Emily Newton: Fins Femme

By Francisco Alvarado
Miami New Times

When the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders take the field during home games, men take notice. But one lady is watching particularly closely. Her name is Emily Newton. The Fort Worth native is director of the Fins’ femmes. “I oversee everything from costuming to choreography to the swimsuit calendar to community appearances,” she explains. “A lot of times, I am their den mom. I protect them and give the girls advice. I hope I am a role model for them too.”

Newton has traveled all over the globe, including Bahrain and London, with the Dolphins squad. During the season, she concentrates on maintaining the cheerleaders’ website, choreographing routines, and planning events. “We recently launched the 2011 calendar and the first swimsuit issue of Dolphins Digest by doing a fashion show at the new LIV club at Sun Life Stadium.”

Newton helped design and create the swimwear the girls wore. “I spent a lot of time sewing and ironing at home,” she notes. “But it was worth it.”

The auburn-haired beauty found her calling as a member of the dance and drill teams at Richland High School in her hometown. “After I graduated, I attended Tyler Junior College, where I was the captain for the school’s dance team, the Apache Bells,” she says. “In Texas, that is a big deal.”

Emily Newton and the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders

Her career in sports entertainment was almost derailed when she was 19 years old. Newton was in an accident that left her blind in one eye. “I was devastated,” she confesses. “But I came back eight months later, making it to the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading team.

She was one of the squad’s group captains for four years. “It was definitely an experience that changed my life,” Newton says of her time with America’s team. “It was an amazing opportunity.” She joined the Dolphins in 2005 as the pompom girls’ appearance coordinator. “I like the culture and diversity Miami offers,” she says. “And I’ve been lucky to mentor girls from all walks of life.”

The women on the sidelines are more than just pretty ladies, Newton says. “We have doctors and lawyers on the squad. We have women who are both smart and beautiful. Being a part of their lives has given me moments that money can’t ever replace.”