Colts Cheerleader Kristine progresses from “AFL Dream Teamer” to elementary “Dream Teacher”

So if you had an NFL cheerleader as your fourth grade student teacher, it would be way cool; and it also would give the kids the chance to make some interesting observations. Colts Cheerleader Kristine is student teaching a fourth grade class, and, as she describes, “I take a lot of pride in being able to throw a football, so naturally, at recess I love playing catch with the kids on the playground. One time I threw a ball and I overheard a boy say to one of his friends, ‘Wow did you see that throw?’ to which the other kid responded, ‘Well, yeah! She watches Andrew Luck play football EVERYDAY!’”

No doubt! And after four seasons observing from the Colts sidelines, I bet Kristine certainly can haul in a pass like Reggie Wayne, outmaneuver blockers like Dwight Freeney, and place kick on target like Adam Vinatieri. Kristine returned to graduate school after working in advertising because she decided teaching was her calling. Kristine shared with UltimateCheerleaders the decisions that lead up to her taking on this noble cause, and also her pre-Colts background as an AFL all-star cheerleader who represented her team at the Arena Bowl, and why if she continues making the same New Year’s resolution, she will eventually transform into some infinitely hilarious, mighty comedic-a-saurus.

Until Kristine became a Colts Cheerleader, she was a lifelong Michigan-der. “I was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and raised in Greenville, Michigan until I moved away to college,” Kristine recalls. “I have one brother, who is three years older than me and owns a personal training company in Grand Rapids. My family and I have always loved sports and I grew up playing catch with my dad and brother in the yard or a game of one-on-one basketball in the driveway. Of course, my mom always had out our video camera and I never missed a moment to perform a new dance or skit that my brother and I had created.”

And the dance part of Kristine’s life started young, but when she saw a dance team associated with sports, Kristine’s future dance path was solidified. “I was four years old when I began taking tap, jazz, and ballet classes at a local dance studio in Greenville,” Kristine recalls. “I will never forget when I saw the Greenville High School Dance Team perform for the first time. Their uniforms were so flashy and their moves were fast and precise; I knew from the moment I saw them that I wanted to be on the dance team. There is something about dancing in front of a crowd at a sporting event that makes the performance unlike any other, and I went on to dance on the GHS Varsity Dance Team for four years.”

After high school, Kristine continued to combine her enthusiasm for participating in both sports and dance (and, hey, playground kid, I think she could throw a ball way before she ever watched Andrew Luck). “After I graduated from high school, I attended Grand Rapids Community College, where I was a pitcher and first baseman on their softball team,” says Kristine. “In my second season at GRCC, I began dancing for the Arena Football League with the Grand Rapids Rampage’s Rage Dance Team. After my second year at GRCC, I transferred to Grand Valley State University and continued dancing for the Rampage. In 2008 I was honored to be selected by AFL fans to represent the Rampage on ‘Aaron’s Dream Team’ at the Arena Bowl in New Orleans. As I finished up my Bachelor’s Degree at GVSU, I decided that it was time to work toward another goal and soon found myself in Indianapolis auditioning to cheer for the Colts as a ‘Sweetheart of the Horseshoe’! “

With her degree in advertising completed and experience dancing in the AFL, Kristine was ready to make a move to the NFL. “I tried out for the Colts because, first and foremost, I love the Colts!” Kristine explains. “Indianapolis is convenient in proximity because it is not too far away from home, so I am able to drive to visit my family and friends anytime I would like. Also, my parents have been able to experience a lot of my dance career because Indy is not too far away and they have been Colts season ticket holders for the past four years. Really though, who wouldn’t want to cheer for the Indianapolis Colts?!,” Kristine smiles.

But even though Michigan somewhat in the proximity if Indianapolis, it still requires a lot of travel and effort to try-out for a team hundreds of miles from home. “As I mentioned before, I was living in Michigan when I decided to try-out for the Colts, so my mom and I drove down to Indy for the first weekend of auditions,” Kristine remembers. “As I continued to make it further through the try-out process, I would drive down to Indy from Grand Rapids and stay in a hotel every Tuesday through Thursday for three weeks. It became a little bit lonely driving down from Michigan and staying by myself, but I knew it would be worth it! When my name was called at the final audition, I ran up on stage with my new teammates and, with a permanent grin on my face; I just kept repeating in my mind, ‘I’m an Indianapolis Colts Cheerleader. I’m an Indianapolis Colts Cheerleader!’ After I made the team, I drove back to Michigan, packed up my things and I have been living as a Hoosier ever since!”

In her fourth season with the Colts Cheerleaders, Kristine expresses its importance in her life as, “I absolutely love being a Colts Cheerleader, and each year my passion to perform and my love for the Colts are what keep me coming back. I have had an amazing four years here in Indy and I would not trade them for anything.”

Though Kristine can dance and cheer on the sidelines for home games, I was curious about how she acts when watching a road Colts game on TV. For instance, what did Kristine do in the recent game when the game ended with Andrew Luck throwing a pass to win the game in Detroit on the last play? “Even though I would rather be on the sidelines for all of the Colts games, watching the away games on TV can be fun too!, “ Kristine explains. “Being from Michigan, I know quite a few Lions fans, so you can only imagine how happy I was in those last few seconds of the Lions versus Colts game. I was with some of my teammates watching the game and, as soon as we scored that last touchdown, we all threw our arms in the air and started cheering!”

