(photos courtesy of Washington Redskins)
MEET NICOLE
She’s 27, from Burtonsville, Maryland, and enjoying her second season as a member of the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders.
Speaking of your regular job, what do you do and are there any similarities between your two jobs?
I am currently a teacher in Maryland. This will be my sixth year teaching high school science. I enjoy working with students, helping them become self-directed learners. I love that I get the chance everyday to help better prepare students for the real world.
What is the difference between ambassadors and cheerleaders?
I had the privilege to be a Washington Redskins Cheerleader Ambassador for one year and I enjoyed getting to meet fans one-on-one during game day. I helped pep the fans before the game in the Touchdown and Tailgate Club. I also had the wonderful opportunity to visit the suites at FedEx Field and interact with the fans as we cheered the ‘Skins on side-by-side.
I loved having the chance to meet so many adoring fans – we truly have the best fans in the NFL. Now, I have the honor as a Washington Redskins Cheerleader. One of the biggest differences is that I am on the field cheering during game day. We do various appearances in the stadium before the games, but there isn’t as much fan interaction between the cheerleaders and fans at FedEx Field because we are strictly dancing on field or around the stadium pregame. Our fan interaction takes place at the various community events that we attend throughout the year. Both opportunities were amazing and I am so happy that I’ve become a part of the family of Washington Redskins Cheerleaders and Ambassadors.
MEET ABBY
She’s 29, from North Potomac, Maryland, and in her fourth season cheering on the maroon and black.
Since cheerleaders don’t travel with the team, what do you do on the weeks when the team has an away game? Do you watch the Redskins game with other cheerleaders? Are you off that week?
When we have an away game we are usually off that weekend; although, we sometimes attend promotional appearances in the D.C. area. We have held parties at sports bars and restaurants to watch the game and invite the public to attend as well. We are also very busy helping with our Junior Cheerleaders program that practices most Saturdays. If we don’t have an appearance to make, then of course we are watching the game with family and friends! Sometimes we do coordinate special get togethers to watch the game as a team. The week of an away game we are very busy getting ready for the next home game with practices during the week.
Tell us one thing people would be surprised to learn about being a cheerleader for the Redskins.
There are several things people are surprised to learn about being a Redskins Cheerleader. We all have full time jobs, or are full time students, or mothers. (which is more than a full time job!) We are Redskins fans as well as Redskins cheerleaders and are invested in the game and the NFL season. We don’t travel with the team, but travel a lot overseas on military appreciation tours, (most of us take leave without pay from our full time jobs to participate.) We tour more than any other NFL Cheerleading team and pride ourselves on our dedication to giving back to the men and women who sacrifice and fight for our Country and freedoms. We do this job because we love it, not because we get paid.
