America’s Sweethearts

By Chris Dunker
Beatrice Daily Sun
5/18/2012

“America’s Sweethearts” dance, cheer and help out in the community.

They are the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

Jillian Utley, who graduated last weekend with the Beatrice High School class of 2012, tried out for the squad a week prior to graduation on a whim.

“We were watching the show (“Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team”) and I thought it looked really cool,” Utley said. “My mom asked if it was something I wanted to do, and I said yes.”

Utley, who has been “dancing since I could walk,” and was a member of the BHS Dance Team, thought it to be a unique opportunity, so she filled out the paperwork, signed the waivers and TV release forms and paid the $25 fee to try out.

“We went down to practices first — you can practice before the actual tryouts — and we have family down there so we were able to stay with them,” Utley said. “Once you get to the actual tryouts, they have a walk-through the night before.”

Each potential cheerleader tells the 16-judge panel their name, age and where they are from, in addition to something unique about themselves, Utley said.

“I said my name is Jill and I’m 18 and from Nebraska,” she said. “And since I was named Jill, I was determined to marry someone named Jack.’

Her comment caught the eye of one of the television producers, Utley said. She hopes the moment may land her on the first episode of “Making the Team.”

After introductions, each woman is given 30 seconds to do a freestyle dance to a random musical selection.

“You don’t want to go in with a particular routine in mind because it might not work with the music,” Utley explained. “You just really want to get their attention.’

A total of 609 women tried out for the team. After the first round of tryouts, the judges narrow the pool to 150 women.

Utley didn’t make the first cut, but that hasn’t dampened the appeal of one day cheering for a professional football team.

“Once college is over with, I think I want to try that again and see how it goes,” she said. Many of the other women who tried out for the squad were 25 and older.

“It’s definitely on my bucket list,” she said.