After a whirlwind 2012, Going Pro founder Laura Eilers Clark continues her multi-dimensional cheer-ful life

If you know parents with young ones that are a bit behind in their coordination, take a listen to Laura Eilers Clark. “I was about three years old when I was ‘prescribed’ to attend dance classes by my pediatrician,” explains Laura. “Apparently I was quite clumsy, tripping and running into walls. He thought it would be good for me to learn some coordination, so advised my parents that I take dance.” That little girl would go on to win the crown of Ms. America 2011. And if you know someone who started off by not making their life’s first big try-out, also take a listen to Laura. “Junior high was my first chance to audition for the cheerleading squad and I did not make it but my very best friend did make it,” Laura recalls. “I cried for weeks and weeks, I was so jealous and sad.” That pre-teen would go on to a life that included cheering for two NFL teams, the Chiefs and the Rams, over six seasons.

Plus, in the world of pro cheer, there are still lots of reasons to still listen to Laura because she is Founder and Executive Director of Going Pro Entertainment, a leading resource for professional cheerleading and dance services, and also Sales Director for Angela King Designs, Inc and Go Wild! Wear, leading outfitters in the world of pro dance and cheer. In addition, Laura is Director for the Maryland, District of Columbia, and Delaware Miss United States Organization. And after a whirlwind 2012, when Laura finished her reign as Ms. United States, married her husband Matt, and moved to a new city, things are picking up again as the 2013 spring/summer Pro Cheer All Stars Convention and Workshop Tour is underway, including Going Pro Expo – Atlanta, this Sunday, May 5th. Last summer at Chicago’s event, I asked Laura if she thought that pro cheer would become such a big part of her life when she started as a Chiefs Cheerleader, and she laughed, “No, but I am very, very happy.” Laura recently shared with UltimateCheerleaders the details of her cheerful life, both on the sidelines and off, including entering the first pageant of her life and winning its state and then a national title.

In Laura’s pro cheer enterprise, part of the mission of Going Pro is providing an opportunity for those with a pro cheer dream to get the information they need to maximize their potential. Laura knows the importance first-hand from her own experiences during her initial NFL try-out. “It’s funny because the first time I auditioned for Chiefs, it was because I was graduating college and wanted to continue performing,” Laura explains. “And when you live in an NFL market, that’s just what you do! I had no idea everything that went into auditions or the job itself. I was NOT ready. My first year I attended some prep classes, but I really took for granted the responsibility behind becoming an NFL cheerleader. I did make finals, but I did not make the team. I actually fell during my audition. I’m pretty certain I wore a very generic black top and black short, and not nearly enough makeup. I learned so much before going back to audition again, and luckily I had some friends on the team to guide me and provide some feedback. Dance always came easily to me. I had to work more on the look and knowledge. I adopted a new hair color and style, a little more glam, more body tone, a better understanding of the attitude needed to represent the NFL. I’m really blessed to have made the team. There are many very deserving women who don’t get that chance.”

Laura started her NFL career where she born and raised. “I was born near Kansas City in 1979,” says Laura. “I’m actually quite thankful I was born in that year; a child of the seventies! I lived in the same house my entire childhood until I left for college. I’m an only child so life was very different from most of my friends. I became very independent and learned to occupy my time with projects and discovery.”

“I always did well in school,” Laura continues. “My ‘thing’ was spelling bees. I would study spelling books for hours, and in sixth grade I won the school spelling bee, then the county spelling bee, then placed very high in the district spelling bee. I won an encyclopedia set!”

Laura always has spelled out fitness as a key to her life. “I was always involved in the dance studio, gymnastics, volleyball, and track,” explains Laura. “I remember quite clearly the first jog I took with my mom I think we went about four blocks and I was in tears. It became one of my favorite things over time to run, and in high school I competed in sprints, relays, and hurdles.”

After her pediatrician prescribed a bit of dance for little Laura, dance became a central part of her life. “I loved it; all of the tap and jazz classes,” Laura recalls. “I hated ballet. I think I was kicked out. It moved too slowly for me. That is one of my biggest regrets is that, even though I continued to absorb technique, ballet is the foundation of dance and I envy those who find technical skills and form much easier.”

And although she was so disappointed that she did not make her first junior high cheerleading team, Laura reflects, “But I’m happy for that now, because it allowed me to dive into some other opportunities like track, volleyball, and student council. I became my class vice president, giving a speech in front of the whole school. I think that more than anything increased my confidence. So a year later I auditioned again and actually made the Junior Varsity High School cheerleading squad. My jumps were getting better, and I was not so awkward.”

