DCC Alumni Spotlight – Allison Hopkins

If you look throughout Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader history, there are very few women who audition and make the team at the age of 18, and there is good reason for that. Taking on the responsibility of being America’s Sweethearts is not for the faint of heart at any age, let alone a young lady navigating life after high school. However, Allison Hopkins, has been one of the select few who have managed this expectation and pressure flawlessly. Turning 18, 3 days prior auditions, and in an audition year when 2500 women auditioned, Allison just made the age cut off, but stood out among the sea of beautiful women vying to have an opportunity to wear the iconic uniform. But don’t think it was all sunshine and roses; Allison was the last named called, and as someone who has been there before, I know the feeling of the world seemingly stopping while waiting to hear that last name. Like most things in life, Allison’s transition into being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader wasn’t always smooth sailing. At the first team meeting, she arrived 30 minutes late to hear a security guard telling her that everyone had been waiting on her. Of course, the director at the time, Suzanne Mitchell, wasn’t going to let this transgression slide so easily. Allison’s punishment was having to use the biggest poms during practice for the rest of the season. And if you know anything about the old school DCC poms, you know that they each weigh approximately the size of a small baby.  In a world where early is on time and on time is late, this incident could have rattled Allison, but she took her punishment in stride and is able to look back and laugh at it now, with really strong biceps I might add.

If joining DCC at the age of 18 didn’t give any indication into how responsible and impactful Allison was, her life after DCC serves as a reminder. After graduating from Southern Methodist University, Allison moved to California and now serves as the CEO of a drug and alcohol treatment center in Silver Strand Beach, California. Helping others become better versions of themselves serves as a cornerstone for who Allison is and it’s reflected in her work every day. So the next time you see an 18 year old make DCC, I hope you remember how special that young lady must be, and how women like Allison helped set the standard for being exceptional!

DCC Briana