Lauren Mazza has the spirit of generosity
By Kristin Foley-Gura
Philly.com
10/6/2010
Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader Lauren Keeley Mazza has just one request – show her your spirit!
Whether it’s on or off the football field, the Northeast resident and local schoolteacher encourages passion and enthusiasm, along with a will to get things done, from her fans, her students . . . pretty much everyone she meets.
The 24-year-old Mazza has made her second home on the Eagles’ sidelines over the past four years, but her association with the team also has earned her some worldly expeditions.
She has traveled the globe. She has soaked up the sun in exotic hot spots like Riviera Maya in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Aruba for photo shoots.
In 2009, she ventured to Japan during the National Football League’s Goodwill Tour and performed for American troops who were stationed there. She experienced the rich Japanese culture and enjoyed her celebrity status in the land.
“They had so much respect for NFL cheerleaders,” said Mazza, who also was selected to perform at the 2010 Pro Bowl at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida. “A lot of women from Japan – they come over, especially on the West Coast – and they audition and then they cheer for a year or two. Then they go back (to Japan) and get these amazing jobs as talk-show hosts, TV stars. They go back and they’re like stars.”
Even with her impressive travels as an Eagles cheerleader, Mazza seems to be making the most difference in the vicinity of her Lawncrest neighborhood.
TEACHING IS HER CALLING
The 2003 graduate of Cardinal Dougherty High School works as an autism support teacher, special-education teacher and therapist at the Wyncote Elementary School, located in Wyncote in the Cheltenham School District.
“I think I was born to be a teacher,” she said.
“We had Our Lady of Confidence at Dougherty, and that was a life-skills program for young adults who were ages sixteen through twenty-one,” she continued. “I helped out the teacher who worked there, and I really enjoyed it and felt like I could do the job well.”
The benefits of being an Eagles cheerleader have helped Mazza expand her involvement in what she is most passionate about – helping children with autism. Along with aiding the Eagles Youth Partnership, an outreach project that teams with community health and education programs for youngsters, Mazza took part in the inaugural “Huddle Up for Autism” Family Fun and Awareness Day that was held at Lincoln Financial Field on April 11.
The free event included autographs, field and locker-room tours, arts and crafts, games and face-painting. Mazza was especially happy to be part of the event.
“It was such a nice experience, probably my favorite because it had the most meaning for me, but there are so many charities that the Eagles are involved with,” she said. “Each one is exciting.”
Mazza joined other Eagles cheerleaders to serve meals at homeless shelters last Thanksgiving, then took part in a Christmastime visit to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“It has been much more than I ever thought there was,” Mazza explained of the NFL’s charity work. “I always knew the NFL was huge and it was an American icon and there was a lot to it, but the experience has been amazing. It has really shaped me as a person in a lot of ways, too.”
HEY, IS EVERYBODY HAPPY?
On game day, motivating a crowd of 65,000-plus Eagles fans at Lincoln Financial Field can be another uplifting experience. Mazza and her cheerleading colleagues have the task of keeping those fans in high spirits, especially when things aren’t going their way. And in Philadelphia, that takes more than memorizing a few cheers and dance moves.
“It can be really overwhelming,” Mazza said of the raucous stadium atmosphere. “You kind of get used to it a little bit, but it can still really overwhelm you because there is so much going on – whether you are dancing or watching the game to know what’s going on – but it’s so exciting.”
Philadelphia, or course, is known for its diehard and demanding fans, and every year, drama seems to be a staple of the football season at Lincoln Financial Field – whether it’s the explosion of Terrell Owens’ ego, coach Andy Reid’s efforts to help his two sons through drug troubles and stints in jail, or this year’s huge quarterback debate – Team Vick or Team Kolb?
Of course, that became less of a debate when Michael Vick suffered a serious rib injury and turned the ball over to Kevin Kolb during Sunday’s 17-12 loss to the Redskins. During an interview a few days before that game, Mazza liked the vibe she was feeling from the stands.
“I think the fans are excited about the momentum and how they’re playing right now,” said Mazza. “I’ve been an Eagles fan my whole life. My parents have had season tickets since I was little. It’s pretty much been all that happens on Sunday. That and church, I guess.”
Mazza started her cheering career at 4, eventually teaming up with the grade-school squad at St. William’s School and also taking part in the cheerleading program at the Lawncrest Recreation Center. She took her pep and pompoms to Cardinal Dougherty High School and later to Gwynedd Mercy College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education. She’s currently studying at Arcadia University for her master’s degree.
And 20 years after her introduction to cheerleading, she is living the dream with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I’m hoping that we make it really far in the playoffs, and possibly get to the Super Bowl,” said Mazza. “I haven’t cheered at a home playoff game, so I’m hoping we can get there. Not for myself to be selfish, but I think the fans are ready, too, and waiting . . . .”