But the next steps put Laura on the course towards NFL sidelines. “We could not be on the ‘Drill Team,’ aka the dance team, until junior year, and I auditioned and made the team,” remembers Laura. “Things changed from there! I loved being on a team, learning new routines, going to camp, supporting my school. Cheerleading was fun, but dance for me was my creative outlet. It was a challenge and my absolute favorite thing. I knew I wanted dance to remain in my life forever. I received a dance scholarship to William Jewell College, a small private liberal arts college in Liberty, Missouri, where I was a Public Communication major.”

“It was at that time, I learned about the process of auditioning for the NFL,” Laura says. “Many of our dancers auditioned each year for the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders, and many of them made it each year. I was incredibly blessed to be offered a job working with Universal Dance Association teaching summer camps, and our college team was very successful competing at nationals, so I decided to concentrate on school and take my time before entering the NFL. My college team placed sixth at nationals while I was there, and I became the team captain. I also was promoted to the UDA head instructor for Kansas and Missouri, where I remained for four summers. It was through UDA that I continued improving my technique and made some great team contacts for judging and choreography.”

“But Chiefs was always a goal,” Laura explains. “My parents had season tickets, and when I was a college senior I went to a Monday night Chiefs game. I remember looking down from the top level of the stadium at the player intro tunnel, lined with sparkling sequins and pom poms. Wow! I knew I would be there one day. I guess I have never feared a challenge, and while everything in life does not come easily to me, I am willing to work for it.”

“I auditioned for the first time as I was graduating college, made finals and did not get selected. That was back when auditions were one weekend, closed to the public, no rhinestoned audition attire needed,” laughs Laura. “Things have sure changed! Now I know that I was not ready to take on that job. I thought, ‘Well if I made it to finals my first year, I must not be far off!’ I sought out more advice on hair, makeup, fitness, and performance style, and two years later, I returned to auditions and did make the team. I was one of seven rookies selected. I was on the team for five years, was captain for two years, performed in seven countries while supporting our troops. I appeared in the swimsuit calendar, choreographed many field routines and junior routines; it was an amazing experience. I made so many great friends and was guided by amazing leadership.”

Laura’s first game as a Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader was memorable in so many ways: its location, special preparation, famous people, and extreme weather. “I very clearly remember my first game cheering for the Chiefs,” remembers Laura. “It was the 2003 Hall of Fame Game versus the Packers in Canton, Ohio. We had to perform seven routines; which for a rookie is intense because there is so much new material. The whole week was very memorable because I met Hank Stram, the original football coach for the Chiefs who won Super Bowl IV. He is a Kansas City legend.”

“When we were cheering at the game, it started to rain during halftime, so we headed to the locker room, which was underneath the stadium with an outdoor entrance,” continues Laura. “Halftime continued to be delayed because of lightning, and then just a few minutes later, water came rushing into the locker room under the door. I don’t know where all that water came from, but it was like a flood. All the cheerleaders jumped up in uniform on the locker room benches to avoid the water. The game ended up getting called for rain and lightning, so my very first ‘half game’ was in the books.”

But Canton was just the first chapter in a Laura’s memory book of NFL experiences. “I have so many game memories,” Laura shares. “Every time we played the Raiders, it was so intense, and those games always seemed to come down to the final play to win the game. Arrowhead erupted at times like that. We were the loudest stadium in the NFL; a sea of red. It was so deafening that we could not dance or cheer on the field because we couldn’t hear the music. That feeling was amazing.”

“One of my very favorite games was during 2006 when we hosted Thanksgiving night football,” Laura recalls. “The ESPN crew was there, and we hosted a concert on the field at halftime. It was supposed to be Keith Urban, but he was in rehab. So it was John Fogerty, who was actually really good! It doesn’t get any better than cheering on the sidelines and then getting to hang out front row at a concert with your very best friends in your favorite stadium.”

“Another very vivid Chiefs game memory was when Trent Green received his career-ending concussion versus the Bengals in our home opener 2006,” Laura explains. “It was raining, and he went down and did not come up. He was about ten yards away from where I was standing. It was the longest injury delay I have ever experienced, and as you know, cheerleaders aren’t supposed to look concerned on the sidelines, but it’s hard not to be when you feel so close to an organization.”

But after years with the Chiefs, Laura moved across Missouri, and switched from red to blue in this swing state, becoming a Rams Cheerleader in St. Louis. “I moved to St. Louis for a job and happened to arrive the week of Rams auditions,” Laura relates. “When I retired from Chiefs, I never in a million years thought I would be cheering again, but I was so excited to experience a new organization.”

