Flawless hair, flawless makeup, and flawless choreography: when people see perfection, they often overlook the amount of work it took to get there. But a new Netflix docuseries, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders , pulls back the curtain to reveal the sheer mental and physical strength it takes to be inducted into one of America’s most iconic National Football League (NFL) franchises. Before each Dallas Cowboys home football game, a group of 36 cheerleaders take the field.
Handpicked from hundreds of applicants, the women, some as young as 18, wow the crowd with their unbelievably precise high kicks and split jumps, all while perfectly coiffed. Then, throughout the game, they are positioned along the sidelines with the sole purpose of energizing the crowd. “Our job, literally, is to make people happy,” retired DCC Caroline Sundvold says.
“No matter what we feel like.” The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC), also known as America’s Sweethearts, are one of the most recognizable and prestigious brands in football. Some argue they are equally as famous as the team they cheer for.
It all started with a wink. Over 60 years ago, in 1960, then-Dallas Cowboys general manager Texas “Tex” Schramm recognized that professional football had become more than just a sport, but entertainment, too. He also knew the public liked pretty girls, so he hired a group of models to stand on the sidelines.
But good looks alone weren’t enough to get the crowd intereste.