Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Pro Bowlers By the Numbers

Congratulations to Jennifer Kathryne (pictured above) for her selection to the 2017 Pro Bowl (2016 season).  Reading about Jennifer’s accomplishment got me to thinking about all of the DCCs before her who were also honored to represent the squad in the NFL’s version of an All-Star game.  Since the league started inviting cheerleaders to the game (one from each team selected by her peers) in 1993, the Cowboys have been represented every year.  Here is a history of DCCs in the Pro Bowl by the numbers.  Since most of them were surely Group Leaders as well as Show Group Members, we will look at several other categories, some trivial, some based on merit.

This info is based on data I’ve collected and is by no means completely foolproof.  If anyone sees an error or an omission, please contact me at weeklydcc@live.com.

DCC Pro Bowlers By the Numbers

1  Two-time DCC Pro Bowler (Dorie Braddy)
1  Pro Bowler for 2 different teams (Jackie Bob – Cowboys and 49ers)
1  Latina (Melissa Gutierrez)
1  Native American descent (Shelly Boston Bramhall)
3  Became Assistant Choreographer (Shelley Boston Bramhall, Megan Fox, Jackie Bob)
4  Red heads (Megan Willsey, Cindi Alsobrook, Brandi Nace Redmond, Jennifer Kathryne [sort of])
4 Brunettes (Megan Fox, Misty Duncan, Justine Phillips, Nicole Bulcher)
4  African Americans (Regina Tucker, Nicole Hamilton, Ally Traylor, Jackie Bob)
5 Point of the Triangle [Lead Dancer] (Nicole Hamilton, Brittany Evans, Whitney Isleib, Holly Arielle, Jennifer Kathryne)
8 Cover Girls [Calendar or Magazine] (Dorie Braddy, Tandra Cromer, Regina Tucker, Pennie Booker, Megan Willsey,    Brandi Nace Redmond, Lynlee Allen, Holly Arielle)
8 All Stars (Pennie Booker, Megan Fox, Nicole Hamilton, Brittany Evans, Ally Traylor, Whitney Isleib, Jackie Bob,         Nicole Bulcher, )
10 Blondes (Dorie Braddy, Tandra Cromer, Stephanie Strunc Reese, Pennie Booker, Shannon Gulbis, Kelly Stus,               Lynlee Allen, Brittany Evans, Whitney Isleib, Holly Arielle)
18 Five Year Club (Dorie Braddy, Tandra Cromer, Regina Tucker, Pennie Booker, Megan Willsey, Cindi Alsobrook,           Melissa Gutierrez, Shannon Gulbis, Brandi Nace Redmond, Lynlee Allen, Megan Fox, Nicole Hamilton, Justine           Phillips, Ally Traylor, Whitney Isleib, Jackie Bob, Nicole Bulcher, Holly Arielle)
23 Total DCC Pro Bowlers (Dorie Braddy was selected twice)

Nicole Hamilton 2009

DCC Pro Bowlers By the Year

1993 Dorie Braddy
1994 Tandra Cromer
1995 Dorie Braddy
1996 Regina Tucker
1997 Shelly Boston Bramhall
1998 Stephanie Strunc Reese
1999 Pennie Booker
2000 Megan Willsey
2001 Cindi Alsobrook
2002 Melissa Gutierrez
2003 Shannon Gulbis
2004 Kelly Stus
2005 Brandi Nace Redmond
2006 Lynlee Allen
2007 Megan Fox
2008 Misty Duncan
2009 Nicole Hamilton
2010 Justine Phillips
2011 Brittany Evans
2012 Ally Traylor
2013 Whitney Isleib
2014 Jackie Bob
2015 Nicole Bulcher
2016 Holly Arielle
2017 Jennifer Kathryne

And there you have it.  A list of top DCCs as voted by their peers, by the year and by the numbers.

Dorie Braddy 1993 & 1995

Shout out to ultimatecheerleaders.com for some of the information and photos.

Cheers!

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Five Year Club

Although the weeklydcc.net and blackdcc.net websites are gone, the Five Year Club lives on.  For those who don’t know, the Five Year Club is that exclusive group of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders who cheer for at least five seasons.  Every year the club gets new members and this season is no exception.

2016 brings a new trio to the mix.  Danielle Marie, Jenna Lene and Jessica Marie are the senior members of this year’s squad.  It is so difficult to make the DCC team, but making it five times?  That deserves a tribute.  So the following is a salute to each deserving lady.

DANIELLE MARIE

From the rookie with the big, beautiful eyes to respected veteran, that’s how Danielle’s DCC career has blossomed.  The Jersey Girl had over 20 years dance experience before moving to the Dallas area to try out for the Sweethearts.  She went from being heavily criticized by DCC Technical Coach Kitty Carter to being one of the elder stateswomen on the squad, looked up to by the newer members of the team.  Her star has risen so high that she was the cover girl of the 2015 Dallas Cowboys Star Mag Swimsuit Edition.  To top if off, she is a now a Group Leader, the highest honor for a DCC (other than the Pro Bowl).  Here’s to a great 2016-17 season, Danielle.