How was it to try-out for another team, plus go from veteran to rookie again? “Of course some things came very naturally, but I learned a different dance and performance style, and it was also difficult going through interviews for a team I had not grown up around,” Laura shares. “I wasn’t quite as familiar with the coach and player names or the team history. But I was thrilled to make it as a rookie in 2009, at the age of 29; I turned 30 one month after auditions. To be cheering in the NFL at age 30 is a huge accomplishment!”

“I had to return to ‘the bottom of the totem pole’ as a rookie,” Laura continues. “I had to test my sideline routines to earn a field routine spot, follow my captain, and take more of a backseat than I did during my final years with the Chiefs, but honestly it was a nice experience for me. I was very happy to be back within an NFL organization. I didn’t have to teach anything or prepare anything, just learn my stuff and show up on time! It was refreshing, and the team was very welcoming.”

“I think it is very hard as an NFL veteran moving to a new team; there is absolutely no guarantee you will make that team,” Laura shares. “It seems much more common now to see girls within the NBA and NFL ‘team-hopping’ in different cities. Sometimes it’s the right fit, and sometimes it’s not.”

So does Laura prefer cheering right out in the varied seasons of outdoor Kansas City or in the climate controlled dome in St. Louis? “So now I have experienced performing in the outdoor Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City and the climate controlled AstroTurfed Edward Jones Dome of St. Louis,” Laura answers. “It was really nice always knowing what to expect in St. Louis, no last minute routine changes due to rain or mud, no sweat dripping in your eyes. But I have to admit that to me, football belongs outdoors, and the elements of the weather are part of the game; for the players and the cheerleaders. I loved getting uniform tan lines and sweating so much that my hair was dripping. And rain games were the best. We put on a ball cap and a poncho and just had fun.”

After one season with the Rams, new moves and new plans were on the horizon for Laura, but pro cheer even became a bigger part of her life, as she founded Going Pro Entertainment five years ago. “Going Pro Entertainment has certainly expanded beyond my wildest dreams and has become an inspiration to many future pro dancers and an outlet for alumni dancers,” Laura says. “I hosted the first pro level workshop in spring 2008 in Kansas City. I always intended for the company to go national. Every NFL cheerleader I met from another city was just like me: driven and passionate, wanting to share her experience with others and somehow keep the industry in her life after she retired. So Going Pro Entertainment is more than just me. It really is the network of women we have included in the company over the years. They are absolutely remarkable, and they are carefully selected to carry forward the vision and maintain the honesty and enthusiasm upon which the company was created. I look for women who continue to push forward to make a mark in the industry.”

Certainly Going Pro is a great idea, Laura was not intimidated by the logistics of a national operation and building a network of dance professionals, and turning the great idea to a great reality. “Yes, there were many times I could have become distracted causing us to cease or slow operations,” Laura explains. “There were many sleepless nights making sure the business could progress. Every new venture I encounter is strategic and helps to further Going Pro’s role in the entertainment industry. Now is the time I need to figure out how it all fits together. Going Pro is going to continue recruiting the best possible pro cheer consultants and choreographers. Our expos will keep on rotation across the country, and we have developed a private camp program for colleges and semi-pro teams. Our goal is to be welcoming across college, semi-pro and pro genres, to remain affordable, and to feature the professional experience of our staff. Many people have encouraged us to head in the online training direction, but you really can’t learn more efficiently than through personal contact. That’s what we provide: real people, customization, and feedback.”

Asked about her observations of improving talent and style of NFL cheerleading over time, Laura answers, “I’m still in awe of the performance and energy level that comes out of NFL cheerleading. Your performance area is HUGE so motions need to be over the top. Music is always very high energy, so stamina is very important. I think that the dance industry has changed immensely over the years, and it’s great that each team has its own style. What I loved about the Chiefs was the tradition we held on the field, like the cheerleader introduction routine and the touchdown celebration kick line. I would do the same routine year after year but it never got old because it was tradition, and that’s important.”

So what advice does Laura have for women trying out the first time? “I think we are in a time when the internet shows us thousands of people achieving amazing things,” Laura says. “You instantly get notified of friends’ successes. Facebook has warped our minds to wonder, ‘what can I do next that will get liked?’ I encourage candidates that it’s okay to not get the job the first time. Over 50% of NFL cheerleaders do not make the team their first time auditioning. The pro cheer industry is selecting the very best women to represent their team. Many very talented, beautiful, intelligent women are turned away every year. This is why we want to prepare candidates as much as possible, or even to take on audition candidates who are coming back and help fine tune what they learned in previous years.”

