Take a Bow Erin, Ra Ra Ra
By Scott Morgan
The North Shore Times
After more than a decade of performing in front of thousands of sports fans, cheerleader Erin Boon has decided to call it a day.
The 28-year-old has been a regular at Blues Super 14 matches since making the SkyCity cheer team 10 years ago, including several years as captain.
Erin also turned out as part of the Warriors cheer squad last season.
She says a love of dancing since childhood made the adjustment to cheerleading a natural one.
“I wanted to keep on dancing and it was a bonus to get paid a bit for it,” she says.
“Performing on the field you get a new-found confidence and it’s really fun.”
Making plenty of friends over the years is another benefit of being in the team for so long.
Erin says the stereotype of cheerleaders being attractive but having no brains couldn’t be further from the truth.
“One of the girls in the team has just become a doctor and there are teachers in the team.
“There are always going to be stereotypes like in the movie Bring It On.”
The Mt Roskill resident says there is a big difference performing in front of rugby crowds compared with league matches.
“They’re totally different environments. In rugby there’s more rock, while in league it’s more hip hop.”
A stint with the Chicago Bulls cheerleaders, the Luvabulls, was also a possibility after spending six months living in the United States with her partner.
“It was really fun. There were hundreds and hundreds of girls and I got through to the part where they picked 30 girls to go to a selection camp,” she says.
“I didn’t quite make it further, but it was such a good experience.
“You see how much higher expectations are in American cheer teams.
“They come around touching up your hair, telling you that you should wear makeup or put on or lose weight.”
While she’ll miss the thrill of performing in front of huge crowds, Erin says it’s time to concentrate on her career and wedding early next year.
“I’d like to know what life is like not being a cheerleader and not have to go to rehearsal most nights of the week,” she says.
SkyCity cheerleaders creative director Claire Baxter says Erin will be hard to replace.
“Erin gives massive commitment and dedication to whatever she does.”
Watch how they cheer in New Zealand.