Danielle’s Twitter Account

 

JENNA LENE 

Every year the DCC travel overseas to entertain the troops.  One of the most popular spots is South Korea where Jenna Lene’s family was stationed five years ago when the DCC made their annual Christmas trip.  The “military brat” was a cheerleader who attended a Camp DCC.  She was so mesmerized by the ladies in blue stars and crystals that she made the trip back to the U.S. to audition for the world renowned squad. The California native made the team her rookie year, propelled herself to Second Group Leader in her fourth season and is now Group Leader in her fifth.  She is also a member of the vaunted Show Group which means she now makes those trips to Korea (and many other places) where she can hopefully inspire another girl to live her dreams as the DCC once did for her.  Jenna’s story is a great one.  May year five be as sweet as the rest.

Jenna’s Twitter Account

JESSICA MARIE

Several women try out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders after cheering for other pro teams.  Jessica is no exception.  She was a dancer for the NBA’s Indiana Pacers before auditioning her way into the coveted DCC boots.  The accountant and graduate of Indiana State University made the team and hasn’t looked back since.  Now in her fifth season, she is one of the most prominent members on the team, a Show Group member and a Group Leader.  Kudos to the Iowa native and may the 2016-17 season be a cheerful one.

Jessica’s Twitter Account

CHEERS!!!

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Super Bowl XXX 20 Year Anniversary

With the hoopla surrounding next week’s Super Bowl 50 contest, I’ve decided to reflect on the “national holiday” game of 20 years ago.  The Dallas Cowboys took on the Pittsburgh Steelers in one of the more entertaining Super Bowls of that era.  Of course, the Cowboys beat the Steelers 27-17, LOL.  I’ve uploaded some pregame videos of the DCC rehearsing and preparing for the game with Entertainment Tonight and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  I apologize for the poor video quality.  After all, it was VHS from 20 years ago.  Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers!

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders – Artists Renditions

HAPPY INDEPENCE DAY

My last blog about the super heroes and comics got me to thinking about other artwork involving the DCC so I did a little search and was surprised to come across so many artists’ renditions of America’s Sweethearts.  I’d like to share some of that work here, but first I’d like to make it clear that these intellectual properties belong to their rightful legal owners.

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Let’s start with these beauties.  A lot of talent on display here.  Some artists incorporate the team logo.  One even uses the stadium as a backdrop.

                   

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Here is one that looks just like former DCC Jordan Daigle.  At least it reminds me of her.

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There’s even a ghoulish depiction of a DCC.  Apparently this one was inspired by the movie The Grudge.

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I can’t discuss DCC artwork without including coloring book material.  So here goes.

         

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We’ll end with one that is not colored in, just in case someone wants to print it and have a little fun.

CHEERS!!!

 

 

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders with Super Heroes

Suzette Scholz with Spider-Man

Marvel Comics once featured the DCC in a story involving Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk titled Southwest Showdown.

                             

The artist renditions above appeared in the comic book.  Here is a quick synopsis:

History: (Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk in: Southwest Showdown) – While on assignment in Dallas, Peter Parker took time out to visit his high school friend Fran, a member of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders squad.  The two shopped at Sanger Harris before Fran left with the squad on a national tour.

While traveling on their bus, they got lost during a storm. Arriving at a military base they believed to be Fort Sage, they were invited inside by the nervous soldiers working for the Leader. While the rest of the team rested, Fran and Heather took a look around the compound, accidentally stumbling upon a meeting where they learned the Leader planned to take over a missile system and hold the country hostage. Fran called Peter for help, but was cut off by one of the soldiers.  When a trip to the real Fort Sage turned up no leads, Parker donned his Spider-Man outfit to search the desert.  There, he came across the Hulk battling a platoon of the Leader’s men.  He followed the soldiers back to their base, meeting up with Fran there.  While Spider-Man had some of the Cheerleaders dress in army uniforms to fool their way into other parts of the base, a very ticked off Hulk arrived.   The Leader engaged the two in battle from within a tripod weapon, while sending a legion of Battle Androids into the fray.  As a last ditch effort in defeat, the Leader launched a missile, which the Hulk promptly destroyed.  The real Fort Sage unit arrived and saluted the Cheerleaders for their hand in the situation. The next day, Parker was on the sidelines of the Fort Sage show as the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders shook their stuff.  After the show, Peter and Fran returned to the Sanger Harris store, where they giddily conversed about the back-to-school selection.

