In school, many girls become cheerleaders because they want to help their team out by giving them momentum. But the possibility of becoming a cheerleader in the NFL is something that very few girls think about during classes.

The ones that do take that next step find themselves in another world filled with TV time and public appearances. While it may seem nice, this isn’t one of the most glamorous jobs out there. We take a look at a few things that tend to go on with a typical cheerleader in the NFL.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky

If you’re going to be in your best shape for the football field, you need to practice. NFL cheerleaders head to practice three times a week to brush up on their routines. Most practices tend to run for either two or three hours. Before getting down to business, the ladies chat with each other about their daily life. For rookie cheerleaders, this is a great way to show how valuable they can be for the team.

“When you’re a rookie, you’re trying desperately to be accepted by veterans because you’re an outcast,” stated Tennessee Titans cheerleader Evony Thompson to Quora.

It’s Gameday, Y’all

Cpl. Michelle M. Dickson

After all of the practicing, it’s time for the game! Cheerleaders tend to show up to the stadium before everybody else. Before the game, they can be seen at the tailgate selling various items, including calendars and autographed posters.

Less Than Stellar Pay

1st Class Tina M. Ackerman

The pay for cheerleading can be quite low. Exactly how low? Well, a server at Applebee’s can walk away with more money than someone on the Dallas Cowboys’ squad. Some veteran cheerleaders can make around $1,000 to $1,500 per month. For everyone else, they’re playing for peanuts.

To make matters worse for cheerleaders, folks that portray team mascots can earn around $65,000 per year.

In 2014, Lacy T., who was a former cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders, sued the franchise for how cheerleaders were treated in terms of payment. The lawsuit stated that there were a plethora of existing fines, including getting benched from the game if you miss one part of the uniform. With a payment of $125 per game, it was unbearable for Lacy and several other cheerleaders.

Members of the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined Lacy in the lawsuit, which got the attention of legislators in both California and New York. All four teams shared a settlement worth over $2.6 million. In 2017, 94 former Raiders cheerleaders shared in a $1.25 million settlement for their time on the team.

Words Cut Like Knives

MN National Guard

It’s no secret that cheerleaders tend to belittle each other privately. It’s unfortunate when coaches and other players do the same. There have been a plethora of horrid stories involving coaches calling cheerleaders fat, benching them for not looking sexy enough, and ordering them to get on a diet. This behavior leads to several cheerleaders quitting their job.

The post The Secret Life Of The NFL Cheerleader appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Getting older never looked so good as Laura Vikmanis! The Fearsome Forties, as some call them, are much less frightening now that Vikmanis has shown the world that age only has as much power over you as you’ll let it.

The Story Of A Cheerleader At 40

At the age of 39, Vikmanis dreamt of being a cheerleader for the Cincinnati Ben-Gals, the cheerleading squad for the team of the same name (Bengals as opposed to Ben-Gals). She tried out and made it all the way to the final stage before being cut. Despite being disappointed, Vikmanis kept up her physical fitness and was fortunate enough to meet one of the dancers for the Ben-Gals the following year. With her endorsement and assistance in training, Vikmanis tried out again at 40 years old, and she made the squad!

Twitter

To put this fact in perspective, Vikmanis was roughly 20 years older than her fellow cheerleaders. She’s even older than most of the players! One person that’s definitely got her beat is the coach, as Vikmanis sheepishly agreed, “He’s a little older than me.”

Vikmanis has a background in fitness, as she’s been a registered dietician for years. As she got closer to her 40th birthday in 2008, this mother of two started to find that life was taking a toll on her body. Her health and weight were trending in the wrong direction.

Her Daughters Were One Of Her Main Motivations

Before being drawn to cheerleading, Vikmanis took up a few physical hobbies, including drum and golf lessons. Then, as fate would have it, she went to see a few games of her local team.

“I was at a point in my life where I was like, ‘What do I really want to do? What’s something in my life that makes me happy?'” Laura shared with reporters. “I went to a couple games and saw the cheerleaders and thought that looked really, really fun.”

After meeting a Ben-Gal at one of her dance classes, this unlikely idea turned into a distinct possibility. With extensive training and one failed attempt under her belt, she made history and joined the squad at 40 years old. One of her primary motivations was to show her two daughters, Lila and Alexa, that hard work and perseverance can make any goal reachable. Both of her daughters are aspiring cheerleaders.

Flickr

Once Vikmanis made the Ben-Gals squad, it didn’t all of a sudden become a walk in the park.

“I was extremely intimidated because I’m literally 20 years older than these girls,” Vikmanis said. “But I really felt like I just needed to do this for me.”

Her fellow cheerleaders couldn’t help but admire her dedication to fitness and the respect that she had for herself. In fact, many of Vikmanis’ fellow squadmates have said she’s become a real role model for them.

Age Is Just A Number

It might be kitschy to say, but Vikmanis proved that age really is just a number. She took on something that most people her age would never have dreamed of. Vikmanis continued as a cheerleader for the Ben-Gals until she was 43, and she’s since written a book and even sold the rights to her story for film purposes.

Perhaps someday soon, we’ll see her inspiring story played out on the big screen!

The post The NFL’s Oldest Cheerleader Is One Tough, Hot Mama appeared first on SportzBonanza.