On the field and off, Kristine’s tenure has been during an eventful time in Colts history. As a rookie, Kristine went to the Super Bowl in Miami, then, after another playoff year, the Colts went 2-14 but Indianapolis hosted the Super Bowl, and now the Colts are back in the playoffs, with the new QB who showed Kristine how to throw a spiral. All the Cheerleaders were so busy all over Indy during Super Bowl hosting week performing at high profile events, and Kristine recalls, “The Super Bowl in Indy was a week I will never forget! I had so many fun appearances around town, but my most memorable moments were dancing in a music video for the Dan Patrick Show and an appearance at a VIP Party at Lucas Oil Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday. I was even more proud to call Indianapolis my home after experiencing all of the amazing events throughout Super Bowl week!”

So, Kristine has called both Indy and Greenville, a city and a smaller town, home. Is Kristine a country girl or city girl? “I am a country girl at heart and love being in the wilderness!,” Kristine says. “I am not terribly fond of highly populated areas, but I have enjoyed living in Indy because, even though it is a larger city, it is not too crowded and the traffic has never been an issue, when it comes to getting around.”

As far as where she may want to move in the future, Kristine answers, “When I move away from Indy, I plan to go to Texas for a little while. I have family and some friends in Texas, so I will move there for a few years until I am ready to head back to live closer to my family in Michigan.”

And Kristine’s next move probably will be based on where she teaches after finishing graduate school. Kristine went into the world of business after she completed her advertising degree, but she soon realized that she should be a teacher. “When I started working at my first full-time job, I began reconsidering my life goals and I realized that I was not as financially driven as I initially thought I would be,” Kristine shares. “I realized that I wanted to devote my life to helping other people and trying to make a difference in the world. After even more thought, I decided that teaching would be a perfect fit for me and, without much prior experience in the classroom, I am very happy to say that I was right!”

A student teacher for a fourth grade class now, when asked what grade she hopes to teach in the future, Kristine replies, “I do not really have a specific grade that I would like to teach. My certification is in elementary education and I think I would be happy teaching any grade at that level!”

Asked what Kristine thinks she will bring uniquely to the classroom as a teacher, she answers, “I know this is the goal of most teachers, but I truly hope that I am able to help make learning fun in the classroom. I have seen that students are continuously expected to learn more material in earlier grades, but as the pressure continues, I hope that my creatively will help make my classroom and enjoyable place to learn.”

Kristine’s student teaching students certainly like having a sideline performer in their classroom. “My students are pretty excited that I am a Colts Cheerleader,” Kristine says. “I have a lot of homemade pictures and letters that students have made for me that are equipped with many horseshoes!”

It is now January, with playoff fever in the air, and snow on the ground. So Kristine, is Greenville in the lake effect snow part of Michigan, and what are your growing up snow memories? “Yes! It seems like everywhere in Michigan gets a ton of snow!,” says Kristine. “Sledding, ice skating and other winter activities kept my brother and me busy during snowstorms.” Does Kristine consider herself an A+ driver in snow? She replies, “As my dad always tells me, ‘Kristine, driving is a full time job!’ and he is not kidding, especially in the snow! Each winter I re-teach myself how to drive in the various conditions and, overall, I would say that I am an A+ driver, but please… knock on wood!”

But we don’t need to knock on wood that the future is bright for Kristine. She has been able to combine her passions for sports and dance; she looked inward to determine her true vocational calling, and found that answer was “Elementary (education), my dear Watson;” and Kristine has gained the biggest benefit of all from becoming a Colts Cheerleader: sidelines lined with friendships. “When I first made the team, people spoke about the relationships that I would form with my teammates, and they could not be more spot-on,” Kristine reflects. “I have met some of the most amazing people, many of which I know I will be friends with forever!”

And those forever friends are going to merrily benefit from Kristine’s perennial New Year’s resolution. “Each year I have the same New Year’s resolution: To be funnier than I was the year before! I have been saying this for probably the past eight years, so you can only imagine how funny I am today!,” smiles Kristine. So if she keeps going with this resolution, Kristine will be infinitely funny!

And certainly her students will benefit from all of Kristine’s varied infinite talents, and because they will see her every day, they certainly will be able to pick up a lot of essential skills. Just like she learned from watching Andrew Luck, Kristine will work hard to help them pass, in all ways.

And recently it has been, all Kristine, all the time! Esquire magazine’s Lindsay McCormick talked football with Kristine this week when she was Esquire’s Monday Morning Cheerleader! Click here to read the interview.

We SO appreciate Kristine for all of her help assisting UltimateCheerleaders! Kristine has been a continued pleasure to photograph on the sidelines, always accomadating to those on the field or in the stands. In addition, MANY thanks to Colts Cheerleaders Coordinator Theresa Pottratz for all of her help! Thanks to Pamela Humphrey, the Colts’ Public Relations Coordinator for her assistance. And there are more photos of Kristine from both the pre-season Colts-Bengals game and from November’s military tribute game between Colts-Dolphins at this link…