Former MSU Pom Squad Captain Vying For Spot on Dallas Cowboys’ Cheerleader Squad
By Dustin Barnes
Clarion Ledger
Lauren Stanley Reed has been a cheerleader for Mississippi most of her life.
But now the 22-year-old Waynesboro native and former Mississippi State University Pom Squad captain has set her sights on another goal — the Dallas Cowboys and their elite cheerleading team.
Reed, an MSU graduate, has gone through the audition process, and she’s prepping for a chance to make it to the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders’ training camp this summer to compete for a permanent spot on the team. Votes from her home state could help secure her a spot for the camp.
The training camp experience is filmed and aired later in the fall, part of CMT’s “Making The Team” reality show, Reed said. And while the show’s judges will decide the rest of the participants who will have a shot to impress at the camp, audience votes can guarantee a spot at the camp for one of the contestants.
Already, Reed has seen support pouring in from her Mississippi State friends, coaches and teammates. But as she pointed out, her goal isn’t to just represent MSU but the entire state.
“I’m the only girl from Mississippi, so I’m representing the entire state,” she said. “And I’ve been overwhelmed with all the support.”
The praise for Reed and her dedication also comes from Melissa Nichols, MSU’s Spirit coordinator who worked with Reed during her time on the Pom Squad.
“I would say Lauren is not only beautiful on the outside, she’s also beautiful on the inside,” Nichols said. “She has a caring heart.”
Nichols said Reed was one of the best all-around performers she’s seen on the squad during her time at MSU. “Not only is she good with dancing, but she’s great at catching the crowd’s attention.”
The results of the vote will be revealed on May 19. If Reed doesn’t garner the most votes, she still has the chance to make it to the camp, she said.
To be on the Dallas Cowboy cheerleading team is a chance to take her love of dance and cheer to a much larger level, Reed said.
To her supporters, Reed said, “Be thinking about me. I’m just going to dance my heart out.”
