OXNARD, Calif. – There’s no blueprint for the kind of fame and attention that America’s Sweethearts get.
As one of the veterans of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, Marissa Phillips has kept a deeper perspective that has helped guide the younger cheerleaders through it.
Phillips, a former Texas A&M dancer from Round Rock who is now in her fifth season with the squad, has experienced the rise in attention following the Netflix series firsthand. “We know we have a super special brand that we have to uphold. It puts a great pressure on us of always showing up and wanting to do our best,” Phillips said. “I think the other thing is, with just the fame and attention that the Netflix show has brought the cheerleaders, it’s super fun getting to go out there. And we have girls that are being called by name, like Charlie and Abby and, like, it’s so fun just knowing that we have people that really care about us as individuals.”
That new level of recognition has brought something else, too — opportunities she never imagined.
“It’s truly been so amazing to see all of the love, the support, but also just like the opportunities that have come our way, we’re so thankful for the amazing things we get to do,” Phillips said.
Phillips has already danced on Texas’ biggest football stages. She recently performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” This fall, the squad will head to Brazil for the Cowboys’ Sept. 27 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Through it all, Phillips’ joy of performing never changes.
“I love to perform,” Phillips said. “Performing is like one of my favorite things in the world. I feel like when you get out there, all of your worries and troubles just melt away. It’s truly the best feeling.”
Phillips is living a dream that started years ago on a football field in Central Texas. “I was out on the football field at a drill team performance thinking, ‘Oh, one day, maybe — I could be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader,’” Phillips said. “A few months ago, I got to go home and actually teach my high school drill team, which was super special.”
From her high school field in Round Rock to Texas A&M to the Dallas Cowboys, Phillips continues living her dream.
