Stearman advances to Cowboys training camp

Joe Elerson
Athens Review
May 20, 2015

Malakoff senior Raylee Stearman is one step closer to her dream of becoming a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.

“I am very excited to say I will be a 2015 training camp candidate for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders,” Stearman said. “I am currently looking for an apartment in the Dallas area to move up there by June 1.”

Stearman made it to training camp June 1 with the hopes of making the final roster by the end of the summer.

“No one is officially on the 2015 Cowboys team,” Stearman said. “We will know at the end of the summer. They will announce it with a team picture.”

Stearman said her senior year has been the best year of her life.

She was the Malakoff High School homecoming queen and graduates Thursday, June 4th.

“This has been my favorite year of high school. Coming in as a freshman, I would have never expected this,” Stearman said. “With theater and homecoming and all of the different things this year coming together, it has been an extraordinary year.”

The Malakoff community has helped Stearman in so many ways during the past two weeks.

“Malakoff has been so supportive. The school announced it and all of my wonderful fellow students and friends have congratulated me,” Stearman said. “My teacher Jessica Bentley helped watch my solo the day before and they have been patient with my random schedule. I could not have done it without Malakoff.”

With votes on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders website and making it to the panel interviews and final audition, Stearman was anxious during the announcement for the candidates.

“Kelli Finglass, Judy and Charlotte Jones-Anderson all went to the front and starting listing girls names,” Stearman said. “I was just sitting there praying and hoping my name would be called. It got towards the end and I was one of the last names called. I thought maybe it was not my year.”

She said the support of the community was appreciative in reaching this goal in her first attempt.

“It really helped me through the process knowing I had that support group,” Stearman said. “It meant so much to me and this process is emotionally tough. Once the word got out there and the paper was put out there, I started seeing all of the support with people rooting me on no matter what the outcome was.”

With training camp less than two weeks away, Stearman knows it will be tough for her to adjust to the transition.

“It will be tough. First-year training camp is my first time moving out of home,” Stearman said. “That is more of my concern that I will living with a friend away from home for the first time for the whole summer.”

She knows heading to Dallas will be a time for growth and excitement.

“Being 18 and heading off to college and doing all of this, I am expecting personal growth,” Stearman said. “I have made some great friends and learning some great experiences and life lessons all at once. I am really excited for this chance.”