Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders...
the name itself brings to each of us images of an American icon - beautiful ladies decked out in blue and white uniforms cheering America's Team on to victory; precision dance routines that require a combination of stamina, flexibility and timing that would leave most of US gasping - yet they smile and dance on; or for some, it's the time that we met one of them and she signed an autograph and we spent a few minutes talking...the images differ, but each holds a special place.








And today's phenomenon of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is equally special. Everywhere across the country or around the world that any of these young ladies appear thousands of fans congregate looking for the opportunity for a photograph, an autograph, or a few moments to say hello. America's Sweethearts have truly become the darlings of the National Football League. But it didn't start out that way.

This unique group of young women has a deep responsibility: they assume a corporate identity, yet they cannot lose sight of themselves as individuals. It is a basic concept of the organization that each person in the stadium or in the audience has a mental picture of their ideal girl - and the squad offers someone for each of them to identify with.




As in the past, almost every phase of the American woman is represented: teachers, secretaries, company executives, homemakers, nurses, students, medical technicians, fashion coordinators, accountants, sales and advertising representatives, file clerks, receptionists, cashiers, dental hygienists, flight attendants, etc. Some are single, some are married - several have children.

Typically they range in age from 18 to 36, although there is no upper age limit. They are from small towns and big cities. Some have been performing for years with extensive dance backgrounds and some come to the squad with no training at all, but have the gift of showmanship and the ability to learn.

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC), a National Football League cheerleading squad from Texas, are one of the most famous cheerleading organizations in the world. The DCC started with the founding of the Dallas Cowboys, in 1960. Originally known as the CowBelles & Beaux, the DCC was formed from local high school students. It was typical of other cheerleading teams throughout the 1960s, rarely getting much attention. At that time, cheerleading was more about, as its name implied, exhorting the audience to show their support for the team. Seeing the cheerleaders was rarely a reason for watching football at the time.





In the early 1970s, Cowboys manager, Tex Schramm, decided to change their image to boost attendance. At first he simply tried hiring professional models but that did not work due to the their lack of athletic ability. So, he then decided to train an entirely new and unique squad which would combine an attractive appearance, athletic ability, and talent as performers. This was done first for the 1972-1973 NFL season, where they organized a more sophisticated set of choreographed routines. This was when they first gained widespread National attention.

Even greater National attention came in 1978 when the squad was on two network TV specials, NBC Rock-n-Roll Sports Classic and The Osmond Brothers Special on ABC. In 1978, they had their own hour special to launch the season for Monday Night Football. The made-for-TV movie "The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders", was aired January 14, 1979. Starring Jane Seymour, it had a 48% share of the National television audience. The sequel, "The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders II", was aired January 13, 1980.

Through the years, they have had many other TV appearances. They have toured throughout the us (on and off field) and overseas. Included in this are regular appearances in United Service Organizations (USO) tours. This started in the Christmas of 1979, for US troops stationed in South Korea. This remains a regular function for them. The current Director of the DCC is Kelli McGonagill Finglass and the choreographer is Judy Trammell. Unlike the early days with the late Tex Schramm, the current general manager of the Dallas Cowboys has much less involvement with the DCC, focusing on the football team instead.