Manly Seabird to Dallas Cowgirl

Peter Peters
The Manly Daily
8/5/2011

Angela Nicotera couldn’t phone home without a camera crew filming her call for reality television when she became a member of the world’s most famous cheerleaders, the Dallas Cowgirls, this week.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders – Making the Team was being filmed and the former Manly Sea Eagles Seabirds brunette they call “Down Under” was the star turn.

It was a stark reminder that for the next 12 months her life will undergo a massive change.

The 27-year-old from North Ryde is a nine-year veteran of cheerleading in the NRL in the much respected Sea Eagles Seabirds under the guidance of 17-season choreographer, founder, coach and confidante, Monique Carroll.

It was Carroll who planted the seed that grew into the idea that the daughter of an Italian music-shop owner should try out for the blue and white cheergirls representing what is known in the National Football League as “America’s Team”.

Despite having a thriving career as a qualified chiropractor in front of her, Angela took the bait when it was dangled in front of her.

For the past few years Monique Carroll has sensed that her most powerful dance member needed a new challenge and it lay in the United States.

“She was talking about giving cheerleading away and she was at the perfect stage of her life to make the move,” Carroll said.

“She recently got her degree in Chiropractic Science from Macquarie University and has that part of her life in a professional capacity waiting for her.

“But she was cherry ripe to have the maturity and drive to go overseas and climb a mountain. Angela is a dynamic dancer and has presence – she stands out.

“She wasn’t afraid to have a go at climbing a mountain where someone younger may have.”

And our Angela is something of a joker.

When she phoned her tutor this week her first words were: “Hi Monique, it’s Angela with some bad news!”

There were sobs and then laughter with the call on loudspeaker.

Monique Carroll has been around too long to fall for the prankster she knew was part of Angela’s personality.

Then the words: “I won’t be home for a year. I’m in!”

Angela Nicotera applied online to become a Dallas Cowgirl, was granted a tryout and became one of 540 applicants to pass the first tests.

A few photos of Angela at this year’s DCC audition

Then five days a week for four hours at night for the first month she danced her feet off.

The group was cut to 140 down to 76 and then 46 with eight girls cut this week for the group to be settled at 34.

The group of 46 was taken to an exhaustive eight-week training program before the axe came down for the final time.

The 34 girls will raise more than $1 million for the Cowboys organisation and owner Jerry Jones this season.

Angela gets paid just $150 per week as a base salary but up to $200 per performance and community work on at least three to four events each week.

Her first home-ground appearance at the team’s 120,000 capacity stadium in Dallas is in a sold-out pre-season game next Thursday, August 11.

“Down Under” has been in massive demand in Dallas this week as the American media wanted to interview the leggy Aussie with the flashing pearly whites.

Her dance mates call her “Down Under” but the media have added “Thunder” to her nickname.

*****
Life in Dallas wasn’t all smooth sailing for Angela as she had a disagreement with her first flatmate before being taken in by the family of a Dallas-born girl who has also made the final group.

The Cowgirls don’t travel to away games and have very strict guidelines about mixing socially with any of the players.

“It’s a no-no and very strictly administered, much like the Manly Seabirds,” said Monique Carroll, who started her cheerleading with the Parramatta Eels as an 11-year-old.

Parramatta and the Penrith Panthers, who were the first club to embrace cheering, trailblazed the cheerleaders as pre- and mid- match entertainment back in the early and mid-80s.

But up until now, no girl has dared go where Angela has gone.

Jennifer Hawkins went from the Newcastle Knights cheergirl squad to a Miss Universe title and is an inspiration to every young Australian female. Angela Nicotera is living proof that our girls can overcome early disappointment. Back in 2001 she tried out for the South Sydney cheergirls and didn’t make the team under the instruction of Monique Carroll who was running both the Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles cheerleaders.

In 2002 Angela’s determination and improvement saw her chosen by the same Mrs Carroll at an audition in the then club rooms opposite Manly Leagues Club.

In the end Angela’s talent and refusal won through.

That same grit and will to win still burns within her. Go girl!