It’s half-time. The crowd is roaring, and the score is nail-biting. A formation of sparkling sequins and polished smiles assembles on the field; the cheerleaders have arrived. Their performance transcends the audience into a riot of fanfare and pride, we are the Patriots. Yet underneath this glowing persona, who are these girls? Who are the faces that fill Gillette with excitement and spirit? Each one of them represents a part of the New England soul.
Off the field, these girls are committed individuals looking to pursue ambitious careers. Recently, four girls on the team graduated from college. Sarah Tong is entering her first season with the team, but she’s just graduated from Columbia University with a master of health administration. With this degree, Sarah will begin work as a personal trainer, using both her business and fitness education with others. The excitement doesn’t stop there. Jillian Acevedo, who’s also starting her first season with the team, has just graduated from the University of New Haven with a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. Intrigued by the world of technology and the challenges of constant advancement, Jillian is working towards a career in private cybersecurity consulting. Cheering for the Patriots is only a fraction of the equation for this league of talented girls.
Aside from collegiate pursuits, there are many more values that this team strives to embody. Helping their communities is something that the girls include in their time out of the stadium. One cheerleader, Molly Shelters, uses her skills as a speech pathologist to offer instruction to young cheerleaders with varying disabilities. She spoke at the American Speech and Hearing Association’s convention in November, where she was able to utilize her influential platform as an NFL cheerleader to speak passionately about these important topics. Molly, along with the other girls, know that their role as a cheerleader is to inspire young girls to chase their dreams and see the bountiful opportunities available to them. Despite having to audition for the squad three times, the friendly faces she met along the way fueled her perseverance, until she finally joined the team.
Outside of Massachusetts, the girls continue to spread their optimism and strength. Missing a Patriots home game, cheerleader Eliza Kanner traveled to Israel to hear the troubled stories of the Jewish community. Invited by the Jewish Congress, Kanner was one of fourteen international representatives in the delegation. Horrified by the destruction she witnessed, Kanner brought the voices of these people home with her: “All they asked from us is to make sure that we’re using our voices to demand that the hostages that Hamas has right now are brought home” (Kanner). At 8 o’clock, as the patriots were running onto the field, rockets fired from Hamas into Israel. This trip was anything but easy, yet Kanner realizes how crucial it is for these victims to be heard. Her work against antisemitism doesn’t end in Israel. Kanner is also taking part in a rally hosted by the Jewish Federations of North America, and will also speak to the Michigan State athletics department. This job is much more than glitz and glamor.
The sidelines aren’t the only place you’ll find these girls. The true work of the Patriots cheerleaders is to continuously inspire both New England and the world. Their cheer reaches much farther than the endzone, and it drives us all to reach for excellence.
