TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – It’s a full-circle moment for one professional cheerleader.
Chandi McCright is returning to her Tucson roots after years of cheerleading for the Dallas Cowboys.
McCright’s career has earned her a feature on Netflix’s ‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders,’ but her next chapter will be dedicated to helping young women at the University of Arizona pursue dreams of their own.
“It’s so amazing to watch these girls just blossom as dancers and humans,” Chandi said.
As the newly appointed Assistant Coach of the Arizona Pom Line, she brings a wealth of experience, having spent four years on the team herself, including as both Co-Captain and Captain.
Her passion for dance began in Tucson, where her mom enrolled her in her first class at just three years old. She stuck with the sport through school, eventually cheering on the sidelines at Salpointe Catholic High School.
“That’s when I think I really found who I was as a performer,” Chandi said.
After graduating from the U of A in 2019, Chandi went on to perform professionally as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader for six seasons before her recent retirement.
“I hope that at least one of them can take something away from all the life that I’ve lived and help them form themself into being a better woman,” Chandi said about the women on the Arizona Pom Line.
You might recognize Chandi from the hit Netflix show ‘America’s Sweethearts’. The documentary series follows the world-renowned Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders from its highly competitive auditions and training camp to the NFL season.
Chandi went through the rigorous audition process six times.
“It was a lot,” she said. “I used to fly to Dallas and back every other weekend for a month hoping I would make it to the next round… hoping I would make it to training camp… and then living their for three months just hoping I would make the team.”
Chandi’s narrative on the Netflix series brought to light the immense pressure professional dancers face to maintain a flawless exterior while dealing with personal struggles. She has since become an advocate for mental health and domestic violence awareness.
“They’re both two things that’ve been through and I think that it’s hard for people to talk about such serious topics,” she said. “I hope that even through the series I’ve inspired people to talk about it.”
She said her time on the team shaped her into the woman and coach she is today.
“I think throughout my six seasons there I grew as a human, I learned myself a little bit better and especially watching it back I was like, ‘OK, this is what I need to work on, this is what I need to change about myself,’ and I think it gave me that insight that I needed to be who I am now and the coach that these girls need,” she explained.
It’s experience women on the Arizona Pom Line said they are grateful to learn from as many of them will also go on to dance professionally.
“The fact that she was in our shoes shows that is it a possibility for all of us,” said Arizona Pom Line Captain Maya Miller. “NFL, NBA and MLB… that is all such a big dream of ours so sometimes it seems impossible in a way so seeing her and the fact that she’s been there makes us all know that it is possible.”
The Netflix show featured the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ push for fair wages, including discussions of potential walkouts. The women recently received a 400% pay raise, and veterans like Chandi feel good knowing they improved conditions for future cheerleaders.
“To know that we left this organization better than how we all came into it, and it’s just going to get better, is an amazing feeling,” Chandi said.