(Spider-Man and the Dallas Cowboys: Danger in Dallas) – After Spider-Man and the Dallas Cowboys defeated a plot by the Circus of Crime, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders performed at the Cowboys’ football game against the New York Giants.  [Source:  marvunapp.com]

Not to be outdone, the modern-day DCC did a little a Super Hero action of their own of sorts.  When The Dark Knight Rises was released on DVD, the Batmobile Tour made its way to Cowboys Stadium (now AT&T Stadium) and a lovely quartet of Sweethearts were on the scene.  Sydney, Angela, Mackenzie and Jenna struck a pose with the Caped Crusader’s auto.

The only thing missing is a pairing of Captain America with America’s Sweethearts.  Now that would be both Super and Heroic.

CHEERS!

Flashback 3: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Family & Friends Show

Watch DCC groups dance to Devil With the Blue Dress On by Mitch Ryder and Another Night by Real McCoy.

 

 

CHEERS!

Flashback 2: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Family & Friends Show

Check out individual DCC groups dancing to “Joy” and “Knock On Wood.”

 

 

 

CHEERS!

 

 

Flashback: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Family & Friends Show

For decades, the DCC have shared their repertoire of dance routines and solo performances with family and friends.  A couple of decades back, they used to share those moments through the sales of VHS tapes that captured the multi-costumed variety shows.  For the next few weeks, I will share some of those videos with you all.  I apologize for the video quality but like I said it’s VHS.  Let’s start with the intro to the 1993 show to the tunes of If They Could See Me Now and The Boys Are Back In Town.

CHEERS!

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Books

     The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have been famous for over four decades and during that time they have made a lot of memories.  With memories comes stories to be told and several former DCCs have done just that.  But before I delve into those memoirs, let me mention my favorite book about the DCC.  Back in 1982 Mary Candace Evans wrote a book about the first decade of the DCC, a decade that included movies, TV specials, USO tours, Super Bowls and product endorsements.  The book was aptly called A Decade of Dreams and candidly explored the experiences of those ladies who pioneered the first 10 years of the world-famous squad.  This book was a fun read and even 30+ years later I recommend it to any DCC fan.

 

   Not every book written about the DCC was all sunshine and roses.  In 1991, the Scholz Sisters (Suzette, Stephanie and Sheri) wrote their own account of life as America’s Sweethearts called Deep In The Heart of Texas:  Reflections of Former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.  There are several sister duos who have cheered for the DCC, but the Scholz women are the only trio that I know of.  Their book was full of hyperbole and included tales of drug use and fraternization with players.  Some of the storylines were so controversial that names were changed to protect the innocent.  Despite some obvious exaggerations, it was nice to read a book that at least attempted to balance the good with the bad.  Deep In The Heart of Texas was the first book I read that was told through the eyes of former DCCs themselves.

 

   A more recent account of life as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader came in 2012 when Leslie Shaw-Hatchard wrote What I Learned Half Naked:  Tales of a Pro Cheerleader.  Shaw-Hatchard, who cheered for the Cowboys in the 91-92 season before joining the Dallas Mavericks Dancers, went on to become a respected choreographer and dance teacher in the Dallas area.  Hers is another book that doesn’t focus solely on the good times as a pro cheerleader.  Although she cherished her time with the DCC, the book touches on some not so fond memories, such as in essence being told she wasn’t pretty by the DCC Director at the time.  Although “Half Naked” isn’t exclusively about the DCC, it’s a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the 90s DCC experience.

 

   There has even been a book written about the DCC by someone who wanted to become one but didn’t quite make it.  Remember the grandma who tried out a few years back?  Yep, she wrote a book about auditioning for DCC.  Fifty-five year old Sharon Simmons was in incredible shape when she tried out alongside girls nearly four decades younger than her.  Although she wasn’t successful, her attempt drew a lot of favorable publicity with interviews and TV appearances.  Eventually she penned her own version of the DCC audition process in Stilettos to Pom-Poms in 2013.

 

     DCC stories aren’t through being told just yet.  Yes, there is more to come in the future.  Former Sweetheart Deryn Derbigny became a DCC in 2006 and spent three years on the squad after four years as a New Orleans Saintsation.  Displaced to the Dallas area by Hurricane Katrina, Deryn turned lemons to lemonade, becoming a DCC fan favorite and Show Group member.  She later moved back to Louisiana and became a Honeybee for the NBA New Orleans Hornets.  All of this pro cheering has prompted Deryn to write her own book as she recently signed a deal with VIP Ink Publishing.  Today Deryn is a successful businesswoman in the New Orleans area and this book (currently untitled) will undoubtedly add to her list of accomplishments.

CHEERS!

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Megan Sharp – Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?

This is the last in the “5th Grader” series.  Watch Megan Sharp do really well while raising money for the USO.

 

 

 

 

 

CHEERS!