Jewish twins back with Texans cheer squad

By MATT SAMUELS
The Jewish Herald-Voice
May 31, 2012

Following the most successful season in Houston Texans football history, an astonishing 975 women tried out for the 2012 Texans Cheerleading squad last month. After two days of gruelling competition, that sent home more than 900 women, there were two familiar faces still standing once all the makeup cleared.

Shlenker School alumnae pre-med twins Michelle and Rachel Lewis, made the prestigious NFL squad of 35 women for the second-straight year as a pair. This will be the third year on the team for Michelle, who tried out the first time, without Rachel, in 2010.

“We both made the team again –it’s so exciting,” said Michelle. “We had to start over again from round one, just like everyone else. We made it through two rounds on Saturday and a third round on Sunday, and we didn’t know we were in until they called our number. It’s just so exciting.”

It was an exhilarating feeling for the twins, who really enjoyed their first season together in 2011. Each woman not only has to make the team, but also earn her way onto the field each game, as only about 25 of the women actually are on the field cheering during the game.

Michelle and Rachel earned the chance to be on the field for nine of the 11 home games, last year, including the Texans first-ever playoff game.

“We had a really good season,” Michelle said. “We had a lot of great things happen that didn’t happen the year before. The playoffs were really fun. It was history for the Texans and history in our relationship. We were on the field for that one, and it was really cool.”

Added Rachel: “It was so much fun and we hope to get even better. We want to be the best cheerleading squad in Texas. We know there are some other cheerleaders in Dallas, but we want to be the best in the state. We just need to be as poised as possible and be on top of our game.”

Besides being the first known Jewish Texans cheerleaders, the Lewis twins also have become celebrities in the Jewish community over the past year.

The twins were part of The Shlenker School’s 25-year anniversary gala, working with Shlenker alumni, who are current Emery/Weiner cheerleaders, to choreograph a dance routine. Michelle and Rachel also were included in a 100 Jewish Men presentation at Congregation Beth Yeshurun.

Michelle also volunteers her time for the ERJCC’s Meals on Wheels program, once a week, delivering meals – usually with Rachel – to those in need in the community.

“Meals on Wheels is such an awesome program,” Rachel said. “I usually hang out with Michelle in the car and help her as she goes on her route.”

While the girls appear in Texans cheer gear during most of the community events, the twins don’t bring their pompoms and boots along on their delivery route.

“When I do Meals on Wheels, I try to look as normal as possible,” Michelle said. “I probably look like I just rolled out of bed.”

When they aren’t cheering or making appearances around the community, the twins continue to work toward their career path into the medical field.

After completing her pre-med studies at The University of St. Thomas, Rachel passed the MCAT and was accepted into medical school at the University of Texas Galveston Branch, where she will start in August.

“It’s really exciting,” Rachel said. “I’m really interested in sports medicine. Maybe being a cheerleader triggered my interest. Being a former cheerleader should be a little more accepted in that field than others.”

Michelle, who also graduated in pre-med from St. Thomas, has changed her focus to nursing and hopes to begin earning her R.N. degree in the spring.

“I changed my mind and ended up not taking the MCAT,” Michelle said. “I realized I wanted to pursue a career in nursing and get an advanced nursing degree. I learned a lot in pre-med and I will just apply that to a different field of health care.”

As for their cheering future, it is undecided. The twins will enjoy their second year together and then decide on the future at that time.

Michelle’s schedule will get quite busy as she works toward her nursing degree, jumping into clinicals almost immediately. Rachel’s medical school will be mostly academic the first two years, so she conceivably could cheer during that time.

“We are really excited for Michelle to pursue nursing and me to start med school,” Rachel said. “In theory, it could be possible to continue cheering for the first couple years of school. But, then again, we are kind of like a package deal, and if turns out Michelle won’t be able to do it, I think that might be where it ends for me as well.”