Paul D. Shinkman, wtop.com
WASHINGTON — Chivalry may not be dead, but one cheerleader’s career could be.
Relatively unknown Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Kelsi Reich caught the attention of football fans nation-wide as her team played the Bills this Sunday. Buffalo wide receiver David Nelson, her long-time boyfriend, jogged around the field to give her the ball he’d just used to score their sole touchdown in the second quarter.
His team went on to lose the game 44-7.
The initial romantic buzz online soon gave way to recognition of the DCC strict regulations, and the question: Would the cheerleader lose her job?
“(The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders) are the squad that made cheerleading in America what it is today, so they make sure they run a tight ship,” says a former Redskins cheerleading director, who asked to remain anonymous. “I would worry she would lose her job.”
“They fire the cheerleaders really fast over much smaller issues,” the director says.
Dallas’ squad is world-renowned as the gold standard in NFL cheerleading. The white cowboy-boot clad ladies have a rigorous schedule and regulations to which they must adhere, for which they are compensated $150 per home game.
Here are some of the rules, according to their website:
- Cheerleaders are not compensated for rehearsals
- Cheerleaders participate in home games, home playoffs, American Bowls, and the Super Bowl.
- Cheerleaders gaining weight to an extreme are warned, then put on non-performing status, and finally terminated from the squad
- No smoking or drinking is allowed in uniform or during Cheerleader functions
- There are 2-5 rehearsals per week before the season begins. You are expected to attend ALL rehearsals.
- All rehearsals are scheduled in the evenings; extra weekend rehearsals for Show Group and Rookies are required
- Any girl missing a rehearsal prior to a home game will not be allowed to perform at the home game.
- Any DCC missing two performances is subject to dismissal from the squad
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and the Dallas Cowboys declined to comment. Reich declined via Twitter to comment.
Team regulations often stretch far off the field, too. Former Redskins cheerleadeer Christy Oglevee was fired from her position for dating a player on her own team, tight end Chris “Captain Chaos” Cooley.
But Reich seemed on Cloud 9 following her impromptu gift on Sunday. Check out the footage of Nelson’s gesture, and her ensuing response via her Twitter account:
The cheerleading director who spoke to WTOP has a hopeful outlook for Reich’s future:
“Something tells me because of all the positive media attention she will be fine. I thought it was pretty neat.”
What do you think? Should Reich keep her job?
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(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