In school, many girls become cheerleaders because they want to help their team out by giving them momentum. But the possibility of becoming a cheerleader in the NFL is something that very few girls think about during classes.

The ones that do take that next step find themselves in another world filled with TV time and public appearances. While it may seem nice, this isn’t one of the most glamorous jobs out there. We take a look at a few things that tend to go on with a typical cheerleader in the NFL.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky

If you’re going to be in your best shape for the football field, you need to practice. NFL cheerleaders head to practice three times a week to brush up on their routines. Most practices tend to run for either two or three hours. Before getting down to business, the ladies chat with each other about their daily life. For rookie cheerleaders, this is a great way to show how valuable they can be for the team.

“When you’re a rookie, you’re trying desperately to be accepted by veterans because you’re an outcast,” stated Tennessee Titans cheerleader Evony Thompson to Quora.

It’s Gameday, Y’all

Cpl. Michelle M. Dickson

After all of the practicing, it’s time for the game! Cheerleaders tend to show up to the stadium before everybody else. Before the game, they can be seen at the tailgate selling various items, including calendars and autographed posters.

Less Than Stellar Pay

1st Class Tina M. Ackerman

The pay for cheerleading can be quite low. Exactly how low? Well, a server at Applebee’s can walk away with more money than someone on the Dallas Cowboys’ squad. Some veteran cheerleaders can make around $1,000 to $1,500 per month. For everyone else, they’re playing for peanuts.

To make matters worse for cheerleaders, folks that portray team mascots can earn around $65,000 per year.

In 2014, Lacy T., who was a former cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders, sued the franchise for how cheerleaders were treated in terms of payment. The lawsuit stated that there were a plethora of existing fines, including getting benched from the game if you miss one part of the uniform. With a payment of $125 per game, it was unbearable for Lacy and several other cheerleaders.

Members of the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined Lacy in the lawsuit, which got the attention of legislators in both California and New York. All four teams shared a settlement worth over $2.6 million. In 2017, 94 former Raiders cheerleaders shared in a $1.25 million settlement for their time on the team.

Words Cut Like Knives

MN National Guard

It’s no secret that cheerleaders tend to belittle each other privately. It’s unfortunate when coaches and other players do the same. There have been a plethora of horrid stories involving coaches calling cheerleaders fat, benching them for not looking sexy enough, and ordering them to get on a diet. This behavior leads to several cheerleaders quitting their job.

The post The Secret Life Of The NFL Cheerleader appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Getting older never looked so good as Laura Vikmanis! The Fearsome Forties, as some call them, are much less frightening now that Vikmanis has shown the world that age only has as much power over you as you’ll let it.

The Story Of A Cheerleader At 40

At the age of 39, Vikmanis dreamt of being a cheerleader for the Cincinnati Ben-Gals, the cheerleading squad for the team of the same name (Bengals as opposed to Ben-Gals). She tried out and made it all the way to the final stage before being cut. Despite being disappointed, Vikmanis kept up her physical fitness and was fortunate enough to meet one of the dancers for the Ben-Gals the following year. With her endorsement and assistance in training, Vikmanis tried out again at 40 years old, and she made the squad!

Twitter

To put this fact in perspective, Vikmanis was roughly 20 years older than her fellow cheerleaders. She’s even older than most of the players! One person that’s definitely got her beat is the coach, as Vikmanis sheepishly agreed, “He’s a little older than me.”

Vikmanis has a background in fitness, as she’s been a registered dietician for years. As she got closer to her 40th birthday in 2008, this mother of two started to find that life was taking a toll on her body. Her health and weight were trending in the wrong direction.

Her Daughters Were One Of Her Main Motivations

Before being drawn to cheerleading, Vikmanis took up a few physical hobbies, including drum and golf lessons. Then, as fate would have it, she went to see a few games of her local team.

“I was at a point in my life where I was like, ‘What do I really want to do? What’s something in my life that makes me happy?'” Laura shared with reporters. “I went to a couple games and saw the cheerleaders and thought that looked really, really fun.”

After meeting a Ben-Gal at one of her dance classes, this unlikely idea turned into a distinct possibility. With extensive training and one failed attempt under her belt, she made history and joined the squad at 40 years old. One of her primary motivations was to show her two daughters, Lila and Alexa, that hard work and perseverance can make any goal reachable. Both of her daughters are aspiring cheerleaders.

Flickr

Once Vikmanis made the Ben-Gals squad, it didn’t all of a sudden become a walk in the park.

“I was extremely intimidated because I’m literally 20 years older than these girls,” Vikmanis said. “But I really felt like I just needed to do this for me.”

Her fellow cheerleaders couldn’t help but admire her dedication to fitness and the respect that she had for herself. In fact, many of Vikmanis’ fellow squadmates have said she’s become a real role model for them.

Age Is Just A Number

It might be kitschy to say, but Vikmanis proved that age really is just a number. She took on something that most people her age would never have dreamed of. Vikmanis continued as a cheerleader for the Ben-Gals until she was 43, and she’s since written a book and even sold the rights to her story for film purposes.

Perhaps someday soon, we’ll see her inspiring story played out on the big screen!

The post The NFL’s Oldest Cheerleader Is One Tough, Hot Mama appeared first on SportzBonanza.