What does it take to be an NFL Cheerleader? If I had to guess I would say the following. Being attractive seems to be the number one quality as you never ever see an ugly NFL cheerleader. You have to have to be physically fit. You have to smile all of the time and you have to be coordinated enough to sis room bah and jump all over the place while making it look easy and fun AND not fall out of your skimpy outfit. Well those are my guesses. Lets see what it really takes!

Surprisingly NFL cheerleaders make squat for their efforts. It is reported they make as little as 50.00 to as much as 80.00 per game! They are encouraged to hold down normal jobs during the season and do not get paid for practice sessions. The perks? Obviously the attention they receive and a chance to do some promo work. I guess national attention can lead to more opportunities. for example the Washington Redskins, First Ladies of Football have put together a calendar for the 2009 season! Most Cheer squad sites offer a swimsuit calander of some type. Some sites I read that the cheer squads can be rented for an upcoming event or will appear for charity causes. Practices can be grueling as they can be up to four hours a day! Some teams have a squad that travel the world and put on variety shows. The First ladies of the Washington Redskins is one such example

The try outs have described to be very nerve wracking experience. One newcomer to the Redskins team states she actually attended some cheer leading prep classes to help her make the cut. How specialized and competitve this has all become. The squads even have hair and beauty consultants!

I went to the website of the most famous cheerleaders of all, the Dallas Cowboys. I typed in the requirements to see if I would be able to make the cut.

The requirements are as follows:

There are no height or weight restrictions, Whew good! It does however say you have to look well proportioned. Well I think I can pass for well proportioned. Judges will judge on the following:

Dance Technique
Enthusiasm
Poise
Showmanship
Personal Appearance
Figure
Personality
Energy
High Kicks
Splits
Damn it I cant do a Split I guess I am out..but not matter because I would pass the age requirement anyway..you have to be between 18 and 38 years of age.

Other squads require you to have a high school diploma or GED. Some even require you to have another job. Oh and you must be willing to relocate to the area you are applying.

NFL Cheerleaders haven't always been around. The Dallas Cowboys were one of the first NFL teams to hire cheerleaders. In 1960 the cheer squad was composed of high school boys and girls named Cowbelles and Beaux. The very first cheer squad was for the Baltimore Colts and was formed in 1954. Not all NFL teams have a cheer squad . The Chicago Bears are one such team.  The Honey Bears as the squad was called was disbanded around 1985 and has since to be resurrected. It was believed at the time the Cheer squad for the Chicago Bears were the cause of their many losses. The Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions and New York Giants also do not have any formal Cheer squads.

An "average cheerleader" ( if there is such a thing) stays up to four seasons. Typically she is attending a University but it is not uncommon for moms to be cheerleaders too. There are nearly 25 cheer squads in the NFL and only one of them has a coed squad. The Houston Texans Cheerleaders were the last squad to form in 2002.

So do I have what it takes to be a cheerleader? Well lets just say I have my own set of pom poms and leave it at that!   What these gals do is really admirable, even from a woman's perspective.