After graduating this spring, one Arkansas Tech student will head to the Peach State to join 39 other women on the sidelines at the Atlanta Falcons games.
Naiz Bolin, a senior from Hamburg, has been selected as one of the 2011 Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders.
Bolin traveled to Atlanta recently for several days of auditions. During the first two rounds of auditions, Bolin and others learned choreography and were expected to perform it almost immediately.
“The dances weren’t hard but were really fast and they gave very little time to practice,” explains Bolin.
In all, 41 women and the members of last year’s cheerleading squad made it to the final round of tryouts. As part of the final round, the women took part in interviews and performed a dance routine.
Bolin says the hardest part about the audition process was avoiding distractions.
“Comcast was there filming a reality show the entire time,” explained Bolin. “I would say that was the most difficult part for me because it was very distracting having a camera in your face and being interviewed all the time when you’re trying to dance and remain focused.”
Bolin says her job as a cheerleader is more than leading the crowd. In addition to her duties on the sideline, Bolin says she will serve as an ambassador for the team and city of Atlanta.
She adds, “We have our calendar shoot in just a couple of weeks, and some of the cheerleaders have the privilege of going overseas to visit troops. We also make frequent appearances for different organizations.”
Bolin says loves to perform and began dancing at age three. During her time at Tech, Bolin was a member of the Tech Cheerleaders and the Golden Girls, and she says these experiences helped her improve as a dancer.
Though she’s excited, Bolin says she’ll miss being close to her family. She adds, “Atlanta is less than nine hours from Hamburg, so it’s within a driving day’s reach to get there, but it’s definitely going to be a culture shock moving from Hamburg to Atlanta.”
Bolin says she’s thankful for the support of her family and the opportunity to pursue her passion.
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