In addition to her own endeavor of Going Pro Entertainment, for over three years, Laura has been Sales Director for Angela King Designs and Go Wild! Wear. “In 2009-2010, Angela launched ‘Go Wild! Wear;’ a readywear for performance teams based on 20 years of designs for the NBA, NFL and NHL,” Laura details. “I was hired as Angela’s Sales Director, and we set forth to build a sales team of seasoned professional cheerleaders. We now have eight representatives across the United States. I am the point of contact for teams in the Northeast U.S., and I also direct sales, marketing, and program development for Go Wild! Wear. I assist Angela in the annual Sports Model Search, the Junior Designer Program, and Style Pro Training Program.”

So, what is the best way a new pro cheer team should go about deciding on the optimal look? “At AKD we believe branding your team is the most important first step,” Laura explains. “You want to create a look that is different and speaks to your personality. It’s really fun to brainstorm creative costuming and see where it goes. Angela is so good at creating just the right look that connects with the region, the sport, the mascot, and the overall team identity. That uniform should be so memorable that it becomes famous. It will be recognized by your fans no matter who wears it. And at the same time it should be so fabulous that every girl in your city and around the world will want to earn the chance to wear it!”

Asked about the future of cheer wear, Laura responds, “I think we will see less traditional costuming, more pops of color, more movement within the design of the costume. Practicality of the economy and quick costume changes mean more ‘mix and match’ or removable options to instantly create a new look. I really can’t be sure! But I do know that AKD is always creating the next trend in pro cheer, and the best is yet to come.”

Laura knows firsthand the steps in creating a brand new dance team, as she founded and was Dance Team Coordinator and Choreographer for the Lady Raiders, of Virginia’s indoor football Richmond Raiders. Laura had to say goodbye to her Lady Raiders when she moved to the DC area last year. “I loved being a dance team director,” Laura says. “I started directing at the high school level, then the college level, then had the great opportunity to coach for indoor professional football. What made it even better was the opportunity to build something from the ground up, coaching the inaugural Lady Raiders Dance Team in 2010 until I moved in 2012. I believe three seasons creates a foundation, and I’m so proud of them and their new director Kelly Owens.” Could there be more dance teams in Laura’s future? “I would definitely consider coaching again if the right opportunity presented itself.”

But the next big step in Laura’s life occurred because she had another role with the Richmond Raiders, game emcee. “While I was coaching for the Richmond Raiders, one of my dancers Brittany Gordon was crowned Miss Virginia United States,” Laura explains. “Her state director came to one of our games to support her, and he zeroed in on me. He began recruiting me to enter the Ms. title, which is single women over age 28. I was flattered, but wasn’t sure I wanted to invest in the experience, as I was so busy and had really experienced all the limelight I needed as an NFL cheerleader. But I realized that there was something special in the organization, and with my business developing, I thought, ‘Well, what the heck?’”

So the young woman with zero pageant experience won her Ms. Virginia state title, and then competed at nationals and won the title of Ms. United States 2011. Was Laura shocked that she went to the pinnacle in her first pageants? “I’m thrilled I won, but I would not say I was ‘shocked,’” answers Laura. “I work hard and do my homework for every endeavor I go after, especially when I’ve experienced so much in the performance industry. I knew it could end up in someone else’s favor, but I was going to give them one heck of a competition,” laughs Laura. “Pageantry is a sport, didn’t you know? But truly, I made some great friends and highly respect the women who represented the other states that year at nationals. I think I won due to my innocence of not having competed in pageants. I was just me, just as I always have been. I didn’t follow all of the typical pageant rules, but I knew that if awarded the crown, I would make an impact.”

For those not familiar with the not familiar with the Ms. United States title, it is part of the Miss United States Organization, the fastest growing pageant in the nation. Divisions are held for ages 8 to 55 with nationals taking place in Washington, DC in July. Comparing this to other systems, Laura says, “I believe the United States Organization is a nice blend of the charitable focus of the America system and the fashion and glamour of the USA system. We turn to our titleholders to take a proactive role in developing their own platform that has meaning to them, as well as pursue goals to further their career objectives. National titleholders get many travel opportunities, endorsements, and appear at major events and interviews.”

Asked about the memorable moments during her Ms. United States reign, Laura answers, “One of my favorite experiences as Ms. United States was throwing the first pitch at a Kansas City Royals game and being in opening ceremonies of the Kansas City Chiefs Alumni Game with Kimble Anders, a Chiefs Hall of Fame running back. I actually trained to throw that pitch, and it was amazing! Who knew I could have been good at softball?”

