Sharon Simmons wanted to try out for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders when she was in her 20s, but she lacked the confidence. Three decades later, she’s got plenty of it, and come May 5, the 55-year-old grandmother will be out there auditioning against women more than half her age.
And what is age, after all? “I don’t see a number,” she told ABC News. As for the outfits, “If you’re not comfortable wearing stuff like that, you should not be trying out.”
The requirements seem daunting, but Simmons likes a challenge. The certified personal trainer and nutritionist has been entering bodybuilding competitions since she turned 50.
As Simmons says on her website:
I get asked the same question all the time about competing — “Why do you do it?” Because I can! I am living my dream; are you?
I am convinced that if you just allow life to drift by you — it will. You have to take control, make some decisions, set goals and objectives, and then make it happen. It won’t be easy!
The oldest woman ever to dance with the Cowboys cheerleaders was 37, according to Kelli Finglass, who directs the squad. Women in their 50s have auditioned in the past, but none have been chosen for the squad, Finglass told ABC. The oldest woman on the 2011 squad was 31, and the youngest was 18, she said.
“It says something about women and their success stories,” Finglass said of Simmons. “I’d give her accolades for her preparation and look forward to her audition.”
(Photos: Sharon Simmons from her website, Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders by Brandon Wade | The Associated Press)
