It was the summer of 1995 when Melissa Sullivan heard an advertisement for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders auditions on Kiss FM radio station. That year, DCC finals were to be held on her birthday. Melissa saw this as a sign to go for the audition! She soon discovered that two other women were celebrating their birthdays at DCC’s 1995 finals. Besides birthdates, what else did these women have in common? All three of them made the 1995 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders squad! Quite a memorable celebration to kick

I had the privilege and honor of speaking with DCC alumni, Maya Hayes! What an incredible opportunity to connect with a past sister that helped create what the DCC is today. Maya is originally from Mississippi and cheered as a DCC for two years in 2002 and 2003. Prior to her DCC career, she was a Chicago Bulls Dancer and was actually on the team during Michael Jordan’s last season! Maya’s audition experience was unlike most, as she did not even realize what she was auditioning for.

  “Grace Under Pressure.” If you are a DCC, you know this phrase accurately represents your tenure on the team. From the moment you step foot into auditions your rookie year, until you retire, you know that staying composed, graceful, and adaptable is crucial to being a successful Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. And after my interview with Inga Van Wagoner, she is the epitome of grace under pressure (all while making it look effortless). As a second grader, Inga knew that she wanted to be a DCC. In fact, there

Leah Goodwin cheered with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders from 1997-1998. She always dreamed of being a DCC but never thought her dream would actually come true. Leah was born and raised in a small town in East Texas. She grew up admiring the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and viewed them as beautiful celebrities! She had the DCC posters on her wall and loved watching the DCC in shows and movies on TV. She explained it as “every little girl’s dream to be a DCC.” Leah wanted to tryout but

I recently had the honor of interviewing DCC Alumni, Meredith Oden Root, who cheered for the Dallas Cowboys from 2007-2011. Meredith’s energy is contagious, and I could instantly tell that she was a huge asset to the organization. We shared lots of stories and laughs and bonded over memories of late-night CMT filming. I gained an even deeper appreciation for the special DCC sisterhood after speaking with Meredith. Meredith is one of the few alumni who is a DCC Legacy. Her mother Kim cheered during the 1982 and

I had the privilege of speaking with Kim Chapman Oden, who cheered for the Dallas Cowboys for the 1982 and 1983 seasons. I noticed many similarities between Kim and myself, and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know her. Kim is a native of Longview, Texas, where she grew up training in dance and twirling. She was fond of dancing and performing from a young age and attended Kilgore College where she was a Kilgore College Rangerette. She then graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University.

From the cover of the iconic 2015 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders sideline calendar to the moment of unveiling a hidden, wide-toothed comb in her blouse during cameos, Brittney Schram was the epitome of America’s Sweethearts. While in high school, I remember watching her bright smile and contagious personality on TV. I wanted to be just like her and the bubbly persona she portrayed representing herself and the Cowboys brand on the CMT TV series, ‘Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team’.  This encouraged me to become a DCC. When I

Lisa Henslin Morton was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader from 2002-2007. I was immediately impressed by her dedication to the organization – wow 5 years! A few of her highlights include being a group leader her 5th year, being selected to be in the calendar, and cheering at the game that Emmitt Smith broke the All-Time Leading Rusher Record. Prior to becoming a DCC, Lisa served as the Captain of her high school drill team in Keller, TX. Upon graduation, she chose to attend Tyler Junior College where she

I had the honor of speaking with Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader alum, Cheri' Motes Urie. Cheri' currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee where she owns and operates a dance studio. Her life has always revolved around dancing and singing. She’s been in a dance studio since she was 3 years old and grew up in musical theatre. She was talented beyond her years and, at 15, was the youngest singer/performer at Six Flags Over Texas where she performed six shows a day, six days a week. That certainly helped