“Another important moment for me was developing my campaign in association with ‘Let’s Move’ to help kids become more active,” continues Laura. “I visited school P.E. classes and taught the ‘Move Your Body’ routine at conventions. I was invited to present to the Virginia Health and P.E. educators conference in Washington, DC. I also appeared on the cover of Richmond’s women’s magazine ‘Belle’ and in Virginia Bride Magazine.”

So, Laura, inquiring minds must know. Was wearing a crown easy or did it take getting used to? “Believe me wearing a crown is not painful in the least bit,” Laura jokes. “I still wear it sometimes when I’m vacuuming.”

In some of those checklists with points to measure stress, things like getting married and moving get a lot of points, and they do not even have points for spending six months finishing your reign as a national pageant winner. So for Laura, who married, moved to DC, finished her reign, and with multiple career paths, does 2012 seem like a whirlwind, and how challenging was it to plan a wedding and move? “Matt and I were engaged in April, and we really did not want to wait long to get married,” recounts Laura. “We checked our preferred venue for Labor Day weekend, it was available, and so were our families, so we booked it and were off and running. It helped that we agreed to go back to Missouri to accommodate our friends and family. I’m so happy we kept our engagement to just three months because it worked perfectly with our move to Washington, DC. Honestly I was only stressed with the wedding in the last week because I had to tie 300 bows while dieting and living at home with my parents. That tends to irritate a girl! Everything was perfect, even though it rained and we had to move the reception indoors, I could not ask for a more romantic and perfect day to become Mrs. Clark.”

But with all she does, how does Laura keep fitness in her own life? “I was quoted recently that fitness should be a part of your daily regimen, like showering and brushing your teeth,” answers Laura. “It should be a priority and something you schedule. I commit nearly every day to some type of activity to maintain or enhance my endurance, strength, or flexibility. I actually am a certified fitness instructor and personal trainer and spend about ten hours a week teaching and training in my ‘off hours.’ Lately my personal workout of choice has been CrossFit, and it’s been an amazing change for me. I started CrossFit in January, and it challenges me as a trainer to reteach my body proper form as well as gain more strength and flexibility. I do about four to five hours per week of CrossFit workouts. It’s a great workout for a former athlete because there is an element of teamwork and competition. I love that they treat women like men; we get the same workouts and oftentimes outscore the men!”

And as you might expect, Laura just did not finish her pageant career and put pageantry completely behind her. Since last fall, Laura has been Director for Maryland, District of Columbia, and Delaware at the Miss United States Organization. So between dance and pageantry, Laura life touches areas that reality shows have portrayed the moms as a bit overzealous. Plus, Laura herself has shown that winning tot pageants is not a requirement to win crowns in adulthood. What is the best way to be both supportive of a young child’s interest in dance or pageants and yet not be TOO supportive? “I work with great parents every day,” answers Laura. “Parents absolutely should be involved in the lives of their children. I try to develop programs that allow the parents to trust in leadership and overall system goals. I want to know the parents and want them to be present, but I do try to make it clear that their daughters are the ones who have been or will be selected (for a team or title). I also encourage the kids to take the responsibility and not turn to their parents to call the director or complete the application.”

So for the self-described clutzy little girl, Laura seems to have the world under her spell, and during a pro cheer career that began at football’s Hall of Fame, certainly she would be a first round inductee if there was a brick and mortar pro dance Hall. With her continued connection to the nationwide network of pro cheerleaders, does Laura feel there is a bond amongst pro cheerleaders across geography and teams? “Definitely, it’s fun to meet other pro cheerleaders and chat about the similarities and differences in our experiences,” Laura responds. “I love hearing about their newfound successes because you truly will come across the most inspiring and motivating people who continue to achieve beyond their pro cheer years. Yet it’s incredible how connected we still feel to that experience, the team and the industry. More recently, it seems we talk about the alumni opportunities and the new official NFL cheer alumni connections that are being created.”

Certainly, Laura’s life has been transformed due to her NFL cheerleading experiences, and with her Going Pro enterprise, she continues to cheer on those who want to also achieve that same goal, but maximizing their potentials. Laura has shown that the key is being true to oneself, and showcasing and enhancing one’s best traits is the best move one can make. And from head to toe, from inside and out, Laura is there to share her expertise with others.

We thank Laura so much for taking the time to answer questions about her wide ranging experiences, and best of luck in the future!