Written by Mackenzie Lee
I know that I speak for the entire squad when I say that becoming a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader was a dream come true for each and every one of us. However, I'd be lying if I said that the road to making the team was lined with roses, and that we all skipped down it with complete and utter confidence.
Competing against beautiful and talented young women for a spot on the DCC is a really easy way to realize your self-doubt! I still get butterflies in my stomach when I remember walking up to Cowboys Stadium on the morning of prelims. I was overwhelmed with excitement and nerves as I received my number and took a seat. I started to wonder if I had done enough preparation to be performing in front of Kelli and Judy. There were a few moments where I even regretted coming all the way to Dallas from Florida.
As I was slowly becoming consumed by my negative thoughts, Kelli made her entrance and spoke to all of the candidates for the first time. She thanked everyone for coming, spoke about the great distances that some girls had traveled, talked about the itinerary for the day, and then said something that really stood out to me:
She congratulated all of us.
For what? We hadn't even started yet? She congratulated us for having the confidence to even try. Kelli explained that it takes great confidence to even attempt to achieve a goal, and that we had already made it further in the process than many young women can say. I quickly adopted that thought process and applied it throughout the remainder of auditions. It's typical to gain confidence through achievement, so I made sure to acknowledge each achievement from then on. My confidence grew and helped me to perform to the best of my ability.
During training camp, we were reminded again to be proud of how far we had come. Knowing that Kelli, Judy and the other judges thought that we had enough potential to make it to training camp reinstated that confidence and helped me and the other training camp candidates to do our very best.
I am so thankful to have been reminded of the importance of confidence along the way. I make an effort to not only be confident even when I'm terrified, but also to remind those around me to be confident. Receiving those reminders from Kelli, Judy and the veterans really helped me during training camp and even the first few games! Confidence makes all the difference in the world, whether you're taking a test, going to a job interview, meeting someone you look up to, or trying out for DCC.
I am honored to be a part of such a confident group of women who understand the importance of being confident AND instilling confidence in others!
"Go Confidently in the direction of your dreams."
