Brownsville native is a NFL cheerleader for the Atlanta Falcons
Submitted photos
Brownsville native Kacey Furlong, a cheerleader with the Atlanta Falcons, poses for a photo with her parents, Roxie Furlong (left) and David Furlong (right).
Submitted photo
Brownsville native Kacey Furlong is in her second year of being a cheerleader with the Atlanta Falcons.
Submitted photo
Brownsville native Kacey Furlong is in her second year of being a cheerleader with the Atlanta Falcons.
One of the biggest misconceptions about being an NFL cheerleader is that they grew up in cheer, said Brownsville native Kacey Furlong.
无毛视频淓veryone thinks we were cheerleaders, but we all have dance backgrounds,无毛视频� said Furlong, 23, a 2018 graduate of Brownsville Area High School. 无毛视频淒ancing was my main passion and continues to be.无毛视频�
The former Brownsville Falcon is in her second year of cheering on pro football无毛视频檚 Atlanta Falcons, drawing on her competitive dance background that includes everything from ballet to hip-hop.
Following her high school graduation, Furlong attended West Virginia University and majored in marketing. There, she was a member of WVU无毛视频檚 dance team, performing at football and basketball games. She said she loves dancing because it lets her live in the moment, and she did just that when as a soon-to-be-graduating senior in the spring of 2022, she decided to audition to be a Falcons无毛视频� cheerleader.
The process started with her sending a video showing the judges her freestyle dance moves.
Even though she didn无毛视频檛 think much about her audition video after it was sent, Furlong soon learned she made it to the second round of tryouts. That required her to learn additional dance routines, and send videos back to the judges.
By May, she learned she无毛视频檇 made it to the final round. Instead of walking in her WVU graduation ceremony, Furlong and her father drove to Atlanta so she could participate in the two-day process.
Of the 700 who auditioned, eight Atlanta Falcon cheerleaders were chosen 无毛视频� Furlong among them.
无毛视频淚n my head, I was just in shock. I didn无毛视频檛 know what just happened, I didn无毛视频檛 feel like they picked the right person,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淚t took a while for the moment to soak in. My dad was so excited, but it didn无毛视频檛 quite hit me, and it didn无毛视频檛 soak in until that week.无毛视频�
After making the team, Furlong had five days to drive home, say goodbye to her mother, Roxie, and head back to Atlanta to find a job.
That无毛视频檚 another misconception, she pointed out: being an NFL cheerleader is not a full-time job.
无毛视频淚n order to be on the team, you need to be a full-time student or have a full-time job,无毛视频� Furlong said, adding that one member of the cheer team is an anesthesiologist. 无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檙e passionate about you having something else, too.无毛视频�
Although Furlong is currently working in sales, she无毛视频檚 hoping to get her realtor无毛视频檚 license.
无毛视频淲e practice twice or three times a week, depending on the game schedule,无毛视频� Furlong said. 无毛视频淚 work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., then to the stadium from 5 to 10 p.m. So some days are crazy, but I wouldn无毛视频檛 change it for the world.无毛视频�
Much like her experience with dancing, Furlong said when she无毛视频檚 out on the field, that passion she feels continues to grow during every game. And, she said, she still has moments where she can无毛视频檛 believe she gets to do what she loves.
It无毛视频檚 also provided her some unique experiences she无毛视频檇 likely not have otherwise had. At a recent halftime show, the cheerleaders performed a dance routine while Bobby Brown sang. They无毛视频檝e also performed at concerts for Usher and Maroon 5, and made an appearance at an event to honor breast cancer survivors.
Although cheerleading takes up a lot of Furlong无毛视频檚 time, she无毛视频檚 still trains at dance classes.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 an escape from reality and daily stress that comes along with life,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淲henever I无毛视频檓 at dance practice or at a game, I无毛视频檓 in the moment and nothing else matters.无毛视频�
The NFL requires its cheerleaders to audition each season, and Furlong remained with the Falcons this year. After the 2023-24 football season is in the books, she无毛视频檚 not sure what she无毛视频檒l do.
无毛视频淚n my head, I无毛视频檓 saying one more year,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 hard being away from my family, but this is a dream come true, so I might be here five years. I无毛视频檒l take it day by day and see.无毛视频