair. Doesn’t seem like a big deal, but in the cheerleading world with all the fun hair flipping, she rocks what she calls the “bang-flip”. She talks about how the fans express their compliments of her fun look. She says, “people have been very supportive of me having a different hair style, something different than the typical long hair cheerleading style. And it proves that we can all still be unique and be who we are individually; the differences make us special.”
Watching Sam interact with the fans before the Pro Bowl game and at the football practices shows her passion for what she does. She definitely deserves to be here and we congratulate her and the Broncos organization for all their successes. She is so inspirational and ends with a great quote proving her genuine personality, “not only am I so excited to represent my team, but I am even more empowered being surrounded by all these pro level cheerleaders from all over the country.”
