“I’m sorry I’m late. Our training has been delayed,” says Anna Parrish apologetically in greeting. She’s wearing leggings, her hair cascades down her shoulders, her smile bright white. Yes, she is very attractive. And for some observers, the optics should be enough. Anna wants to clear up a cliché today: cheerleaders achieve something with their performances, they are real athletes.
Before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Anna’s team was able to perform with Cro. It showed off its skills in a brilliant show. The day before, the star met the trainer at the “Bayerischer Hof” hotel.
Anna, let’s start at the beginning. How did you get into cheerleading?
I grew up in Maryland and danced a lot from an early age. My mom was a cheerleader for the Baltimore Colts. It has always been my dream to work at the level I am doing now. I used to dance professionally for a few theme parks. And then I started cheerleading for the Tampa Bay Storm arena football team, then the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team, and finally the Buccaneers.
Cheerleading is not nearly as popular in Germany as it is in the USA. Unfortunately.
Yes, if you start dancing early or do track and field, there are plenty of opportunities for us to continue cheerleading in school. Many of our team have a past of dancing. When you reach a certain level, it takes certain skills from it.
How do you become a cheerleader for the Bucs?
There are auditions every year and everyone has to go through them, even those who have been there for a year or five years. During the Corona period, we searched virtually and thus gave people the chance to come to us who are not from the Tampa area. The earliest opportunity to audition is in March and depending on how things go, there will be more rounds until June. The first game is usually late July, early August. In these summer months we practice most of our dances.
What are the requirements to become a cheerleader?
We are looking for the people who best represent our brand. We do a lot of events for the community, that’s our focus. But of course an applicant should also be able to dance and have a few tricks up his sleeve. He or she should of course be cheerful.
You said you care about the community. For example, what do you do?
Yes, we actually do that more often than dancing. We often visit schools and hospitals, help with food distribution. We do this five or six times a week. All cheerleaders have full-time jobs or full-time college tuition, and then help out as often as they can.
There’s a misconception that cheerleaders are just pretty girls in skimpy outfits waving ponpons. Your performances are incredibly athletic. How do you deal with such prejudices?
I’m glad you say so. There are so many biased opinions about what makes a cheerleader. In fact, we now wear leggings because we incorporate so many athletic figures. The skimpy outfits just didn’t work anymore. We are athletes. We need to take care of our bodies and exercise often enough for our bodies to do what we ask of them. Four hours of maximum exertion must be danced per match day. That’s asking a lot. And every year we want to raise the bar. Cheerleading isn’t necessarily what the movies make it out to be.
Do you mind if you encounter prejudice?
I think you have to live with the good and the bad. I wouldn’t say prejudice hurts our feelings, but we want to convince people otherwise and show them what we’re really made of.
They also have men on their team. Do you think that they particularly struggle with prejudice?
Our fans gave the men a very warm welcome. But I guess they might have met with more resentment elsewhere.
You yourself have meanwhile turned from cheerleader to coach…
Yes, I am in my second season as a coach. There are many benefits because I know what is required of athletes. I understand things that someone else might not understand. I’m often asked if coaching my friends is hard, but it’s easier. You understand where I’m going. We do everything to make our dances as good as possible. It would be difficult to throw into something where you don’t know the traditions and the culture. So it’s an advantage for me.
Do you actually have contact with the football players?
No, actually not. Except on the sidelines when a football comes flying or a tackle happens near us. Then we step aside. We are a bit like the sea.
Superstar Tom Brady has been the Bucs’ quarterback for two and a half years. Has it made a difference for you since he joined the team?
In a way, it increases the pressure a little. In my first season as a coach, we also won the Super Bowl. It feels like everything you do is being watched by a lot more people. That’s wonderful, but you have to make sure everyone is ready to the point.
